Boats can be hard to maintain especially if it’s made of fibreglass material. Furthermore, nothing is more disappointing than discovering that your pontoon boat’s hull is damaged and the fuzzy fibreglass part is sticking out. Not only do they look distracting and ugly, but they also can heighten the risk of damaging your boat. However, there’s no need to fret over it. Fibreglass boats are easy to repair and if you only have minor damages, you can easily repair them yourself.  With just a bit of glass fabric, resin, and equal parts skill and care, your boat’s damage will soon become a thing of the past and your boat will look just as if it wasn’t damaged in the first place. 

Prepare Your Materials

Before you get cracking and start doing the repair work, make sure these materials are prepared and ready to use in your workspace:

• Fibreglass patching kit: Patching fibreglass includes a lot of materials. It needs to be patched up with liquid epoxy, fibreglass materials, and more. You can go to a construction store to buy a fibreglass patching kit. It has all the items needed for this endeavour. Make sure you do your research first and ask questions on how to use it. 
• Adequate cleaning supplies: Use a boat cleaner to effectively clean your boat without damaging its hull even further. You need ingredients that are suitable for a boat. Prepare microfibre towels to wipe the damp surface and water to wash off the cleaner. 
• Construction materials: Gather sandpaper for sanding the edges and an epoxy brush for applying the epoxy to the hull.

Clean off Cracked Portions

Start by cleaning the affected area. Sand it first to make it smooth so you can proceed to the next step without difficulty. Measure the exact size of the affected area and write it down. Using a fibreglass cloth from your fibreglass patching kit and a marker or a pencil, recreate the affected area by tracing it slowly. After you’re done, cut it out. The first piece you cut out should be about the same size as the affected area. Create more duplicates of this except the other pieces should be larger. Place these pieces on the affected area, starting with the largest area until the piece that’s the same as the damaged area. Use the mixed epoxy in your fibreglass patching kit to wet the area you’ve sanded out on the exterior of your hull and subsequent layers of fibreglass.

Use Quick Drying Epoxy

A quick-drying epoxy is useful to dry your work fast. Spread it on the patch you made earlier and smooth it until it is seamless with the rest of the hull. Don’t forget to spread the epoxy on the inside portion of the hull.

Cure The Seal

Allow the patched area to properly cure. Make sure to place your boat in a dry and well-ventilated area for it to dry quickly. If needed, you can apply another coat of epoxy for greater consistency. Make sure to cure it well too. 

Paint after Drying

Once the epoxy has dried, you may need to sand it just enough for the paint to stick and dry on the hull correctly. After you’re done with this, start painting the area with approved marine paint. 

If your boat seems like it’s damaged beyond just a simple repair or patch-up, it’s time to take it to a boat shop or boat dealers who offer marine services such as boat repair or boat detailing. They have expert boat mechanics and repairmen who can do these services professionally using materials suited to your boat. Make sure to do a survey in your local area on who can offer the best service at an affordable price.