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It has two missing screws that I need to acquire and install. I am looking for instructions on how best to do it the first time and correctly. This would be my first working with fiberglass.
I am thinking of taking all the screws out, get new screws, not sure where I will get the screws, use BOATLIFE Life-Calk® Sealant to fill all the holes.
Wait 20 days to reattach.
Take the whole bracket off, fill the holes with Marine Tex, re-tap with appropriate size bit, then seat them all using a good marine sealant like M5200 or M4200. Don't buy the cheap SS fasteners they sell at Home Depot if you can help it or you'll be replacing them in a couple years.
The reason to follow Whalerbob's advice is that when you use marine caulk on screws you want it to be able to flow and conform to the screw threads and form a gasket to seal out water from the fiberglass. Those screws are missing probably because the holes are stripped out so working the marine tex into the hole will give you a new base to drill. Be sure the old hole is cleaned out first. When you get the new screws, take one out some other place and get replacements that match. If you buy the screws from a good marine supply they should be able to tell you what size bit to drill the new hole with. oh, and you don't have to use marine tex. Any epoxy which will stay in the hole while curing will do and you may have to slap a piece of masking tape over the hole immediately after filling to keep it from flowing out. They sell an epoxy syringe at west marine for use in filling holes.
I winter in Ft. Myers and summer in St. Joseph, Michigan. It’s now about 12 years since I’ve joined this group. I gave my 1972 whaler to my daughter and sold the 17’. Bought an O’Day 28 sailboat and sailed on Lake Michigan. Yesterday I bought a 2005 130 Sport.
Thanks for the details. I like to do it correctly and remove the bracket. I also intend to remove the 4 screws holding down the pilot seat on the main deck and fill the holes and re-install.
This is my first time working with fiberglass, I saw A Marine-Tex putty on West Marine, is that the one to use?
Or they have this, but gray:
Rapid-Set Marine-Tex - Gray, 2 OZ Model # 378540
There is also:
WEST SYSTEM
G/Flex 650 Liquid Epoxy, 8 oz. (One 4 oz. bottle of resin, one 4 oz. bottle of hardener) Model # 9223132
Further to Whalerbob's post, always drill out the holes twice the diameter of the existing screw, all the way though the underlying Whalerwood or plywood. For a #10 screw, this would be a 3/8" drill. Sand flush and re-buff the area. Then center puch the filled hole, drill and reset self tapping #10 screw. The screw will be completely encased in the WHITE Marine Tex filler. You can use caulking, but actually it isn't needed since the screw in encased in the Marine Tex and no water can get to the glass or foam.
Finnegan wrote:
Further to Whalerbob's post, always drill out the holes twice the diameter of the existing screw, all the way though the underlying Whalerwood or plywood. For a #10 screw, this would be a 3/8" drill. Sand flush and re-buff the area. Then center puch the filled hole, drill and reset self tapping #10 screw. The screw will be completely encased in the WHITE Marine Tex filler. You can use caulking, but actually it isn't needed since the screw in encased in the Marine Tex and no water can get to the glass or foam.
These repairs last a lifetime.
Thank you for the detailed instructions.
When we say Marine-Tex, are we talking about the putty?
Actually with a liquid ( such as it is) it is easier to fully fill a hole using an epoxy syringe which cost only a couple of dollars. Have. a piece of duct tape stuck on below the hole and when it's full just push up the tape over the hole. With the paste/putty it will be hard to completely fill the hole and you'll probably leave an air pocket down in the hole.
Edited by wing15601 on 10/21/13 - 6:26 PM
I winter in Ft. Myers and summer in St. Joseph, Michigan. It’s now about 12 years since I’ve joined this group. I gave my 1972 whaler to my daughter and sold the 17’. Bought an O’Day 28 sailboat and sailed on Lake Michigan. Yesterday I bought a 2005 130 Sport.
Good input Wing. How you prep the of the hole ahead of time is important and it's always best to do it right the first time or it won't be long until you're dealing with it again. Best approach sort of depends on how bad the hole is and if it's just going into foam or there's wood behind it.
Those deck screws are probably going into plywood but if water has already gotten in there then you may need to drill a much larger hole to get the rot out so you have a good foundation. In that case since you are working on a horizontal surface then liquid epoxy is a good way to go. When I'm working on a bigger problem that requires a larger hole, after I get it cored out I'll stuff as much fiberglass matting soaked with epoxy as I can get inside the hole. This also helps when working with vertical surfaces. It helps to mask the area ahead of time with tape too...
If it's really bad I'll bend a coat hanger in an L shape and put it on the end of my drill to core out the area inside to make more space.
