In this publication10 photos
A year ago, storm-bound on Bornholm, a stanchion tore out. I made a repair to suit the moment: tapped M5 threads inside old M8 steel bolts remaining in the hull, and refitted it.
This spring, torn out again. Apparently, wind on the tarpaulin had pulled it hard sideways. Time for a better repair, beyond repeating the compromise.
The plan before drilling
Enlarge old holes, remove weak surrounding material, fill with epoxy, drill through for M6 bolts, secure from inside the saloon.
A good plan until I picked up the drill.
Wet wood shavings came up the bit. A wooden backing insert beneath the stanchion, once spreading load, now waterlogged mush. Repairing the support itself, then, rather than holes.
Excavation
Screwdriver out, digging towards dry, strong material. First a cut smaller than the base. Then ten centimetres extra each side. Then ten more.
Wood only directly beneath the stanchion. Elsewhere, foam-like material, equally wet and crumbling.
I abandoned the local-repair idea and opened thirty-centimetre sections. No neat boundary where the boat became sound again. About two metres of bulwark exposed before reaching the neighbouring stanchion inserts.
Cleaned the channel as well as possible, left until next weekend to dry.
Filling again
A week later, reinforced tape over the openings below. Seal tightly: liquid epoxy finds the tiniest gap.
Mixed two-part epoxy, cotton fibres to thicken, chopped glass cloth to reduce brittleness. Packed the thick mixture firmly into the bulwark, avoiding voids and bubbles. About a litre and a half.
Structural filling, but hard to finish smooth. Next day, sanded the top and applied epoxy filler, thick as sour cream, mixed on cardboard and levelled with a filling knife.
Then sanding, primer, three paint coats, as I’d done last year. Drilled two M6 through-holes, bedded the fixings in marine sealant, refitted with proper backing inside.
Two more repairs
Two other jobs surfaced alongside it.
Broken hatch hinges, no exact replacements. Old hinges off, holes epoxy-filled, sanded, painted, new hinges fitted.
The second followed the impact in last summer’s lock. Bent stainless bow-rail mounting plate, a chip at the bow. Epoxy filler beneath the plate closed the water gap and spread the load; same filler repaired the chip.
One torn stanchion became bulwark, hatch and bow-rail repairs. Moisture round deck fixings means checking the whole area. You arrive to refit a stanchion and change the mounting design. Maintenance: one defect brings a related jobs list, delivered with wet shavings.
#maintenance
This spring, torn out again. Apparently, wind on the tarpaulin had pulled it hard sideways. Time for a better repair, beyond repeating the compromise.
The plan before drilling
Enlarge old holes, remove weak surrounding material, fill with epoxy, drill through for M6 bolts, secure from inside the saloon.
A good plan until I picked up the drill.
Wet wood shavings came up the bit. A wooden backing insert beneath the stanchion, once spreading load, now waterlogged mush. Repairing the support itself, then, rather than holes.
Excavation
Screwdriver out, digging towards dry, strong material. First a cut smaller than the base. Then ten centimetres extra each side. Then ten more.
Wood only directly beneath the stanchion. Elsewhere, foam-like material, equally wet and crumbling.
I abandoned the local-repair idea and opened thirty-centimetre sections. No neat boundary where the boat became sound again. About two metres of bulwark exposed before reaching the neighbouring stanchion inserts.
Cleaned the channel as well as possible, left until next weekend to dry.
Filling again
A week later, reinforced tape over the openings below. Seal tightly: liquid epoxy finds the tiniest gap.
Mixed two-part epoxy, cotton fibres to thicken, chopped glass cloth to reduce brittleness. Packed the thick mixture firmly into the bulwark, avoiding voids and bubbles. About a litre and a half.
Structural filling, but hard to finish smooth. Next day, sanded the top and applied epoxy filler, thick as sour cream, mixed on cardboard and levelled with a filling knife.
Then sanding, primer, three paint coats, as I’d done last year. Drilled two M6 through-holes, bedded the fixings in marine sealant, refitted with proper backing inside.
Two more repairs
Two other jobs surfaced alongside it.
Broken hatch hinges, no exact replacements. Old hinges off, holes epoxy-filled, sanded, painted, new hinges fitted.
The second followed the impact in last summer’s lock. Bent stainless bow-rail mounting plate, a chip at the bow. Epoxy filler beneath the plate closed the water gap and spread the load; same filler repaired the chip.
One torn stanchion became bulwark, hatch and bow-rail repairs. Moisture round deck fixings means checking the whole area. You arrive to refit a stanchion and change the mounting design. Maintenance: one defect brings a related jobs list, delivered with wet shavings.
#maintenance
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