It is probably worth mentioning that polyester resin dissolves foam quite aggressively. So, if you are patching over foam, be sure to use epoxy.


Yes, epoxy is tougher and adheres better. But, it is a lot more expensive, has a much longer cure time, and is generally harder to use.

Personally, I use both. My general rules of thumb are;

- Structural damage = epoxy
- Foam exposed = epoxy
- Big cosmetic damage (gouges,dings) = vinyl ester (preference) or polyester
- Minor cosmetic damage (scratches, small gouges) = vinyl ester or polyester
- High wear spots in need of build-up (keel) = vinyl ester or epoxy with an appropriate filler and/or glass cloth


...Moral of the story - a crack letting in water would generally be classified as a structural issue and would benefit from the use of epoxy. You will need to thoroughly dry, and then clean out the crack. Then your best choice would be non-thickened epoxy followed by some thickened epoxy to fill the void. Without seeing the damage, I cannot advise whether glass cloth should be included in the repair.




Dave <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />