[Rhodes22-list] Repair of Spider Cracks at Mast Step Tabernacle

[Graham Stewart]

Chris:  If the gelcoat around the holes is mearly broken up a bit you should
be able to remove anything that is loose and fill it with the thickened
epoxy when you fill the holes. Given that the holes are covered with the
mast step anyway, you don't need to worry about the exposed epoxy. Epoxy
exposed to sunlight degrades quickly. I really like the idea of using
slivers of wood in the hole with the epoxy. I wish I had thought to do that.
I would not pack it hard with the wood slivers - maybe 50% wood and the rest
epoxy.
If the screw is inserted into the epoxy I see no reason or benefit from
removing the screws to inspect the holes. That might cause more problems
than it solves. One thing you should note is that screws driven into uncured
epoxy can be very difficult to remove and it is quite easy to strip the head
or even break it off. The wood slivers should help but if the screw is hard
to remove put a soldering iron on the head for a while. That softens the
epoxy and it will come out easily.

If this event reoccurs it is likely that the screw will pull out the epoxy
plug since it is much tougher than the core material, Hopefully this does
not happen very often but if it does the fix remains the same. 

Graham Stewart
Agile, Rodes 22, 1976
Kingston Ontario


-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of
Chris on LBI
Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2020 6:37 PM
To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Repair of Spider Cracks at Mast Step Tabernacle

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your knowledge and patience. I am almost completely convinced
that I should use epoxy to fill the holes and to then set the tabernacle
screws into the epoxy (drilling when the epoxy is hard but before it
completely sets). I'm sorry, but I still have more repair-novice questions. 

Epoxy Plug: In examining the holes in the plate below the tabernacle, it
appears that, when the screws pulled out, none of the damage was to the
fiberglass; it was just a little gelcoat that pulled away with the screws.
If I fill the hole (and possibly expand the hole diameter in the core below
the fiberglass without expanding the hole in the fiberglass) with epoxy and
the screws pull out again, will this new epoxy plug come with the screws? If
so, will the epoxy plug pull through the fiberglass and damage the
fiberglass?

Water Infiltration: When I asked about inspection of the screw holes below
the tabernacle, I guess I was thinking that with the mast down (I take it
down at the end of each sailing season) I could back the screws out, remove
the tabernacle, inspect the holes for any signs of soft wood, and then seal
them again (either with a sealant or new butyl tape). Would this be
inadvisable to do?

Thanks,
Chris



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Long Beach Island
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