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Repair & Maintenance
* Some marine boat repair companies may be willing to do repair work on larger boats such as an OC6. Yacht storage and service companies may also have capable fiberglass\carbon\kevlar repair personnel. If we have a wiki page for your locale, check there to see if any local repair businesses are listed for your area.
DIY Repair of Composites Carbon/Kevlar
Diagnosis
- Washrider Repair Article - Diagnosing and fixing really sick boats
- Probably Not DIY
- When is a surfski unrepairable? (really, when is it not worth the cost?) surfski.info discussion
- …
DIY (do-it-yourself)
Please keep in mind that no sealer, epoxy, etc. lasts forever even if unopened. We have heard of some that dried up and were unusable before being sold (how long was that on the shelf?), in which case you should be able to get a refund. But be careful about buying excess quantities - that can be particularly expensive and wasteful. Shelf life will tend to be particularly short once your product has been opened.
Drains/Bailers/Leaks
Bailer Leaks/Problems
- Surfski.info Discussion 10/2018 with particular information about replacing a DeBrito drain gasket - video, template, material source
- DeBrito insert that turns bailer into Venturi style. Insert can be easily uninstalled also. Unfortunately as of 2023 the website and insert as a product are offline. Steve Ulrich apparently designed the insert. If you can find him and wail and gnash your teeth, maybe you can talk him into providing one for you (or just include surfski use in your home rental by owner package if Steve wants to visit)?
Body Leaks
Finding OC Leaks
Venturi Drains
Drying Interior
Wash & Polish
- …
Surface Damage
Minor Repairs
- Gel Coat Repair
- Dings and scrapes - West Marine Repair Filler/Putty
- Check out Sugru
Intermediate Repair
Impact damage, Soft spot
Major Repair
- Large Hole Patch Video in French, not really a comprehensive how-to, but maybe shows some considerations to keep in mind, also includes the application of a vinyl skin.
- Building Your Own Surfski
- Easy Composites Making a surfski - discussion
- Building a Retro Surfski old style surfski in Australia, strong enough for shorebreak surfing
Modifications
- See Modifications
Paddles
- Carbon Blade Repair video
- 2 Piece Locking Mechanism
We hope you find a paddle lock solution that is a little less hard edged than this one:
photo: Jonathan Rincon Lopez video (click on photo to enlarge)
Pedals
- Replacing Non-Slip Pad
- Footplate Rubbing Ski
Rudders
Rudders, Steering, Cables etc.
- Stainless Steel Rudder LInes (Corrosion Prevention, Lubrication)
These guys do an amazing job staying upright and getting to a beach after losing their rudder:
Repair Professionals
Equipment Shops and Professionals should be listed under the locales that they serve. Example: Bellingham Area Shops
- If you do not have anyone in your area who specifically works on your type of boat, yacht repair shops may be another option, particularly for straight forward patch and paint jobs.
- If you want to increase the likelihood that everything gets done to your specifications, it is not a bad idea to provide a written list/description of your repair request(s) possibly with photos for the repair shop that you wind up hiring.
Drysuit
- Local Dive Shops - can usually either repair or recommend a repair shop
- Most Manufacturers offer repair services for their own gear
- See Brands
- Generic Repair Services (repair multiple brands)
- USA
- Andy And Bax Portland, Oregon
- Kayak Academy Drysuit Repair Seattle, Washington
- NRS Repair Moscow, Idaho
- DIY - if you want to do it yourself. There are how-to videos on NRS and Youtube (lots of them). Replacement gaskets can be ordered from NRS and other sources.
From The Beverly Hillbillies
Cousin Pearl Bodine: “Jethro, I told you to get rid of them worn-out brakes.”
Jethro: “I did Ma. That's how come we ain't got none.”
