FX-1 Help? Hull Repair (pictures)

B

bigmace09

Location
Texas
Well I recently traded for an FX1...

Runs good and seems mechanically sound.. However, I noticed the hull was in pretty rough shape on the bottom. I figured it wasnt a big deal.. scratches happen and gelcoat goes away with years of beaching etc..

I decided to pull the tank out today and clean her up to find a big ol' suprise waiting for me.

The portion of the hull that is directly under the gas-tank to the front side of the motor was cracked pretty badly. The cracks are not on the outside, just inside. I can literally scrape most of them with my fingernail. One piece about the size of a penny actually came up..


ski3.jpg


ski2.jpg


ski1.jpg


I have done glass work before, but I am not sure as to the best way to go about this repair. Am I going to need to completely cut that area out and reshape it all in?

It seems like there are too many cracks to dremel each one out in a V shape.

Any help would be appreciated,
Mace
 
NVJAY775

NVJAY775

My home away from home.
Location
Gardnerville, Nevada, United States
I would sand it down a bit. Hard to tell how far to go without actually being there and doing the sanding in person. But I'd take it all (effected area) down evenly due to the widespread cracking, and go over it with a few layers of 17 oz. biax tapering it up all sides a few inches. 2 layers minimum, but 3 would be a bit more solid. For the sanding maybe start with a flapper disc on an angle grinder, then an orbital to smooth it out. Just my .02 Hopefully others will chime in.
 
tom21

tom21

havin fun
Location
clearwater FL
it looks like someone poured some resin it there. that is why its cracking. notice how the factory stuff is thin and you can see the fiberglass cloth just under the surface? there its really thick and I cant make out any cloth in it at all. could just be the pic but it seems like someone has repaired the whole bottom or just poured resin over it all.

any chance you can sand down the outside edge of the repair on the bottom? looking for a definite line between old and new. was it a hole or just thin and cracked? gotta know how bad the damage was to know how to repair it.

most like you will end up having to grind all that away and lay up over the whole area and out onto the good part of the hull.
 
B

bigmace09

Location
Texas
Ya it makes since now that I think about it being just resin poured down. It seems very brittle and I was able to actually pull up that little piece in picture one. The bottom side of the hull is getting pretty thin, but I did not see any holes or cracks all the way through. I need to double check this with a flashlight though. I was angered and hurried yesterday.

I am not at with the ski currently, but I will head that way later this evening. I will take a video of it and start sanding. I want to do this ski right the first time.

I noticed one crack was heading under the engine. How hard is it to pull the engine out?

Would the resin from lowes work just as good as any other? I have a bunch of old mat laying around from previous jobs. Not sure what size it is though. Does this matter?

Thanks all,
Mace
 
tipafew

tipafew

Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Go to the US Composites web site and get 2 part epoxy resin from them. I usually use West Systems 2 part epoxy. You don't want to use the cheap fiberglass stuff. You will also want to buy some 17oz biaxial cloth from them. It is much stronger than the stuff you probably have sitting around. Start grinding and sanding until you get down to a good clean OEM surface. Depending on how the damage is, I would use 2-3 layers of 17oz cloth.

Pulling the motor is easy if you have done it a few times. Pipe off, unhook throttle cable, take two bolts off firewall that hold ebox, 4 motor mount bolts, unhook fuel lines and wala....motor is out.
 
B

bigmace09

Location
Texas
Well I started some sanding yesterday evening... It appears to be all original material that is coming off. I cannot find any old/new surfaces, but it does appear like there was a lack of "cloth". It almost seems like it was a Friday evening/Monday morning ski haha.

Should I go for polyester resin or an actual epoxy? I think I read somewhere that FX1's were made of a polyester resin?

I have used the West Systems 105/205 epoxy mix on my sailboat previously, but did not layer it with cloth (injection repair)... Does this stuff lay just like fiberglass does with the cloth?

On the 17oz biax-- do I get stuff with or without the mat backing?

Also, many of the cracks are going near the bungee mount for the gas tank... Should I work around this, or try to pull it off somehow?

Sorry for all of the questions guys, just trying to make a plan before I jump in with my hands full hah

Thanks,
Mace
 
Last edited:
special fx

special fx

X
Location
Brigantine, NJ
on closer look, I have to agree with Tom 21. It looks like someone just poured some resin on the bottom (probably trying to bond whatever the nut looking thing is). It's probably just really brittle and cracked. I've never seen an FX with that type of resin flow inside, I'm betting on previous owner snafu.
 
B

bigmace09

Location
Texas
Just thought of something else --

I am looking through the pictures I took... None of them came out very well except for a close up of where the piece came out. It appears that this is the depth where the matting starts in the glass... The piece that came out is nearly an eighth inch too..

Am I going to need to sand the entire area down that far? What is the most I can sand before the hull gets too thin and causes more damage than good?

Has anyone ever had much success with dremelling down each of the cracks at a bevel and glassing over them in a case like mine (multiple cracks). I could see lots of air bubbles getting in the way..

How thick is the stock hull in this location? Just curious...

thanks,
Mace
 
B

bigmace09

Location
Texas
special fx said:
on closer look, I have to agree with Tom 21. It looks like someone just poured some resin on the bottom (probably trying to bond whatever the nut looking thing is). It's probably just really brittle and cracked. I've never seen an FX with that type of resin flow inside, I'm betting on previous owner snafu.
Click to expand...

I pulled the nut out last night. It was bonded on there with some silicone-like material that was separate from the resin. If a previous owner poured resin in there, it would of had to of been a ton -- the area is smooth from the front of the ski to as far under the engine that I can see. I cannot find any new/old lines either. Do the mounts appear to be attached in an original fashion? They seem to all have the same aged glue coming up from the sides with an even level of fiberglass under and around them.

Maybe somebody redid all of the mounts too? idk
 
NVJAY775

NVJAY775

My home away from home.
Location
Gardnerville, Nevada, United States
Definitely sand out the old resin that is cracked as well as sanding (prepping) the bordering sides a couple inches back, so it will all tie in solidly. And yes get the 17oz biax with mat on the back. I like to use west systems 105 resin and 205 hardener. Although I have nothing to compare it to, I did start a thread on it and it seemed to be the favorite, just MORE expensive unfortunately. I think if u try to dremel the cracks only you will possibly have problems down the road with cracking under the new glasswork. I'd take it down clean and start over with the biax. Plus it'll be lighter after the cracked stuff is out. And very solid.
 
B

bigmace09

Location
Texas
What is the best way to remove the old mounts?

I am probably going to have to remove the one that the gas tank bungee clips too.

thanks,
mace
 
B

bigmace09

Location
Texas
Well I took some grinding discs to her this morning... Most of the cracks up front have gone away to a finish that matches the sides of the hull. I am assuming I am down to the original material even though I never found a direct color change or other sign. I did find some red tinted fibers under the glass.. They could possibly be cracks, but I am 90% sure they are fibers.. (Pictures of them below)


I tried taking the engine out, but ran into some trouble. I am assuming that removing the pipe includes taking out the "header" that bolts to the side of the motor (8 12mm bolts) ? I could not reach the bottom right hand with the tools I had at the time, but I think I can get back at it tomorrow with some swivel sockets etc...

I took some pictures of my progress. Does everything look up to par so far?

2011-08-06115446.jpg


2011-08-06130724.jpg


2011-08-06130203.jpg


2011-08-06130148.jpg
 
B

bigmace09

Location
Texas
Haha I think all of the positive chick dig factor is lost with the super-cool purple paint.. The first thing the g/f said was "you bought a girl ski!" ..... it's getting painted next time i feel like tearing it down hah.

Would kevlar be better than using the 17oz biaxal? My older brother said he had a roll of it sitting in his shop. Not sure on the specifics though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom