Old Neal racer

[zul8tr]

What is a ducthman patch?would a polyurethane varnish be the proper type of varnish?

A dutchman patch is a means to repair a damaged area while preserving the original contour by first cutting out the damage to any shape desired and trial fitting a new piece to fit the cutout. With what looks like thin wood on the Neal deck (what is the deck wood?) after you cut the dutchman shape you will need to put pieces underside the cut out to support the new patch piece. I use epoxy glue to secure underside support pieces and the patch without fasteners for clear finish. Attached are some pics of a dutchman patch repair I did on the 4mm Ocume plywood deck of my hydro:

#1 cut out made of damaged area, shaped picked to minimize removal of good wood
#2 underside support pieces in place
#3 patch piece in place (no fasteners) and pressed with pads on wax paper using spring sticks from ceiling
#4 sanded flush and ready for clear coat

In this case the deck is bright finished with gloss varnish so same type wood used. In your case since you will probably match the red color grain type patch not critical but the fit is.

For varnish I have tried many high priced brands through the years like Pettit, Interlux,etc but I find Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane Gloss Exterior works well for these race boats that are not sitting out all the time. Dries well for sand and coat each day, can be buffed out. Varnish finish and buffing tips available just ask. Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane available at Walmart, $16/quart about 1/2 the cost of the others.