Aquasport Model Rebuilds, Mods, Updates and Refreshes > Fiberglass and Materials Corner

Patching Deck Hole

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boatnamesue:
'76 170

Began my helm replacement project and discovered this beauty when removing the console.  Starboard side...just aft of the rigging trough.  Picture speaks for itself.  This was where 1 of the deck screws secured the console to the deck.  Dimensions are about 1.5" long and 1/2" wide.  There is no underside deck access in this location.  Soliciting for some ideas for patching.  Good news is this damaged area will not be holding a screw for the new console.  Thanks!

wingnut:
Since it's a fairly small hole and will not be exposed or walked on when the console is back down, I would think you could thicken epoxy (like to a peanut butter consistency) and trowel it over the hole. It should bridge across and seal out just fine. Maybe clean up the edges of the hole with a file first. It would be a good idea to do this to the rest of the screw holes anyway - drill out, fill with epoxy, then redrill.

Second idea - take a small piece of wood - say 1 3/4" long x 3/4" wide (just big enough to cover the hole on the UNDERSIDE) x 1/8" thick and put a screw/fastener in the middle (just barely engaged so you can hold it by the screw head). Put a little thickened epoxy on the top edges (the side where the screw head is). Slide this through the hole and rotate, holding the piece by the screw, then pull up so the epoxy sticks it to the underside of the deck. The idea is to stick a small piece of wood to the bottom of the deck to act as your formwork to hold the real resin repair. Once it cures, remove the screw, trowel more thickened epoxy over it, and you're done.

Or - if you want more work and a little more structural integrity, you could grind it down a bit (maybe a 3" diameter area surrounding the hole), wet out a couple pieces of glass and place over the hole, then grind flush again.

RickK:
You might consider using Polyester since the deck was built with that. 1) you can mix it thick and hot and it'll harden quickly and since it's not structural, no foul.
I'm a little concerned with the fuel line and wires going through the end of your trough. That gives an easy path for water right into the bilge. My fuel tank was always above the deck so the hose and wiring came right up and over the end of the trough into the console . I'm wondering how the newer (newer than my 170) ran their fuel line?  The same way?

boatnamesue:
Appreciate the input guys.  Rickk- you’re 100% right....water will flow thru that connection.  The rigging trough is the only part of this hull I despise lol.  The fuel coffin has 3 aft holes to allow water to dump into bilge, and I have a bilge pump. 

Hoping this rubber gasket I got will close up the diameter on both sides and use some sealant.  Other than that, not much else can be done with a below deck fuel tank for this hull with original deck/trough layout.  The fuel hose, tank ground, and fuel sender wires must come above deck. 

RickK:
So that is how it was originally? Maybe you could use this to penetrate the tank lid? https://youtu.be/rLOfgOe9NCw

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