Can this be repaired?

[knemir]

Hi there, I am new to this forum and was so very glad to find you people. You have such a wealth of information and advice. I hope this question is not in the wrong place or out of place for that matter. I recently purchased a 1971 Tradewind. It is so very cool...it is in pretty good shape except for the rear bath. I am wondering if you think this sink could be repaired. I have heard that fiberglass is not the way to go? I am pretty handy at fixing things, I just completed a teardrop trailer but I have no experience with plastics. Any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated. By the way, my name is Kim and I live in west Texas.

[overlander63]

Is that a sink or a shower pan? You can repair either, but procedure will be slightly different for each.

[knemir]

It is a shower pan. I was hoping it would be possible. The sink has a hole it in too. I would like to try and save them if I could. I really appreciate any info you could lend. Thanks for your time. kim

[clancy_boy]

Kim,

Nothing is impossable and repairing that missing and cracked piece could be done. First off, there are some parts trailers out there that would save you a bunch of time and money with a replacement for both. It may take some time but the search would be well worth it.

Repairs by a boat repair shop specializing in fiberglass repairs would be the way I would go. They can fab up a replacement piece to look like new. Get some estimates - I bet the cost would be in line with you buying the materials to do this yourself.

Good luck, post a few more pics of the trailer itself and welcome to the AirForums.

[HowieE]

First thing the determine is was the shower used after the brake and did water get down onto the sub floor and cause damage to the floor.

If the floor is tight and you are not interested in a "Restoration Grade" repair you could form up a patch for the corner. To patch it I would cast a mold of the other corner and use it to lay up a fiberglass patch that can then be fitted into place. Then overlay 6 oz. fiberglass over the complete pan to give you a complete new surface. Once the fiberglass has set you would start applying filler coats of resin to the fiberglass. It will take about 5 or 6 coats to get a smooth finish and you can add your chose of color to these coats as you fill the fiberglass.

This is not as hard as it seams. Check out this site for basic instructions for working with Fiberglass. Instruction 10, 11, and 12 will give you an idea of how its done.
Wood Kayak Shop - Building One Ocean Kayaks

Ideally it would be best if you could remove the drain before fiberglassing but that is not necessary if you mask the drain well while working.

[knemir]

Thank you so much for the info. I can tell this is going to be a fun adventure with great rewards. Especially with such nice people to help. I only hope that I can learn enough to be able to give someone else a little help on down the road. I will probably try all of the above. I think you are right about the parts trailer thing so I will probably start there. many many thanks