Fill this extra hole from the cockpit to the bilge?

[CptnNate]

I recently bought a 1976 Day Sailer II (#8098). I've been reading the forums and I can't see any other boat with this hole. Should I fill it? It seems like it just lets water into the bilge.

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I also noticed a soft spot on the cubbie top. When I looked inside I noticed the rib was cracked. I plan on cleaning the area (dewax/degrease, anyone recommend a good product for this?) and epoxy a couple layers of fiberglass over the crack extending a few inches in all directions.
https://i.imgur.com/XHdebCV.mp4

Thirdly, does anyone know a good product for removing rust stains from inside the cubbie? Previous owner left a rusty anchor chain in there for a couple years it seems.

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Thanks,
Nate

[GreenLake]

Rust stain: Bar Keepers Friend. Like many similar products it's also a light abrasive, but on the cuddy floor that shouldn't be a concern. Anytime you need to restore gloss to gelcoat: 3M Finesse It II (can also be used to restore CD's should you still be using them).

Cracked rib: It cracked because it was underdimensioned. When adding fiberglass, use a spacer, e.g. thin strip of foam. That gives the new glass the shape of a rib, and will add a lot more strength. Be sure to taper the glass (each layer 1-2" wider) so as to not create a hard spot.

Superfluous hole: if in doubt, a square of the 2" wide electrical tape will probably seal it quite well, but remains removable. If not in doubt, filling it should be fine. I take it that you do have a way to drain your cockpit?

[ArchSail]

I own a 74 DSII and can’t say I’ve come across such a cockpit hole before.

[CptnNate]

Cracked rib: It cracked because it was underdimensioned. When adding fiberglass, use a spacer, e.g. thin strip of foam. That gives the new glass the shape of a rib, and will add a lot more strength. Be sure to taper the glass (each layer 1-2" wider) so as to not create a hard spot.

Are you saying I should replace the whole rib? I was thinking of just patching over the cracked area.

[GreenLake]

I'm trying to say that bulk=strength. But the bulk does not need to come from laminate alone. If you add a thin strip of some stiff foam and then put glass you increase the effective thickness much more than with just adding glass. You can even add new ribs this way, if desired.

However, it's easy to overdesign from a distance. How easy is it to flex the deck? If you can barely open the crack, a simple "patch" should be fine. (Also, is it in a place that's loaded when you stand on the deck?).

[CptnNate]

The crack is right where a person would stand to put on the jib. I didn't notice any cracking along the tabbing, just the one straight across the rib.
This is the crack with my teenage daughter standing on it.:

Cracked Rib.JPG (53.68 KiB) Viewed 2996 times

[GreenLake]

I'm having a hard time visualizing where that is (as I don't own a DSII and only have a vague idea of the layout of the cuddy in the DSII).

That said, looks like there are bulkheads or other vertical areas nearby, and the crack doesn't seem to be opening too far. Your initial idea for the repair may well have been spot on.

For dewaxing, look up the instructions posted by various expoxy vendors.

[CptnNate]

The crack is approximately here.

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[GreenLake]

That looks like it's near the hull/deck joint. My guess is that this makes a simple patch more feasible than if it had been in the middle of the deck.

[CptnNate]

BKF worked great on the rust spot.

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To repair the crack I sanded down the area and wiped with acetone.

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I wet down the area with epoxy, then layed up three layers on some plastic and wet it out before putting it in place.

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[CptnNate]

The air bubbles are only next to the plastic, not under the fiberglass.

20230909_132621 (Small).jpg (134.13 KiB) Viewed 2885 times

Hope this holds up.

[GreenLake]

Nice.

Where it's located, I'm surprised that there was a crack to begin with.

However, your repair looks good and you should find out quickly if for some reason that isn't enough. In the new photos, it's easier to see the existing structure and that with your repair it should be quite strong.