What do I patch the hole with

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pauld

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I am installing larger trim tabs on my boat which means I will have to move the hole. What do I fill in the old hole with? I was thinking either Epoxy or MarineTex.

The hole is about 1" diameter. It is below the waterline and will be covered by bottom paint so cosmetics is not an issue but.
 
Either will work very well. Marinetex is easier, and alot cheaper.
 
quote:
Originally posted by pauld

The hole is about 1" diameter. It is below the waterline and will be covered by bottom paint so cosmetics is not an issue but.

Click to expand...


a 1" hole, so i assume this goes all the way thru?
youd be using an awful lot of MT or epoxy for that. making a plug, and epoxying that in the hole, and then using MT to make it flush would work. but to fill a hole that big would be alot of waste of product, and messy.
 
I agree with Mike...cut plugs from pressure treated wood and Marine Tex them in. Sand flush and polish/paint.
 
Thanks for the replies. Any specific kind of wood. Would a rubber "stopper" work?
 
I'd "pack" the hole with glass cloth or mat wet down with epoxy resin; then glass over it on the outside AND inside.
 
Definitely fill it with fiberglass and resin and a patch of resin/cloth on both sides. If that ever leaked and any other method would eventually. The wood core in the transom will rot.....then your SOL.
 
I had a similar situation on my boat. Holes drilled by the previous owner and screws broken off in the transom below the water line. It is almost an impossible situation in my case to reach the holes from the inside to plug them with wood. I drilled them out to a larger size to ensure a clean, dry hole and then filled the back side, or bilge side, with 5200 using a long applicator nozzle. I made an "extension squeegee tool" to trowel smooth and neat inside the boat. Once the 5200 was cured, I used Marine Tex to bring the repair flush to the outside of the hull. Then sanded and barrier coated.
 
Is there any existing core material in this part of the transom? How thick is the transom where the hole is? I would sand 6" around the hole, tapering the sanded area from the gelcoat and sanding deeper as you approach the hole. do this on both sides of the hole. If there is existing wood core material or the transom is very thick, I would make a plug from marine plywood. Bond it in with a paste mix of epoxy resin and milled fibers. let it cure a couple of days as epoxy resin can take up to 7 days to fully cure. I would then sand the plywood, coat with epoxy resin on both sides and layup several plys of fiberglass cloth on both sides. make each subsequent ply larger so it tapers outward. When cured, sand very smooth and blend into surrounding transom. You may have to fill with a glazing resin to get a very smooth surface. Spray with matching gelcoat on the outside,but if the inside area is gelcoated, I would spray inside as well. Wet sand and compound the gelcoat to a shine, then paint if its bottom painted. Why gelcoat if its paintd? Gelcoat is a water barrier as well as for looks. A 1" hole is significant. This is not just a screw hole you're filling. No offense, but I would never use 5200 on a repair like this. one part adhesive/sealants like 5200 are nowhere as strong as 2 part epoxies. You also need woven fiberglass reinforcement to plug a hole this size. If this repair were to fail while at sea, you could sink. Ask a couple of professionals how much and how they would plug this hole and compare to all other opinions.
 
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