A Formula speedboat on a dual-axle trailer rests on a gravel area beside a lake, with a black protective cover; trees line the shoreline, and the hull bears the text FORMULA.

Small Projects and Repairs

By: Jeff Wright

Fall 2013

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On an older fiberglass boat

By Jeff Wright — Vice President of Technical Services

I believe we have many customers who, like me, use WEST SYSTEM Epoxy simply to keep an older fiberglass boat in good repair. The following are examples of repairs and small projects that I have completed on my personal boat, a Formula 242 LS, over the last ten years. These would apply to many aging production fiberglass boats. Since WEST SYSTEM Epoxy has a shelf life measured in years, it is easy to keep it on your shelf and tackle these tasks when it’s convenient.

Seat Post

A white leather seat with a gray center panel and red trim rests on a light floor beside a metal rail, inside what appears to be a workshop or showroom.

An open car ashtray module sits in a light-gray center console. The tray slides outward, exposing metal rails, a small lighter socket, and a red-brown upholstered surround.

Trim Pump

When the original trim pump on my older fiberglass boat would not hold up the outdrive any longer it was time to replace it. The new updated pump had a different mounting bracket so the mounting holes did not align in with the old holes in the boat. Since this is likely to get wet at some point I wanted to seal up the old holes permanently so I filled them with thickened epoxy.

Fasteners in the Transom

An exposed black ribbed hydraulic damper is bolted to a metal frame, with a flat, riveted shield beneath it, inside a light-colored equipment compartment.

Trailer Tool Box

Object: a black, rectangular metal box with a two part lid and front valve; Action: resting on a concrete floor; Context: beside a trailer wheel in a workshop or garage.

Cooler

White wall cabinet with right-side hinges and a circular left lock; its lower panel is open, showing a dark interior, in a corner beside beige walls and a blue-lit baseboard.

Trailer Bunk Bolts

Concrete block sits on a black metal bracket; the block rests against a pale wall in a metallic environment. A rusted bolt and joint connect the bracket to the structure.

Engine Hatch Hinge

The plywood that is used for the cushions of my engine hatch upholstery is also used as the backers for the hinges. Over time the plywood in the area became slightly deteriorated and warped from years of moisture.

An old car’s rear roof is the focus. Parked in a garage, the body features a white vinyl roof with chrome trim and a black vented panel on the deck.

Snaps

A white car door, outdoors in sun, shows two small circular metal features: a hollow hole and a nearby plug; a dark hood edge is visible at the top right.

Boat Building & Repair