# Crack Repair 

**URL:** <https://forum.clcboats.com/t/crack-repair/33942>\
**Category:** Builder's Forum\
**Created:** [April 22, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/crack-repair/33942 "2008-04-22T20:28:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Harriss\_Butler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b38774/32.png) [@Harriss\_Butler](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Harriss_Butler)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/crack-repair/33942/1 "2008-04-22T20:28:31Z")

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; I have a ches.17lt that has a 6" cracked just behind the forward hatch. I was told I would need to sand to bare wood and apply glass & epoxy. I'm thinking this will show as a light "spot" on a bright finished deck. Can I use a butt block under the deck and just glass over the crack on top?&nbsp;&nbsp; The boat has never been completed and so it is only epoxied now. Any help would be great Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Laszlo\_Morocz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Laszlo\_Morocz](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Laszlo_Morocz)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/crack-repair/33942/2 "2008-04-23T06:38:44Z")

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That would work, but I don't think you need to worry about a light spot since epoxy darkens wood.

I'm also not sure that you need to sand all the way down to bare wood. Sanding away just enough epoxy to give you a clean, rough surface would be good enough for applying a patch.

Laszlo

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**Author:** ![Frank\_Patrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@Frank\_Patrum](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Frank_Patrum)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 11:09am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/crack-repair/33942/3 "2008-04-23T11:09:51Z")

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I'll agree with Laszlo, there shouldn't be any need to sand to bare wood to fix a minor crack like that.&nbsp; Just get a rough surface for a mechanical bond as well as the chemical bond and you should be fine.&nbsp;

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Extend a piece of glass a couple inches beyond the terminus of the crack, just to provide the extra strength but that should be plenty.

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**Author:** ![Harriss\_Butler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b38774/32.png) [@Harriss\_Butler](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Harriss_Butler)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/crack-repair/33942/4 "2008-04-23T19:18:17Z")

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thanks for the help. Sounds like a simple solution. Just to clarify te deck is cracked completely through the okoume 6" long. I also noticed the deck is not attached to th bulkhead. Should there be a fillett between the deck and the bulkhead? Thanks again for the help. Much appreciated.

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**Author:** ![Laszlo\_Morocz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Laszlo\_Morocz](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Laszlo_Morocz)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/crack-repair/33942/5 "2008-04-23T21:28:06Z")

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Definitely. Otherwise

1. you don't get any structural support and the deck may crack; and

2. you end up with a wateright compartment that doesn't go all the way to the deck. You might have heard of another vessel that was built that way - the Titanic.

Laszlo&nbsp;