Structural and cosmetic fiberglass, gelcoat, and core work, from delamination to full hull-side rebuilds. Handled by the same shop that does the wood work, since Keys rot usually hides behind glass that still looks sound.
Send a few photos of the damage and roughly where it sits on the hull or deck. You will get a real read on whether it is cosmetic or structural.
Some of these are cosmetic. Some are not, and the difference is not always obvious from the surface.
Gelcoat cracks at a corner that keep coming back after cosmetic repairs
A soft, spongy spot on a hull side or deck
Blistering or bubbling in the gelcoat
A survey flagging core moisture or delamination
Storm or grounding damage beyond a surface scratch
A repair from another yard that glassed over a problem instead of fixing it
Rotten core and a failed sheer clamp sat underneath a starboard side deck that looked structurally sound from above.
Fiberglass repair often runs alongside these specialties.
A call or a few photos through the estimate form is enough to start. What you are seeing, and roughly where on the hull or deck.
Fiberglass work is quoted in person, since core moisture and delamination usually extend further than what shows on the surface.
On repair work the number includes room for what gets found once the area is opened up. Wet core commonly runs past the visible soft spot, and any scope change is discussed with you before it happens.
Every repair is built, faired, and finished under the master craftsman who quoted it, and it is not finished until you have looked it over.
“Our yacht suffered damage after a storm. We hired Keys Marine Carpentry to care for our boat. They quickly repaired our yacht and solved the problem, and now our boat is ready for the seas again. I appreciate the hard work that was involved with the repairs.”
Victoria R., storm damage repair
Both. Structural core replacement, delamination repair, and vacuum-bagged core work are handled alongside cosmetic gelcoat matching. Wood and fiberglass work in the same shop, which matters since rot on a Keys boat usually sits behind glass that still looks sound.
A soft or spongy spot, a survey flag, or repeated gelcoat cracking at the same corner usually points to something structural underneath. An in-person assessment, sometimes with moisture testing, is the honest way to tell before any repair starts.
Color matching is part of every gelcoat repair, though exact matches depend on how much the surrounding gelcoat has faded or chalked over time. That gets discussed honestly during the assessment rather than promised sight unseen.
Moisture working through fastener holes, deck hardware, or old repairs is the most common path. Once water reaches balsa or foam core, it saturates and weakens the bond between the fiberglass skins, which is why hidden delamination is common even on hulls that look sound.
Most hull-side and deck fiberglass repair happens at your dock, slip, or marina. A haul-out becomes necessary mainly for below-the-waterline structural work.
It gets opened up, shown to you, and replaced properly, since glassing over rotten wood almost always costs more later. Because wood and fiberglass are handled in the same shop, that does not mean bringing in a second contractor.
Send a few photos and get an honest read on whether it is cosmetic or structural, and what it will take to fix it right.
