Ok so on my boat’s gunwale I noticed some loose screws. I went to tighten them down and found that the fiberglass has seen its better days and won’t let the screw tighten the platform to the boat. The glass is now exposed to the elements and I want to repair the holes. How do I go about this is the most proper way? Remove the screws and fill the hole(s) with marine-tex or should I do the regular thickened epoxy method? Of course I’ll have to re-drill the holes and counter sink the heads of the screws again, but I just want to make sure I use the proper product for the job. Larry and a few others that know what you’re doing, please lend me your insight! Thanks.
These screws here…
Fishing Nerd
“you win some, you lose some…but nothing beats getting some!”
The screws still seem to screw down so I would say they are not stripped. It’s just the meat of the glass under the screw head and gel-coat doesn’t have any rigidity left to hold it to the boat. It’s a high traffic area and I just want to make sure I do what’s best and use the proper repair procedure.
Fishing Nerd
“you win some, you lose some…but nothing beats getting some!”
I wouldn’t use a washer in that application, I believe the deck was designed to have the screws countersunk so the head of the screw is flush with the deck. also you can use a dremel tool and make the inside of the hole a little wider than the top and give yourself a little more bite.
The lazy way would be to put thicken epoxy and put the screw in and let them set. I have bonded things with resins and epoxies they will hold just as strong whether you fill a pretty manicured hole or a rugged hole, just make sure it is solid were the bond holds, and your ratios are 100%. I worked a job and we drilled holes and epoxied rebar into the walls for structure support for new structural support, a giant building and they got drilled and filled nothing else and you would have to crumble the concrete to get the bars out. I’ve removed kitchen cabinets that were epoxied to the wall and nothing else and I could do pull ups on them. Once it bonds it bonds, so there isn’t a do over unless you want to drill it out.
I wouldn’t use a washer in that application, I believe the deck was designed to have the screws countersunk so the head of the screw is flush with the deck. also you can use a dremel tool and make the inside of the hole a little wider than the top and give yourself a little more bite.
Exactly, and I like the idea of more to bite into!
quote:Originally posted by mdaddy
Wider, bigger, same length screw work?
The screw hole aren’t stripped so I think a new same sized screw will be fine.
Thanks for all the insight fellas, I will be working on this in the near future, maybe even by the end of the year! We shall see, I’ll keep y’all posted!
Fishing Nerd
“you win some, you lose some…but nothing beats getting some!”
