below water line screw hole repair

[sidelock]

What is the best recommanded product for filling small void screw holes in the transom below the water line.

[Mikem8560]

Ive always use marine tex or 5200

[shine]

epoxy!

drill out hole a little bigger to give room to inject epoxy and also remove any water logged core/glass

5200 is great stuff but its not water proof forever

[hugo]

i dont know how good it is but homedepot sells a marine epoxy self mixing kit, pretty small injetible type of deal, like a seringe. in the paint dept. i think its like 6 bucks. says marine epoxy on it.

[sidelock]

Hey Shine, If i wanted to enlarge some holes to fill with epoxy & then tap them to accept machine screwes, how much bigger should the enlarged hole be for let's say a # 8 screw ?

[shine]

with a plywood core double the diameter at a minimum, with a foam core, you might need high density insert, depends what kind of load you put on the fastener.

I have had good success with just drilling pilot holes into the epoxy plug. Pilot hole is a little smaller that a self tapping SS screw and using some 5200 or lifeseal to lock it in.

[sidelock]

Which epoxy would you recommand ?

[shine]

If you have other work to do like glassing or bottom coating, then just get a small kit of epoxy and a bag of filler. You mix the filler in with the epoxy to make a glue/putty, i would used wood flour for this, its thixotropic (non sagging), strong as heck, and not expensive.

If this is the only use you have then just get a small kit of pre-mixed putty

[sidelock]

Shine, I have some G2 system three epoxy left that I bought for laminating the transom teak doors and some west system #403 microfibers & #404 high density filler that a friend gave me. Is the above epoxy ok & which of the two fillers do you suggest I use ?
Thanks for your help.