Through hull opinions

[Jammin jr]

Ok, one of the last things to fix on the 25 is a 1" hole that someone drilled in the hull. It is next to the keel and opens into the bilge. Is told this was done because it was a donated boat and the auction place does this for liability reasons.
Anyway I need to plug it up. Not sure if I should find a thru hull fitting and use it for something like a transducer or thermometer, or if I should glass it closed. The glass in this spot is close to 2" thick. What would you guys do?

 

[Kermit]

That's a new one on me. They drilled a hole in the boat for liability reasons? Makes no sense at all. "Here's your boat. To remove all liability we've drilled a hole in it to guarantee it'll sink." My guess is there was a through-hull fitting there. Either a depth sounder or a paddle wheel. But then maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the auction place requires all donated boats to sink. You know, for liability reasons.

 

[Jammin jr]

It is done so that the boat is no longer concidered serviceable by law. It has been intentionally compromised and says so on the purchace paperwork. Sold for salvage.

 

[Apex]

well, they should sink the boat in a better location, next the the keel limits depth sounder usage, maybe a paddle wheel would work well there?

 

[Jammin jr]

I was wondering if a transducer would work that close to the keel. I wanted to just buy a through hull fitting that was solid like a plug but can't find one. I thought about getting one and filing it with epoxy to make it a plug. Actually seemed like that would be better than trying to patch the outside then filling the hole.

 

[Kermit]

It is done so that the boat is no longer concidered serviceable by law. It has been intentionally compromised and says so on the purchace paperwork. Sold for salvage.

Well there you go. Guaranteed to sink. Who woulda thunk it.

 

[woodster]

if it truly 2" thick take a 1 1/8" coarse thread tap and tap it ...then get a 1 1/8 " fiberglass rod and tap it the same thread ...dry fit it to make sure it will screw together...remove the fiberglass bolt and coat it with west system six-10 then screw it together again and let it set up ...hole pluged ....no leaks

 

[Jammin jr]

Good plan Woodster!!
I think I have a friend with that tap and die set.

 

[centerline]

I agree that it should be plugged, rather than trying to use the hole for some other purpose...

 

[The Garbone]

Garboard drain plug 1"

lmgtfy

http://bfy.tw/4vt2

 

[Dennis Kitchen]

JJ,
I would chamfer the hole on the outside and inside and lay up fiberglass patches with e-glass and epoxy. Do one side first, lets say the outside. When that is cured or nearly so, put a little thickened epoxy in the inside hole, just enough to fillet the corners where the glass will have trouble meeting, that lay up with e-glass and epoxy to fill. hole to level. File and sand ridges flush and wa-la. Like it never even happened.

 

[Jammin jr]

That garboard was what I was thinking like. I could not find anything like it in my searches. Thanks much!

 

[tmjb]

I had a similar situation. My boat had been on the hard for many years and so the PO drilled a 1/2" hole through the fiberglass wall of the keel just above the lead to prevent flooding due to rainwater leaks.

My fiberglass was not that thick, maybe 1/2" or 3/4" I think. I debated filling but decided against it a) because of the amount of bevel required compared to the diameter of the hole and b) it seemed like it might be useful to have a bilge drain on the hard.

I went with a Marelon seacock. I had to drill the hole a little larger for the smallest size but I'm happy with the result so far. It was useful when for example I needed to drain my water tanks.

 

[centerline]

The easiest way would be to reach up in the hold and hog it out a little..... clean it out well, then build a block that fits tightly over the hole on the outside, and brace it against the hole solidly with a piece of visqueen between it and the hull....
Then take a 2-3 inch wide strips of fiberglass cloth saturated in epoxy, and stuff them in the hole til its full... let it cure, and fair the inside.
If the block on the outside was fit well, it wont need any fairing...

 

[njlarry]

Imho all keel boats should have garboard drain plugs to prevent sinking on the hard from rain and snow over the off season.
Very easy to do.