Fiberglass Console Repair | Step By Step Filling holes & Cracks DIY Boat Restoration

In this video, I document step by step how I filled in old center console dashboard holes, speaker holes, cup holders, and more. For this project, I used 3/4" marine grade plywood core for the dash and used 3/8" Nidacore / Carbon Core Honeycomb sheet to fill the other various holes.

All of the repairs were done using standard polyester boatyard resin, Fiber Glass Of Florida Radius putty, 1708 biaxial, and 1.5oz chopped strand mat along with a lightweight polyester compound for the finish fairing.

This customer requested I simply complete the repairs and shoot primer so that he could shoot the entire boat with AWLGRIP after the console was glass into the deck. I did not detail the primer application in this video, but after all of the repairs were complete I used several coats of Duratec White Surface Primer to complete the final finish. I also painted the interior of the console using a Gloss White Sherwin Williams Sherloxane 800 topcoat.

If you have any questions about the steps I did here or any questions on items I may have missed, please comment below or DM me on Instagram.

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[PaulyV]

after watching this, I will be purchasing a new center console, GREAT WORK.

[earlywhiskey]

It’s for sure there are many ways you could have done this. Looks to me like it would’ve been a whole lot less work to cut out the whole panel rather than patching for five smaller ones. You made it work kudos to you.

[tobiash]

Please keep going. To many youtubers get started with great projects and never finish. Great work and well done video. Subscribed and notifications on!!!

[andywilliamsflorida]

I've done a lot of cabinet building, but nothing like this. But that's what youtube is great for...taking your current skills and learning to do similar projects. I thank your for teaching your knowledge. With that said, my previous experiences tell me wood expands and contracts a lot, and in a marine envioronment, I would not want my repair plywood cut to as tight of a fit as you have done. I ask this in ignorance: are you worried about having your new plywood expanding and blowing out/cracking your repairs, or is fiberglass strong enough that that will not happen? Thanks for giving me the confidence to try this. In outdoor cabinets, we always allow tolerances for expansion, but perhaps this doesn't get wet? Thanks. Andy

[willemjaron]

Great video! Even better job. I know those fiberglass repairs can get a little ducky.

[nickzlb]

Nice, seems like may have been a bit easier to just cut out one big dash section in a rectangle rather than all the patchwork

[davidcocker]

Thank you for video good job subscribed 👍

[georgemayer]

Would have loved to of seen it primed!

[giovannifiorentino]

Great job. Just one note: how come you didn't flip the console to glass the bottom of the dashboard?

[getitdone]

Hello I came across this video searching on how to cover a larger hole in a dash for a 1990 Bayliner Trophy, the old fish finder was still în the dash and upon removing it I want to close the opening up. There is a 3/4 core of wood. So I want to cut the missing part as you did but I don't plan to use gell coating so I wanted to ask if using epoxy instead of poly for the steps you did would work? At the end I will paint it with some black VHT spray paint, nothing fancy and cover it with some aluminum composit board.
Over it I plan to mount the brackets for 2 nine inch Lowrance Live screens, one above the other.
I want to make sure that the wood will be stable and strong enough after applying the epoxyon the back and the front as you did. Thanks in advance and hope you're still around for guiding.

[captmiker]

You’ve got skills! Nice to see someone do good work. I ripped apart a 1978 38 Magnum Marine and have my work cut out for me. New subscriber 👍. Your logo’s cool too.

[knighthauler]

You had radiused corners in the lower fwd area but hard 90's in the lower helm area? Why? Would it not be better to have radiused corners? No stress points.

[Skiffdan]

That’s a Carolina Skiff with a deck that is bolted to the hull. Is there any reason why you didn’t remove the deck and repair the wood from the under side like it was originally built? Might take a bit more time, but would be done correctly for that model boat.

[uscrossbowstore]

Do you have a list of the products you use ? And a vendor to obtain them from

[dannyjones]

PVA is great for sealing laminating resin, but I actually use gel coat with wax. It helps fill in the weave, and it also acts as a guide coat when fairing.

[bullhippo]

South Fl heat, wow! I don't see how you sand without a tyvek suit. I live in south Alabama, heat and humidity is brutal. When I sand glass in the summer, I almost die ! I commented on another one of your videos about using epoxy. I use a tropical hardener when the heat sets in, it gives me plenty of work time. Working out in the sun light destroys the working time. It cooks the epoxy fast. I like the idea of the lamenating poly staying tacky for the build up, but it seems to be challenged by the heat too. Amine blush or trying to sand some things with epoxy is an issue too. I guess there is no perfect scenario for heat in the south.

[adamcue]

You said using epoxy to hold the core in place came back to bite you. How so?

[larkstott]

Nice work! Will the owner still have to apply the awlgrip 545? Thanks

[nikkojones]

Another great job/video.
What price range for a repair of that nature.
You quote overall job or by the openings?

[nickkiermaier]

great vid! how long do you typically wait between layers?