I thought I was done chasing leaks

Status
Not open for further replies.
toddco

toddco

.
Jun 17, 2011
96
ODay 20 driveway
Hello All,
I had been chasing leaks and I finally found what looks like the culprit. Picture in your mind the inside of the center board truck, above the pivot pin. I have two horizontal cracks on the inside faces of the well. I pulled the center board out and there they are. I am thinking I will need to grind the cracks out with something like a dremel. There is no way to get an angle grinder in there. The inside of the well is at best 2" wide. The cracks are about 6" up from the keel. How much bevel should I make on all sides of the cracks?

This does not look like fun.

regards,

Todd
 

Attachments

Joe11688

Joe11688

.
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
toddco said:
Hello All,
I had been chasing leaks and I finally found what looks like the culprit. Picture in your mind the inside of the center board truck, above the pivot pin. I have two horizontal cracks on the inside faces of the well. I pulled the center board out and there they are. I am thinking I will need to grind the cracks out with something like a dremel. There is no way to get an angle grinder in there. The inside of the well is at best 2" wide. The cracks are about 6" up from the keel. How much bevel should I make on all sides of the cracks?

This does not look like fun.

regards,

Todd
Click to expand
It's not going to be easy to get at, but yes, a Dremel Tool with a long flexable shaft attachment should be able to get at it. I would use that West Systems Six-10 Epoxy. You may not be able to apply it directly with the caulking gun but you could apply it to a thin stick and smear it in there.
Use some long tweasers to apply the cloth, maybe.
Hopefully the leak problem will be solved.
Good luck!
Joe
 
Joe11688

Joe11688

.
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
toddco said:
Joe,
That looks like the stuff. I've got some coming.

Thanks!
Click to expand
A friend of mine used it on the outside of the keel on his O'Day 30 and the stuff worked great for him. I think it will work for your boat too.
 
toddco

toddco

.
Jun 17, 2011
96
ODay 20 driveway
I found a tool that worked. Actually it cut like butter, kinda scary. I used an air die grinder and a rotary rasp on a paddle bit extension. This is probably not on the reccomended tool list, but better to beg forgivness than get permission. I feathered the edges back about 1 1/2" around the cracks. I also stuck the end of a shop vac and a flashlight in there while I did this too. The West system stuff is in the mail. We'll know if the patient survives by this weekend I hope.

Todd
 

Attachments

Joe11688

Joe11688

.
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
That seems to work a lot better than the Dremel Tool.

I meant to tell you that it is advisable to clean the work area good with Acetone before doing fiberglass work or bottom painting on bare Gel coat. Even though your boat is old, there is still mold release wax on the surface that needs to be removed first. Sorry about that. I just didn't think of it. Hopefully it will all be removed so that you get good adherence. Just clean the surrounding area good with Acetone and it should be OK.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
toddco

toddco

.
Jun 17, 2011
96
ODay 20 driveway
Joe,
Thanks for the advice, I was planning on washing everything out with acetone before I start back with new.

Todd
 
Joe11688

Joe11688

.
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
Great. You need to do that first in order get good adhesion, so I'm told.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top Bottom