Slow Sinking Repair Advice Needed

[brandenjg]

Hi forumites, while cruising yesterday I noticed we were sitting a little low in the water. I checked the bilge and we'd been taking on quite a lot of water. I've found the leak is coming from the towing hook on the front of the boat. The hook sits out of the water at the mooring but gets submerged when cruising and that's when the waters been coming in. 

 What would be the best method of  removing the fitting and filling the bolt holes? It's a fibreglass boat but the fitting if very very hard to reach the nuts from inside the boat, but easy to reach the outside fitting.

thanks in advance Branden

 

[Vaughan]

Hi Branden, and I thought your trip was going so well!

If you intend removing the fitting, then don't forget that P38 will go off underwater, especially if you use a "hot" mix.

If you smarm a bit over the outside of the fitting, that will get you by until the end of your trip. I have stopped a few boats from sinking, like that.

When you come to actual removal, I would fill the holes with P40 and then glass up on the inside. You can finish the outside with gelcoat, to protect the matt, or just paint over, next time you antifoul.

I presume you have tried tightening the nuts up?

[brandenjg]

Hi Vaughan, about 5 minutes after posting the topic I realised that the sealant used around the tow eye on the outside of the boat had cracked and a section had flaked off. That's why the water is getting in. Looks to be a simple case of removing the eye, resealing then bolting back on.

unfortunately I'm not back on the boat till tomorrow so will know for sure then.

branden

[grendel]

for holding the nuts, a long extension on a socket set should get the socket in the correct place

[brandenjg]

Finally got to the boat today to do the repairs. Turns out the tow eye was bent, the wood support was snapped and one of the holes for the tow eye had been drilled to a size m10 whereas the bolt was a m6. In the end I completely removed the tow eye, drilled the other hole to a m10 and put 2 m10 bolts through the hull and epoxied into place. Not the neatest repair but the boat is back to fully watertight  

[quo vadis]

Good to hear you got it sorted 

[BroadScot]

16 hours ago, brandenjg said:

Finally got to the boat today to do the repairs. Turns out the tow eye was bent, the wood support was snapped and one of the holes for the tow eye had been drilled to a size m10 whereas the bolt was a m6. In the end I completely removed the tow eye, drilled the other hole to a m10 and put 2 m10 bolts through the hull and epoxied into place. Not the neatest repair but the boat is back to fully watertight  

I like happy endings  Glad its sorted!

Iain