Hi Jon
This last weekend I paddled a 30" beam, 13 ft. LOA homemade fiberglass kayak of approximately the same era. It needs some work also, but for a recreational kayak, it was fun to paddle. Is the boat you have appealing to you as far as it's capacity and design? If it is and you have a desire to repair it, then I think you should definately do it. As far as how this is to be done, you'll need someone with more experience than I. Or at least someone willing to correct me if I'm way off base. This project kayak may be just the ticket for you to gain enough experience with epoxy and fiberglass, that you'll finish this repair job and start shopping for plans to build another.
I would suggest starting by removing all of the paint and roughing up the old surface. I think the best tool for this is a random orbit sander (Makita $100), but you can use any means to sand it all down. Leave the surface rough, but even (fair). Today's epoxies should get a good mechanical bond to this roughed up surface and you could apply one layer of 6 oz E-glass (plain fiberglass) to those areas that you feel need reinforcing. Same as in wood construction, give some time for the epoxy to begin to harden, then use a plastic speader or squeegee to push the glass down and remove excess epoxy (discard). For the extra reinforcing along the keel, I would suggest cutting some of the same fiberglass material at 45 degrees, and make strips that are 4 or 5 inches wide and as long as you need them. This will be easier to feather the edges of than fiberglass tape. Apply these strips with epoxy and add fill coats over your new glass until you can no longer see the new glass. Let that cure for awhile, maybe a week or so. Then sand it all down again (rough it up again +-120 grit), then apply primer and paint. While the paint cures, you could build a paddle or two. You might as well clear out some space in the garage, because by now, you will want to build another kayak, this time from scratch. Others here can give you much more info on this subject, I'm just trying to give you encouragement and some reassuring that it can be done. How is this boat outfitted? Is there a seat? Footpegs? The boat that I mentioned had a molded fiberglass seat, but no footpegs or thigh support, in fact, your knees weren't even comfortably in the kayak (coaming was too large). But it was a kick to paddle such a short, wide, stable craft. And if it belonged to me, I'd fix it. Or at least try.
SMF

: I just got my hands on a fiberglass kayak built in the 1960's. I have little
: to zero experience with fiberglass, so I put it to you the experts. I was
: planning to sand out the rough spots and reinforce the bow/stern keel
: areas and maybe layup a lightweight glass over the entire hull. Is it
: worth trying to repair/restore a boat of this vintage. Does glass become
: too hard and brittle when it is this old. Will new glass bond well to
: really old glass?

: Or should I just fill it with soil and turn it into a flowerbed?!?!

: Your thoughts, tips, links and advice are welcome.

: Thanks

: Jon