fiberglass screw holes, repair?

[sstuna]

Alot of the screws that hold my bow rail on are stripped due to the fiberglass braking away and making the hole to big. Has anyone ever tried to glue down peices of wood and screwing into them instead of the fiberglass?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: fiberglass screw holes, repair?

Fill the holes with a marine epoxy and if you can get to the underside I would put wood under the rail and still use the epoxy

 

[kilowatts]

Re: fiberglass screw holes, repair?

Hi Guys:

Same thing happened to me so I drilled the hole a little bigger inserted a hardwood dowel cut to size and sealed before, during and after with slow cure 2 part epoxy. When it cured after about 2 days I re-drilled the correct size hole directly through the epoxy into the dowel, applied sealer and a new stainless screw. Worked fine! Good luck

kilowatts

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: fiberglass screw holes, repair?

I have had this happen on fiberglass bodied motor homes and what we used to due was fiberglass and epoxy a wood block on the backside, then fill the hole with some fiberglass shreds, re-drill and attach the roof rail, never had one come out again, once we fixed it.

 

[sasto]

Re: fiberglass screw holes, repair?

I believe a bow rail is a safety issue. I also believe the stanchions should be thru bolted. If it were mine I would use an aluminum backing plate. If the deck layup isn't strong enough I would consider reinforcing the backside with a couple layers of FRP..... if you can get to it.

 

[sstuna]

Re: fiberglass screw holes, repair?

I cant get to the backside on any of them. Im afried if i fix it with fiberglass it will be the same way in a short amount of time. You can almost see how loose the rail is on the back of boat, I moved it alittle to make different holes last year & now their shot again?

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: fiberglass screw holes, repair?

Hello SS tuna..

Could you remove those speakers and reach it ? if so then Through bolt it. ( I cant believe that large of a rail is just screwed down )

Other than that..and the ol' fix it with epoxy and chopped mat putty/redrill .. only thing I can think of is a toggle bolt or some kind of expanding bolt. you would have to drill heads off if you need to remove them

oh..and make sure you clean up and bed them im with some 4200.

YD

 

[sasto]

Re: fiberglass screw holes, repair?

As for mounting blocks then mounting the stantions to them,I think it is a good idea. Screw and glue (5200) the blocks to the gunnel. I would use #12 screws for the block and the same with the stantions. The stantions appear to be #10 screws, I would drill them out to fit the #12's. Screw and glue them too. You can make this look good depending on your ability and time spent.

 

[jonesg]

Re: fiberglass screw holes, repair?

Screws have no place in a boat for structural parts, thru bolts with backing plates is the way to fly. Problem with screws is they will work loose again.

 

[sasto]

Re: fiberglass screw holes, repair?

Maybe you can thru-bolt them thru the block then screw and glue the block to the gunnel if you wish. If you can't get to the underside you have to make do with what you got, unless you want to remove the cap.

 

[sstuna]

Re: fiberglass screw holes, repair?

thank everyone ill let you know how it goes.