Screw Hole Repair / Below Water Line

[BoatdekeHall]

Sooooo, new boat owner and current Dumb@$$. Was installing some storage bins in the stern of my fiberglass v-hull and one of the screws went through the bottom of the hull (maybe an 1/8" hole). Pulled the screw back out, cleaned up the hole with a poker and sanded both sides clean. Mixed up some JB waterweld and carefully added it the the hole on both sides and worked it smooth to the hull. My thought at the time was a temp fix to finished off the season of boat fun and have it sanded back off and repair correctly later on. Am I good to go water leaking wise?

 

[Earl Cordova]

I would probably find a shorter screw that doesn't poke through and put it in with marine epoxy.

 

[BoatdekeHall]

I would probably find a shorter screw that doesn't poke through and put it in with marine epoxy.

Well I was able to set the screws more inward to the center section of the stern where it was thicker (multi layered), so bins are in and secured with no other damage. The Waterweld is in the one hole and has set for over 24hrs.

 

[flashback]

If there's no wood involved your patch will probably last forever. Marine tex might have been a better choice if your hull is white.

 

[Earl Cordova]

Yeah, Marine Tex epoxy is what I was thinking of.

 

[BoatdekeHall]

If there's no wood involved your patch will probably last forever. Marine tex might have been a better choice if your hull is white.

90% positive it wasn't a wood stringer section I went through. Area it went through was only maybe .5 to .75" thick max

 

[Lectro88]

Since your New at boats.
ANYTIME.. you run a screw through the floor or any wood member or even say mounting a speed or depth sensor through the hull to the water side.
Its a good idea to back the screw out and seal the wood and or hole with preferred epoxy, or some kind of GOOD sealant (not silicone; or I don't)and you can let it dry or if you are willing to risk twisting the hopefully stainless steel screw off at a later date you can run it in while epoxy is wet. This is sometimes called potting the hole. and it hopefully helps to keep water, be it rain or what your riding on from rotting the wood by sealing the wood. or it keeps water from running in around the hole from below waterline. those I run in while wet.
Hopefully you will keep these little boo boos at minimum.
We all goof from time to time.
By the way running screws in and not potting is the root of MANY very expensive restorations.
Screw with care... lol.

 

[Lectro88]

duplicate post

 

[BoatdekeHall]

Since your New at boats.
ANYTIME.. you run a screw through the floor or any wood member or even say mounting a speed or depth sensor through the hull to the water side.
Its a good idea to back the screw out and seal the wood and or hole with preferred epoxy, or some kind of GOOD sealant (not silicone; or I don't)and you can let it dry or if you are willing to risk twisting the hopefully stainless steel screw off at a later date you can run it in while epoxy is wet. This is sometimes called potting the hole. and it hopefully helps to keep water, be it rain or what your riding on from rotting the wood by sealing the wood. or it keeps water from running in around the hole from below waterline. those I run in while wet.
Hopefully you will keep these little boo boos at minimum.
We all goof from time to time.
By the way running screws in and not potting is the root of MANY very expensive restorations.
Screw with care... lol.

good to know, thank you! any rule of thumb where wood is located in the body of the boat? is it more structural members or used to actually form the boat before fiberglass etc. is added?

 

[GSPLures]

good to know, thank you! any rule of thumb where wood is located in the body of the boat? is it more structural members or used to actually form the boat before fiberglass etc. is added?

Stringers, transom, bulkheads, and deck are all structural in a fiberglass boat. If you remove them without properly supporting the hull it will deform the hull.