Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Hi Daniel, No... I get speed and depth through my Garmin system... and the water temp here on California's Central Coast is consistent... just don't see the need, nor do I need through-hull fittings and their inherent risk. Thanks, -Patrick
Any hull repairs should be undertaken as described by Don Casey in his “Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual”. If you have a hole in the hull that you’d like to fill in, start by making it bigger ironically. Take an angle grinder and dig out a concave dish-like perimeter on the outside. Then take six to 10 sheets of fiberglass cloth a little bit larger than the dugout and create a series of concentric circles that you can stack into the depression that you created to fill it up with. Place some masking tape over the hole from the inside of the hull to prevent epoxy from oozing through the hole.
Once you have enough fiberglass circles to fill the space, prep your epoxy and saturate the smallest circle. Paint the hole too. Then lay in the first circle careful to keep it flat. The inside of the circle should just be level with the inside of the hull. Then take the next larger circle, wet it with epoxy, wet the hole, and lay it in. Continue with the next size circles, and keep air bubbles to a minimum. Once you lay in the largest circle, the hole should be filled in just below level with the outer hull. If not, keep adding wetted circles until done. Lay over some plastic food wrap to smooth out the top.
Next, decide whether you want to prime and paint the outer hull or use gelcoat. If it’s below water line you might want to paint it with a barrier coat to avoid water intrusion into the repair.
Don Casey does a great job in the book, your mileage may vary.
What ever you do, make sure to wear gloves and long sleeves to prevent skin contact with epoxy and fiberglass fibers. Wear a particle mask or better mask to protect your lungs. Take some photos and share your project.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.