2026 Speedboat Summer Workshop Project - in the workshop at Hexham
Between car jobs this spring we took on a rough yellow speedboat as a workshop project. The hull had holes, the old paint was past saving, and the deck needed serious attention. This is the summer 2026 restoration diary: strip, primer, fibreglass repairs, fresh paint, ready for the season.
Key info within this case study
- Summer 2026 workshop project, picked up between car jobs.
- Bright yellow speedboat with a split hull, crazed gelcoat, and a deck weathered by too many outdoor winters.
- Stripped back to bare surface, cracked sections cut out, fresh fibreglass mat laid in epoxy resin.
- Edges feather-sanded flush, full primer coat over the repaired hull.
- Final colour scheme still being decided. Whatever it becomes, a long way from the faded yellow it started as.
- Not for sale. A summer mascot outside the workshop and a public showcase of the kind of hands-on work we do.
Where we started
Yellow, tired and in need of serious work. Split hull, crazed gelcoat, and the kind of weathered deck that says "outdoor storage for too many winters." A classic rescue candidate.
Prep and fibreglass
Sanded back to bare surface, cut out the cracked sections, laid fresh fibreglass mat with epoxy resin over the holes, then feather-sanded the edges flush. Slow work, but the only way to get a surface that will hold paint long term.
Primer and paint
Full primer coat over the repaired hull before the colour goes on. Colour scheme still being decided, but whatever it becomes it will be a million miles from the faded yellow it started as.
What it is for
Honest answer: summer advertising. A bright, clean boat outside the workshop draws more attention than yet another parked car, and it lets us show the kind of hands-on work that goes into every vehicle we touch. Not for sale, just a project and a summer mascot.
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