Filling holes after removal of skin fitting

[morgandlm]

I need to fill two 10mm holes below the water line on my Sadler 26. I have used West System epoxy before but have become aware of the West System 610 thickened epoxy in a cartridge. Can anybody share their experience of using this adhesive/filler as compared with mixing epoxy and hardener and micro-spheres for this purpose?
David Morgan

 

[Refueler]

Personally - I would use such as Devcon or similar that has fibres in the resin ... or West ... whatever brand is available to you ....
Resin alone ? Yes you could - but fibre incl would give increased strength.

I would have a flat plate with clingfilm held to outer hull and fill the holes from inside ..... that way to get faired outer finish. I would 'mushroom' the fill if its not in a visible area ... so that the 'plug' has more 'grip' ... making sure inner hull surface has been cleaned with acetone or oven cleaner.... then washed off .. dried.

If its in an area that needs cosmetics .. then grind back the plug and a finishing tissue matt applied inside and then a smooth film of gelcoat.

10mm is not a lot to fix - but best to make sure its a longterm fix ....

Another way if its a hidden hole ... a stainless 10mm mushroom / domed headed bolt ... with sikaflex sealant ??

 

[justanothersailboat]

I don't much fancy using just a cartridge filler for a below waterline hole. Even a 10mm hole could let in an alarming amount of water in a short time. I'd want to see some tapering and some layers of glass in there. Refueller's suggestion of a bolt is ingenious as it's definitely held from both sides and sounds much like a through-hull with fewer weaknesses - but those are usually on backing plates...

 

[vyv_cox]

If the holes are in the double skinned area with foam between it will be difficult to taper the hull from inside. When I removed the hull anode from my 34 I bored out the inner skin and foam to about 40 mm, tapered the hull as well as I could, then used a filled epoxy paste intended for concrete repair to fill the 10mm hole in the hull and the new 40 mm hole. That was 30 years ago, since when no problem at all.

 

[morgandlm]

Thanks for the replies. The holes will be the result of removing the hull anode. I am yet to get the old bolts out but am assuming the hull is solid in that location so was planning to grind a cone shape at each side of the hole (inside and out), tape over the outer surface and then flood in an epoxy mix. Following the comments, I think I favour using West System 105/205 with some fibres. I had thought about the mushroom headed bolt and Sikaflex idea but it somehow seemed wrong to have a "dead" bolt although I am sure it would work OK. Cheap solution too!
Thanks again

David Morgan

 

[Kwik Decision]

I took the hull anode off our previous Sadler 29 years ago (I think it was 2011), and filled in the holes as follows. It is still afloat today...

Firstly, the holes were in a single skin area of the hull, behind the engine, so there were no issues with working through the inner skin, and foam. The holes were chamfered on the outside, using a dremel, such that the diameter of the chamfered bit was much bigger than the hole, say 30 mm. On the inside, I cleaned up / sanded the grp, to remove all grease etc and give a key. I then bonded a couple of layers of glass tape over the holes inside the boat, using thickened epoxy. Before this had gone off, I filled the holes from the outside with the same thickened epoxy. Some gentle sanding, and then the hull was copper coated.