Orkney Coastliner - small hole in stern

[starrzo]

Hey guys, I've just boat my first boat, a 1997 Orkney Coastliner 14. I have yet to have it in the water but I noticed it used to have a fish finder and near the bottom of the stern (well below the water line) there is a small hole. I assume it was for the transducer. It doesn't seem to be too deep, possibly already sealed, just wondering if you think I need to do anything about it before it goes in the water or does it look well enough sealed? I've linked to a video below where I insert a cocktail stick for perspective. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

Video: Coastliner stern

 

[Hacker]

What’s it look like on the other side and how thick is the hull layup?

 

[starrzo]

What’s it look like on the other side and how thick is the hull layup?

Those sound like good questions, bare with me, I'm pretty new to all this. I don't know the answer to either - what I do know is that there is an inspection hatch towards the stern near the top on the inside of the boat (approx. where the pink arrow is in the image attached). From here all I can determine is that the top of the transom wood isn't wet (I can only see a little bit of the top some fibreglass blocks my view any further down).

 

[Hacker]

Pretty much impossible to diagnose remotely I’m afraid. It could be where a cable exited to attach to an external transducer, it could be old damage. If you can see where it is on the inside it might give a clue. If it looks solid then the repair to the outside could be just scrap/sand and fill with thickened epoxy and then AF. If it goes through then more likely to need a proper ground out repair.

 

[starrzo]

Pretty much impossible to diagnose remotely I’m afraid. It could be where a cable exited to attach to an external transducer, it could be old damage. If you can see where it is on the inside it might give a clue. If it looks solid then the repair to the outside could be just scrap/sand and fill with thickened epoxy and then AF. If it goes through then more likely to need a proper ground out repair.

Thanks! I've just ordered an inspection camera to see if I can feed it in from the inspection hatch to see what's going on from the inside.

 

[gordmac]

Looks a bit odd, what is it sealed with? Previous owner shed any light on it?

 

[starrzo]

Looks a bit odd, what is it sealed with? Previous owner shed any light on it?

I actually just spoke to the previous owner and he said he has never noticed it in 20 years of ownership. Unless the owner before him had done something there.

 

[Seastoke]

Simple fill the boat with water , if water runs out the hole it will run in.

 

[starrzo]

Simple fill the boat with water , if water runs out the hole it will run in.

I may be showing my inexperience here, but isn’t the fear that the hole would allow water between the fibreglass where the stern wood is and therefore where water should never be?

 

[rafiki_]

Either fit a new transducer or fill the hole with a good epoxy resin.

 

[starrzo]

Either fit a new transducer or fill the hole with a good epoxy resin.

Thanks - something like this?

J-B Weld 8272UK JB8272 Marine Weld Waterproof 2 Part Epoxy Adhesives https://amzn.eu/d/5zQ10zj

 

[rafiki_]

Thanks - something like this?

J-B Weld 8272UK JB8272 Marine Weld Waterproof 2 Part Epoxy Adhesives https://amzn.eu/d/5zQ10zj

Yep, looks ok to me.