filling hole with epoxy - no access to back of hole.

[mikebikeboy]

I have a teak rub rail that's popped out, it's on the cabin. See attached pic.

I want to drill oversized holes, fill them with thickened epoxy, and then drill new holes to reattach this rub rail. However, the inside of the boat has a liner and I don't want to drill through that.

Normally you'd access the back of the hole to be filled, cover it with tape, and then fill it with epoxy from the other side. In this case I cannot do that, because of the liner on the insde.

Question is How to get some tape back there or should I just fill the heck out of it and hope for the best.

Mike

[Don C L]

So this trim piece is screwed in I presume. If I understand your predicament correctly this may apply. I did something similar once that worked. You have to remove the trim though I think. but I drilled out the opening and inserted a piece of plastic with a string in the middle of it. I rolled it, pushed it through the hole and once in it popped open so that I could not pull it back out. Then I gooped it up while pulling the string to hold the plastic piece to prevent it from being pushed in, if that makes sense. I was using Marine-Tex in that case. It seemed to work well (I had to sit there and wait till it kicked.) When you are done you have the string sticking out, but you are going to re-drill it anyway.

[mikebikeboy]

Thanks Don that's just the piece of information I needed to hear. I think a bit of plastic milk jug will work great for that.

[CSY Man]

Take those trim pieces off and toss them in the garbage, then fill the holes and paint or spray gelcoat to make it smooth and even.
Did the exact same thing on my CSY 33.

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by Don C L

... I drilled out the opening and inserted a piece of plastic with a string in the middle of it. I rolled it, pushed it through the hole and once in it popped open so that I could not pull it back out. Then I gooped it up while pulling the string to hold the plastic piece to prevent it from being pushed in...

Agreed. I've seen same idea for heroically patching hull leaks, stick an umbrella device through the hole in the hull (from inside the hull), open the ~umbrella, pull back on the umbrella...or rig something similarly.
https://www.lakeexpo.com/boating/boa...cc4c03286.html

[thinwater]

Take a small (3/8") circle of cloth, butter with thickened epoxy, and use it to plug the inside hole. Takes only seconds. As soon as it gels, fill the holes as usual. Adding some glass cloth to the plugs will also make them much stronger.

[JD-MDR]

I've been plugging holes with 1/2" g- 10 . You can drill and tap it for the new fasteners. See "Far Reach Voyages.com" for practically everything you need to know about working on Cape Dories

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Take those trim pieces off and toss them in the garbage, then fill the holes and paint or spray gelcoat to make it smooth and even.
Did the exact same thing on my CSY 33.

I removed the same trim piece from my boat. It is an ongoing pain in the posterior, source for leaks and in my case rotted away part of the interior liner as the previous owner neglected it for years.

Was able to fill the holes with gel coat and matched the original so well that you can't find the holes.

[mikebikeboy]

Wow Far Reach Voyages is great

Thanks for the tips everyone

[guyrj33]

1. you could push a piece of foam in through the hole to provide interior support to the filler.
2. inject foam insulation, when it cures re-drill the hole and fill.
3. mix your epoxy filler really thick, use high strength filler and colloidal silica to increase viscosity of filler.

[mikebikeboy]

Originally Posted by guyrj33

1. you could push a piece of foam in through the hole to provide interior support to the filler.
2. inject foam insulation, when it cures re-drill the hole and fill.
3. mix your epoxy filler really thick, use high strength filler and colloidal silica to increase viscosity of filler.

Curious what's the purpose of the foam insulation? DIdn't know about that method before.

[JD-MDR]

[QUOTE=mikebikeboy;3235704]Wow Far Reach Voyages is great

Also "Cape Dory Dory Sail Boat Owners Ass." Like Cruiser Forum members will bend over backwards to help. Join the club.

[guyrj33]

Originally Posted by mikebikeboy

Curious what's the purpose of the foam insulation? DIdn't know about that method before.

The foam insulation fills the gap between the deck and the liner, preventing the epoxy from running into the gap.

[mikebikeboy]

Originally Posted by guyrj33

The foam insulation fills the gap between the deck and the liner, preventing the epoxy from running into the gap.

Ahhh thanks!

[gulfcoastsailor]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Take a small (3/8") circle of cloth, butter with thickened epoxy, and use it to plug the inside hole. Takes only seconds. As soon as it gels, fill the holes as usual. Adding some glass cloth to the plugs will also make them much stronger.

Now there is a man with the proper plan!