Repair to the botttom of my boat

[Missouri Jay]

5 years ago I hit a tree while getting on plane and punched about a 3" diameter hole in the bottom of my boat. On the run back to the ramp a large section (10" x 3') of gelcoat came off also. I was recommended by a friend a body shop that had done repairs to his boat. The repair was done but it was not repaired back with gelcoat. The shop owner said he had repaired many boats, including his own, and that it would be painted with a paint called Emron. I fish about twice a week almost all year and have had no issues. Today I look under my boat and see a chunk gone where this repair was done, it is about 3" wide by 8" long, and there is fiberglass showing. I get a closer look and at first didn't look too bad, but, when I push on it I can see it move. It's not real soft but I can definitely see movement in the fiberglass that is showing. My question is: Can I do a Marine Tex repair to this to get me by until it can be repaired correctly or am I asking for trouble. The final repair probably won't happen until winter. Thanks in advance.

[rojoguio]

So Imron is a DuPont 2K Poly Urethane. All of it will have to be removed along with a mechanical tooth be applied to the substrate. If you go over a 2K Urethane with the repair you are making a worse mess. There should be no movement of the substrate (Hull Skin). Something is broken between the hull skin and floor of the boat. Stringers, rigid expanding foam, or a "Holiday" from the factory could have been left. A punch thru only happens when the object struck gets purchase with the boat's hull skin. As you would expect the more direct to 90 degrees the object strikes the easier to punch thru. Sounds like it is possible the skin in the area in question may have been soft to start with, allowing the skin to deflect, giving purchase to the object struck. It's easier than expected to fix but access to the damaged area is usually the problem. You need to post good pictures on this site before anyone can give good advice.

[Missouri Jay]

20220727_170753.jpg

[Missouri Jay]

In the image the only place I see any movement is in the darker center (fiberglass), everything around there is solid.
In the original damage the tree was hit close to 90 degrees, the hole was very round where it punched through. The area in question now is not where the tree had actually hit bet behind that where the gelcoat had cracked and peeled off during the run back in. The repair shop said they would remove everything that was wet and refill and re-glass everything then cover and paint. I will see if I can find pictures of original damage.

[Missouri Jay]

Screenshot_20220728-081901_Gallery.jpg
This is the original damage

[rojoguio]

I'm assuming you bought the boat used? It looks to have had a repair before you hit something and broke the repair. Basic, proper, fiberglass repair practices were not followed in either picture. I would bring it to a fiberglass shop for a estimate for a proper repair.

[Missouri Jay]

The boat is a 96 Viper Cobra and I bought it in 2005. I have no idea if there was a previous repair. The tree I hit 5 years ago, when I say I hit it hard, I mean HARD. I was taking off and the back of the boat was pushing down before I broke over and it almost brought me to a stop.
I measured the spot I have now and that darker center is 2.5 inches long and 1 inch wide. The whole thing is about 8" x 2". I have no doubt the whole thing needs to be re-done, but being in the middle of tournament season I was hoping I could patch it to get by for a while.

[rojoguio]

At the very least you have a massive Holiday, It is very obvious in the original damage image the glass de-laminated where too much time passed before Viper added the reinforcement after shooting the skin with a chopper gun. The woven did not chemically adhere to the skin and my guess two chopper gun sessions happened on that boat. Maybe started the skin on a Friday then by Monday continued. Too Long a gap. The hull value is well below the repair cost to correct. That being said, I love my little Blazers and you can easily see the extent I will work for them. If you really like that boat have a professional fiberglass boat repair shop not a Body Shop fix it. I grew up in Body Shops, started at 13 years old sweeping up bondo dust. Structural GRP construction is not remotely their strong suit. Saving a Quarter Panel instead of replacing it is what they make money on.

[Missouri Jay]

At the very least you have a massive Holiday, It is very obvious in the original damage image the glass de-laminated where too much time passed before Viper added the reinforcement after shooting the skin with a chopper gun. The woven did not chemically adhere to the skin and my guess two chopper gun sessions happened on that boat. Maybe started the skin on a Friday then by Monday continued. Too Long a gap. The hull value is well below the repair cost to correct. That being said, I love my little Blazers and you can easily see the extent I will work for them. If you really like that boat have a professional fiberglass boat repair shop not a Body Shop fix it. I grew up in Body Shops, started at 13 years old sweeping up bondo dust. Structural GRP construction is not remotely their strong suit. Saving a Quarter Panel instead of replacing it is what they make money on.

You obviously know way more about this than I do. I actually went ahead and filed a claim with my insurance and will see what they say. I have found a highly recommended fiberglass boat repair shop not too far from me, that I wish now, I had known of 5 years ago. I know the hull is value is not that high but I hung a 2021 ProXS 4-stroke in the back of this with the intent of keeping it for a long time. Last time I filed a claim they actually valued it as a complete boat and not just the hull value.