- This topic is empty.
- POSTS
we have wooden wayfarer that is in lovely condition apart from the fact that a small amount of water enters the boat when we sail her. I’ve removed the floor boards and put some water in to check for leaks. The self bailers are fine but about a drip a second of water seeps from the centreboard area. The wood is all very sound – all revarnished within last 2 years. Opinions please – is this fixable with some “fillets of epoxy or sikaflex or is more radical surgery called for? š
I have had similar problems – in most cases it is the centreboard pivot bolt that leaks. Get new soft washers on the bolt (but don’t overtighten) and see if this is the cure first. Is the paintwork/varnishwork along the case-hog joint cracked? Water may be creeping through the joint here. If this is the case (no pun intended) make sure you give the ply plenty of drying out time before you run an epoxy fillet along the joint both outside the case and inside the case. If not water will soak into the endgrains of the ply that will be sealed in and rot the case sides.
thanks matt – I’ll be checking this weekend – If there is any cracking it must be pretty small so I was wondering what are people’s thoughts on the best stuff for this sort of job? Epoxy is stiff & strong but won’t wood be moving a little in this area (hence the problem in the 1st place) & so will it only be a temp. fix? Would a more flexable sealant work better? Has anyone out there any experience of “Capt Tolley’s creeping crack cure” (what a name!?!) which actually mentions centreboard cases as a use on the packet – seems too good to be true?
Yes – I use creeping crack cure. Excellent for sealing very small cracks in varnish to prevent water ingress.
As a temp repair on the case I would suggest a flexible sealant. Leave the full job if one is needed to the winter when you can turn the boat over, dry the area out thoroughly, scrape a channel along the join inside and out and epoxy fillet.
Good luck.leak traced hairline gap between two timbers at aft end of centre board case & now sealed pending full repair in winter. Two questions:
1. There appears to be a “void” aft of the centre board tip when raised where the ply, keel, hog & case all join i.e. multiple leak potential – as the timbers are all very sound would it be best to sheath this area with epoxy or???
2. What’s the best stuff for filling redundant screw holes? Has anyone discovered any magic sealant the same colour as old mahogany or can you use wood filler then varnish – what’s the best option? Does anyne have a trick for getting rid of the black staining so often left by old screws??Good news on the leak.
1. Be very careful of epoxy coating. It is almost completely waterproof itself, which means it will just as effectively seal water in as out. I think you mean where the sloping rear filler piece of the case (between the two ply faces) meets the hog. I reckon a winter job – dry it out thoroughly and cut and epoxy a small mahogany plug to fit the gap.
2. Shock horror – wood filler? Not on your nelly. Get a plug cutter and some similar coloured mahogany, drill the screwhole out and glue in a wooden plug. Carefullt alligning the grain of course. Thicken the epoxy with some microballoons that are brown or even better some mahogany dust.
The blackening will always be there I am afraid. It will fade a bit when thoroughly dried, but not disappear. Another tip – when screwing anything to timber, remove the screws once fitted, drip varnish into the hole and then refit the screw. Then no more black bits.Thanks for all the help Matt – I feel a lot more confident now though I’m sure that I’ll think of more questions later on.
The more the merrier.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.