On Wed, 31 May 2006 10:20:02 -0500, Chris Rennert
wrote:

Ok, most of you know I have an 89 Ranger 354V (snip)
I would also like to repair some damage on the bottom of the boat (snip)
I was hoping that you guys could give me some insight into gel-coat
repair, and maybe some ideas of what I should do about the hull. I am
looking at a Keel guard after seeing Steve use his on Mohawksin, seemed
like a pretty sweet idea.

I fish a lot of shallow sandy, rocky rivers and I have a Hamby's
keel guard (the full one, I believe). Great investment and it really
does protect the hull. I didn't notice any drop in high end
performance or in maneurability (I have a somewhat similar boat yo
yours - a 364v Ranger with a Johnson 150 GT...however, I really didn't
test it too much pre-Hamby's...as that was one of the first things I
put on it when I got this boat.

You're doing the right things IMO. When I got my boat, I changed
all the seats, replaced whatever rusty parts I saw (including a good
many bolts n' nuts and screws) and ordered the gel coat kit matching
the color of my boat from Ranger. Been too long since I did that and
can't remember the details...but everything went pretty smoothly.
There's a ton of products out there to get the shine back in your gel
coat...but the cold hard truth is that once the gel coat has severely
oxidized...there's not much you can do to it other than do your best
to rub whatever you can rub off and coat with a good wax. In some
cases, the oxidation can damage the gel coat so bad that it can become
prickly to the touch. Once its at that point, redoing the gel coat is
probably your best option. Although their parts are often expensive,
Ranger has always been able to do some amazing things for me (ie.
shipping, finding a remote part, etc.)

On my previous boat (a 1979 158v Ranger), I had various areas of
damage on the hull from rocks and sand and patched the bottom up a ton
of times...sometimes just hours before a tournament. Here's my tips:

1. If your boat is full of water and you are taking more water
than you are pumping out and you are a long way from the ramp (ie. 30
miles or even 1 mile)...go to the back of the boat and pull the plug
so water can drain out of your boat once you get it moving. Fast idle
until you can get it up on top...and hopefully, you'll get er' on top
before the situation gets worse...: You are in a Ranger...it won't
sink (heh heh...probably).

2. Duct tape (at least none I found) won't stay on the fiberglass
botton of your boat when you are in the water

3. Sticking a piece of cloth or object in the hole might be a
temporary fix...but it's hard to keep anything there if you are
running at all or the hull is bouncing up and down.

4. Get you several bottles of a resin called JB WELD. If you get
a pin hole or bigger and you have to fish the next day...it can be a
lifesaver. JB Weld sticks to anything and is super tough (can
withstand rocks and sand...but can rub off after a long while
(months?) and sets up in just 4-6 hours. They say it fully cures in
15-24 hours...but that period of time is dependent upon how much water
you've got coming out of the pinhole. Best tip is to cut out (if
posible) any sections of fiberglass that is retaining water (if its
fairly small).

5. When you have the time, repair the fiberglass damage right the
first time. Make a nice clean hole (ie. square it out) and fill it in
with a piece of treated wood (glued to the inside of the boat, if
possible) covered around with the fiberglass and that piece of wood
will go along way toward making that a stronger section of fiberglass.

--
Dwayne E. Cooper, Atty at Law
Indianapolis, IN
Email:
Web Page: http://www.cooperlegalservices.com
Personal Fishing Web Page: http://www.hoosierwebsites.com/OnTheWater
Dog Fishing: http://www.hoosierwebsites.com/onthe...fishing040.htm
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