Bolt holes

[ncsailor634]

Anybody have any thoughts as to the best product/method out there to fill up to 3/8" bolt holes in the transom? I have removed some old hardware and now want to fill the holes. Should I use an epoxy like marine tex and tint it to match my boat color or a tinted gel coat? It does not have to be a "factory" type finish but I want it to look nice and be durable.

And I should add that the holes are well above the water line.
Thank you.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

NCsailor634;

Not sure where you are in North Cakalacky, but just moved from Zebulon, NC. Former sailboat dealer in NC and would be glad to assist on how to do that. Can you email me to davecondon@mindspring.com. I will be out working in the yard for the weekend and it will be next week before I can call you

 

[Ken Cross]

Nice

NCsailor634;

Not sure where you are in North Cakalacky, but just moved from Zebulon, NC. Former sailboat dealer in NC and would be glad to assist on how to do that. Can you email me to davecondon@mindspring.com. I will be out working in the yard for the weekend and it will be next week before I can call you

Another excellent example of the great folks on this site.

If you can't get together, I'd use thickened epoxy. If you have tenting stuff, match. Otherwise paint.

Ken

 

[VF84Sluggo]

This is a great epoxy, Loctite Hysol 9462 thixotropic epoxy :

http://www.ellsworth.com/products/a...ol-9462-epoxy-adhesive-beige-50-ml-cartridge/

Very little run/sag, even on a vertical surface. VERY strong, can be drilled. Kind of pricey, but does a great job of bonding various materials and filling holes.

 

[Joe Blizzard]

Anybody have any thoughts as to the best product/method out there to fill up to 3/8" bolt holes in the transom?

Have you given any thought to filling them with 3/8" bolts? Just sayin...

 

[jibes138]

Do the holes go completely through ? I agree with using thickened epoxy, maybe use microfibers of colloidal silica as a thickening agent. Jamestown Distributors now sells gelcoat that is already tinted the color you want. I found an eggshell tint that matched my O'Day perfectly. After the epoxy sets up remove enough with a knife for a gelcoat thickness then apply some gelcoat. You will probably need several coats of the gelcoat, the gelcoat sets up really fast in warm weather, only about 10 minutes of working time. Once you build up the thickness a little above the surface sand smooth with progressively finer grades to get it matched up.

 

[Allan12210]

Have you given any thought to filling them with 3/8" bolts? Just sayin...

I was thinking the same thing. Some sealant and stainless steel Carriage Bolts backed with washers and nylon locking nuts. Nice shiny round head.

 

[ncsailor634]

Thank you all for your comments. The bolt holes do go all the way through. Dave, I will shoot you an email.
I really appreciate the help!!!

 

[centerline]

marine tex will fill the holes easily and probably match the gelcoat...

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

NCSailor;

I look foreward to your email and send to davecondon@mindspring.com

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Ken,

Many good folks on these websites. The fellow emailed me and I left him a phone number to call. Everyone, anyone that calls, all information is private and not shared not even with my wife. There are some folks in certain situations that this is extremely important. However, I will described and report what I would do as a former dealer.

dave condon

 

[CloudDiver]

I had to move the bolt holes for the swim ladder on my transom up 3/4", so I bought some solid fiberglass rod from Goodwinds.com

I lightly sanded the fiberglass and then cut the rod into plugs slightly longer than needed, my transom is just over an inch thick (I Think). I put painters tape over the holes on the inside and I glued the plugs in with slightly thickened epoxy. Once cured I used a fine pull saw to cut off the protruding plug flush with the transom and sanded. Then I was able to drill the new mounting holes 3/4" inch higher than the old ones (hull is inverted in the pic).

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

the bolt holes went all the way thru which I wanted to make sure first. They were not as big as I thought. So many would fill with two part epoxy fillers but I would put a fiberglass backing on the inside first and then fill the hole. There is the West System but for the small repair, I told the owner to cut up some fiberglass in small pieces and wet them of course with resin/hardner. Tap it in tight and let dry continuing until the hole is filled. I would then spray a little black or gray and sand to see if there are any valleys and fill in with two part epoxy that is fine to fill in the minute holes. Sorry gents but those epoxy sticks are not good in that situation.

As for painting, this is a 1976 model and it would be extremely hard to match the color. I told the owner simply to mask off the transom, prep it for painting and use Krylon white that matches closely and spray paint the transom. Just remember that gel coat is sorta like plastic and krylon works well and with it masked off at the corners, curvatures, rub rail, no one will really know.