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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 7:42 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 7:32 pm
Posts: 2
Hi; I have a 16 and the bridle holes on the pontoons are elongated and I'm starting to see small cracks radiating out from the holes .
How can i repair these before suffering a catastrophic failure? I tried using an epoxy patch repair with n success\
shuswap39


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 5:32 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:00 pm
Posts: 560
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Are the cracks only in the gelcoat? If so, I don't think that's a problem. My old boat especially had chipped gelcoat around those fittings and my newer one even does.

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'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:15 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:23 am
Posts: 599
Location: Lake Norman NC
replace machine screws with ss bolts and nylock ss nuts
do not crank down on these snug tight only
this should solve your problems small gel coat cracks happen to all fiberglass sooner or later
former hobie admiral gary


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:23 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 7:32 pm
Posts: 2
Hi: the holes have chipped out a bit with small cracks radiating out. I've already replaced the screws with stainless nuts and bolts. Just don't want to have the bridle pull the bolt through and lose the mast.


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 5:33 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:11 pm
Posts: 5197
Location: Detroit, MI
Remove all the loose fiberglass bits and rough up the hole with a rat-tail file. Use masking tape to cover the hole on the underside of the deck lip. Mix up a batch of epoxy and wet the sides of the hole, then mix in some chopped up fiberglass in the rest of the batch until it's thick and "hairy". Fill the hole with the epoxy/glass mixture, taking care to eliminate any air bubbles. Let cure for a week and then re-drill the hole from the bottom, using a smaller diameter first, then up to the correct size.


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:28 am 
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Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:31 am
Posts: 79
Location: Michigan
I reinforced those areas on my boat a few years back, thinking it was a developing problem. I also added a couple ss washers to the underside of each to help "spread out" the load. I also added a ss washer to the top between the hull and bridle tang.
I have saw, on older boats where there is just the bolt, and a lock nut. Its probably sufficient, but I don't worry about it anymore now. I just check them every year.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 8:50 am 
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Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:23 am
Posts: 599
Location: Lake Norman NC
I check this connection each and every time the boat goes into the water this is a critical part on a 16


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