Living For Sail · video

What this video covers

To repair a delaminated bow section on the sailboat Antidote, the owner prepares the hull for vacuum bagging by installing custom-cut wooden braces to maintain the deck's crown. He replaces the existing core with G10 material under the staysail fitting, using a diamond-blade tile saw for precise cuts and adding relief cuts to accommodate the hull's curvature. To ensure a reliable seal, he tests a GAST DOA P704-AA vacuum pump on a mock-up, identifying that improper tensioning of the bagging film around air connectors causes pressure leaks.9:58 He feathers the edges of the core material with 60-grit sandpaper and drills relief holes at six-inch centers to facilitate resin flow. During a dry run on the bow, he practices pleating the stretch-a-lon film to prevent bridging at inside corners. The system successfully holds a vacuum after he corrects his sealing technique. Proper bracing and meticulous attention to bag sealing are essential for achieving consistent pressure during vacuum-assisted fiberglass repairs.

Boats in this video

More from Living For Sail

Completing this repair BEFORE it’s TOO LATE!Oct 2026Can I Save This Bronze Cleat? Sailboat Bulwark RebuildSept 2026This Was Inside The Boat!? — Should I Put It Back?Sept 2026BACK to Work on ANTIDOTE! - How I Used 3D Printing to Fix My BoatAug 2026

From Living For Sail — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.