Filling screw holes in floor

[roydsy]

I have recently removed a bench seat and replaced it with two swivel seats in the full boar 5.5m. There are about 10 small holes in the floor that will and do collect water, whats the best way to repair/fix?

I was thinking just using some sikaflex? The screw holes are quite small 1/8 and only go in about 3 inches.

NB: fibreglass hull, and carpet flooring.

After making this modification it poured rain and now these holes already have some water in them. The last couple of days the hot days have removed much of this water but I am worried about water logging.

Thanks for your help
Roydsy

[gar26lw]

I'm going to do the same thing on some holes left by a battey box.

if you have a wooden floor to be really sure no water ever gets in there:
I would pour in a little acetone and leave to dry for a week.
then I'd get some clear penetrating expoxy sealer and pour that in. its like water and wicks into all the places water would, then cures. great stuff.
then I'd fill in the holes with an epoxy filler.

http://www.rotdoctor.com/products/product.html

people use the clear penetrating epoxy sealer to make sure their transom [or any other wood] never rots. you put a small hole at the bottom of the inside of the transom [which you fill up later] and then inject this stuff in at the top of the transom until it seaps out the bottom.
I got some from melbourne, its like water in consistency. I used it to make sure my keel never has problems as the previous owner had removed the top of the fiberlass sheathing from a small section when making an access hole. the good thing about this stuff is it doesnt go rock solid it has the same flexibilty as wood. I was really happy with the result.

if you want to seal but not go so crazy or if you have a purely fiberglass floor then just put in some fiberglass filler.
I would use a countersink bit to make a tapered edge to the holes so you get a better adhesion.

if rebolting I would use the epoxy sealer then back the bolts with a piece of epoxy sealed ply & have big stainless washers either side and use sikaflex around the bolts & on the back of the sealed ply backing plate. I think sika 292.

http://www.sika.com.au/cmi/marine_applications.htm

I always back bolt hole in fiberglass otherwise when you bash it the fiberglass will flex and cracks will appear around it which moisture will get into. screws suck in fiberglass.

[roydsy]

Apparently the fulboar's construction is GRP, is that a form of fibreglass? It says no timber, so I guess I will following your advice and fill the holes with some fibreglass filler, after making a tapered edge to the holes using a countersunk drill bit. Oh and do i need to worry about small amounts of water in the holes given no timber?

This will obviously widen the holes and make them more visible, anyone have suggestions for carpet repair?

I have already used stainless screws with sikaflex to secure and seal the new holes.

cheers
Roydsy

[gar26lw]

you dont want any water in there, dry it out with a few tissues and a hair drier, bit of acetone will remove moisture or leave it sit and evaporate away over a week.
you dont need to go crazy with the taper. you are just making more surface area for the bond. a straight hole has less surface area than a tapered one.

get some resin colouring pigment and mix up to match your gelcoat before adding the hardner. then take a bit and mix it seperately with some hardner and let it go off on a bit of old cardboard or plastic. see what the colour looks like compared to the boat. check to see if it still matches and adjust the main mix by diluting with resin or concentrating with pigment. test again. once you get a good match, add hardner and off you go. if you mix up more than you need and have a seperate pot for the activated resin you can save the unactivated colour matched stuff for later repairs. I have mine kept in an old cleaned out glass jam jar.

alternatively take the boat to the local fiberglass repai and they can make up a batch of matched resin. I got some done when I had some major work done on my boat. makes small repairs so much easier.

now repair already prepared holes [prepare everything first before commiting to resin stage] add in a ever so slightly more resin to holes thatn required. you may want to cover over with some glad wrap and smooth it as good as you can. use a bit of old card. now leave it to cure.

once cured sand it down with progressivly finer wet and dry paper. depending on how close you got to perfect match. finish with some fiberglass polish.

oh wear some gloves. BiLo has packs of cheap rubber gloves, their brand. I use these. you dont want your hands anywhere near the resin and you want the areas cleaned with acetone and free from oil/grease. the oils in you skin will taint the repair.

[roydsy]

Great advice as always, very detailed mate. cheers

Now because these holes are on the floor and around carpet, what do people do to make it look like a pro job. I mean, is there any point to matching fibreglass that is going to be partially hidden by carpet anyway. Is there carpet repair/patches available?

I have tried to soak up excess water and have had some success and will pinch the wifes hair dryer later!

I have put the boat cover on to prevent further rain (yes we get lots of it down here in nth nsw). The boat cover also does is create a really humid environment in the hot sun and will hopefully enhance evaporation of the deck. I will also get some acetone and try that as well prior to drilling and putting down resin.

cheers
Roydsy

[gar26lw]

hmm, I would say get another carpet probably [I am a total perfectionist though] but if thats no good how about you get the top half of some of those carpet clips and put them into the holes left by the screws? the only other thing I can think of is to glue a patch over the top of the areas. Its hard to say without seeing it. Im guessn at the size of the holes.

It sounds like there is a fair bit of water ? I usually swipe a towel from the bathroom cupboard, there is a high towel turnover at our place ;D

really make sure its bone dry though.

rain water is not so hot for boats. sea water is not as bad since the salt stops the wood from rotting and you just have to let it dry out. but freshwater = rot.
I found that out when I bought my boat, the guy had it out in the street and the rainwater had rotted the transom. not that you have this problem since you're all glass. thats something ive been looking for in a new boat, none or very little wood :)

[roydsy]

Thanks again, new carpet is a bit much for the moment, might do it another day. I have some of the carpet left over from installing the new seats so might cut some lids for the holes and glue it over the repaired screw holes.