Previous owner made a mess of a windlass install that I now would like to remove. I have a pretty good understanding of how I want to proceed except for the issue of filling the 2" hole that was drilled for the rode return. Can I get away with epoxy and filler mixture and then layer over that with a couple of layers of epoxy saturated fibre mat or is the 2" too large of a hole for epoxy and filler? I am definitely worried about the heat issue or thickly applied epoxy.
deck repair question
- Thread starter Canadian Sailor
- Start date
Take a look at West Marine publication "Fiberglass Boat Repair and Maintenance" appendix D. This document covers various fiberglass repairs categorized by risk (consequence of failure) and hole size. A 2" hole epoxy only fill might be too large per your concern. Last weekend I installed deck cleats by overdrilling the mounting holes, filling with epoxy (w/silica filler) and redrilling the mount holes thru the epoxy fills. The largest holes were 1" and I had to redo one hole as the epoxy fill fractured. The fracture could have been from the heat. I was using fast hardener and it was a mid-80 day, nice and sunny.
Note to be careful of chopped strand mat. It is held together with a polystyrene binding agent which is designed to dissolve in polyester resin. Epoxy doesn't dissolve it. As a result, it might not wet out easily. West Systems says it's ok to use with their epoxy, though. Chopped strand mat isn't all that structural, it's mainly used to prevent woven roving print through in the gel coat, and also as a bulking layer.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 333
Try to use the material the boat is made off. If the hole is through the hull, glass one side after sanding and preparing the surface, then use a core filler, hardwood plug will do, then glass the other side. Sand and gelcoat.
Post pictures to get a better picture of what you are dealing with.
Post pictures to get a better picture of what you are dealing with.
JC's mooyock method
How thick is the deck? I have seen these windlass-rode holes going through major backing blocks (for the windlass) resulting in 2 inches of depth and even more.
If the deck, where the hole is, is only of ordinary deck thickness (1/4" - 1/2"), here is my 'patented mooyock method' for it:
1. With a 3" grinder, soften the upper edges of the hole. Don't be afraid to did it out. For a 2"-diameter hole you might make a 'spoon' bowl of about 3-1/2", tapering down to the 2" hole. Sand the inside edges. If silicone has been used here before, mechanically scrape the edges of the hole, and all about, with a utility-knife blade, literally scraping into the fiberglass so that no trace of the surface that bore the silicone remains. Then, wipe with solvent. If it's any other fiberglass-compatible bedding compound, it won't matter.
2. Put duct tape over the hole from the bottom. Press this tape in place so as to not leak when epoxy is poured into the void from above.
3. Cut out 'cookies' of fiberglass mat, cloth, woven roving, anything, to fill the thickness of the hole and perhaps 2-3 layers over (when dry). Make sure the final ones (on top) are of plain mat (easiest to sand). These don't have to be painfully-exact fits-- you're just filling space.
4. Wet the hole and tape (sticky-side up in the hole) with epoxy and start laying up the cookies in place. With your roller and brush press each down, over and over, each time, till you get all the bubbles out. The last layer will stick up a little. The epoxy soaks into all the material so that the cookies will lie flatter than they did when they were dry; but the epoxy takes up space too. If you like, you can apply some slightly-thickened stuff to the top, last of all, with a squeegee.
5. When cured, sand and fair the upper side. Peel off the tape below and discover that there will be a slight bulge there-- this shows you that you applied enough pressure and fully filled the hole. Sand this fair. Both surfaces can be painted over. Gelcoat can be applied on top; but it will take plenty of sanding and neutralizing of the epoxy, which runs into time. However with even a light washing with denatured alcohol, any polyurethane or enamel paint will cover well.
YES; you'll be able to walk on it. NO; it will not leak, crack or pop out.
I have done this countless times on clients' boats and on my own. It's simple and flawless, so long as it's done with common sense.
Here is shown how I did this to unwanted holes in the cockpit pan:
http://dianaofburlington.blogspot.com/2012/09/cockpit-drains.html
Enjoy.
How thick is the deck? I have seen these windlass-rode holes going through major backing blocks (for the windlass) resulting in 2 inches of depth and even more.
If the deck, where the hole is, is only of ordinary deck thickness (1/4" - 1/2"), here is my 'patented mooyock method' for it:
1. With a 3" grinder, soften the upper edges of the hole. Don't be afraid to did it out. For a 2"-diameter hole you might make a 'spoon' bowl of about 3-1/2", tapering down to the 2" hole. Sand the inside edges. If silicone has been used here before, mechanically scrape the edges of the hole, and all about, with a utility-knife blade, literally scraping into the fiberglass so that no trace of the surface that bore the silicone remains. Then, wipe with solvent. If it's any other fiberglass-compatible bedding compound, it won't matter.
2. Put duct tape over the hole from the bottom. Press this tape in place so as to not leak when epoxy is poured into the void from above.
3. Cut out 'cookies' of fiberglass mat, cloth, woven roving, anything, to fill the thickness of the hole and perhaps 2-3 layers over (when dry). Make sure the final ones (on top) are of plain mat (easiest to sand). These don't have to be painfully-exact fits-- you're just filling space.
4. Wet the hole and tape (sticky-side up in the hole) with epoxy and start laying up the cookies in place. With your roller and brush press each down, over and over, each time, till you get all the bubbles out. The last layer will stick up a little. The epoxy soaks into all the material so that the cookies will lie flatter than they did when they were dry; but the epoxy takes up space too. If you like, you can apply some slightly-thickened stuff to the top, last of all, with a squeegee.
5. When cured, sand and fair the upper side. Peel off the tape below and discover that there will be a slight bulge there-- this shows you that you applied enough pressure and fully filled the hole. Sand this fair. Both surfaces can be painted over. Gelcoat can be applied on top; but it will take plenty of sanding and neutralizing of the epoxy, which runs into time. However with even a light washing with denatured alcohol, any polyurethane or enamel paint will cover well.
YES; you'll be able to walk on it. NO; it will not leak, crack or pop out.
I have done this countless times on clients' boats and on my own. It's simple and flawless, so long as it's done with common sense.
Here is shown how I did this to unwanted holes in the cockpit pan:
http://dianaofburlington.blogspot.com/2012/09/cockpit-drains.html
Enjoy.