Fiberglass recommendations

[S/V Ethan Grey]

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Fiberglass recommendations, please. I believe I have a leak coming in from around my stern tube. From what I can tell, the stern tube is not cracked. Looking at the photos now, it looks like someone tried a quick fix by pouring epoxy down the back wall (you can see what looks like 2 streaks of epoxy and a puddle at the bottom). Anyway, I’m thinking if I wire wheel to roughen up the surface and used chopped strand mat, I should be able to stop the leak. I think I need to remove the blue stuff. I’m not sure what it is. It’s not soft like plumbers putty, it has a more solid consistency. Any thoughts, or recommendations, are greatly appreciated. (Duplicate post on the Cape Dory FB page).

[S/V Ethan Grey]

Looking at the picture I took yesterday, there appears to be a small opening just below the shaft log. This could be the entry point. Here’s to hope.

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[Jim Walsh]

Have you tried plugging your stern tube from the inside and filling your bilge with colored water? If you see color on the outside you have pinpointed the entry point.

[John Stone]

I’m assuming the engine is out of the boat? If so, you’ve done the hard part. I’d want to be very sure about the integrity of the stern tube before I guessed at the leak source. If the tube is giving you any trouble I’d consider replacing it with G10 tube.

Don’t be afraid to grind away around the stern tube. As long as you grind a proper bevel you can make it stronger than it was originally with 1708 biaxial and quality epoxy. I don’t think i would work from the inside. It’s too tight and hard to work in there. I’d probably attack it from the outside.

If you don’t have it get a copy (free download) if Geugeon Brothers West System epoxy Boat repair manual. Everything you want to know about how to repair your boat. It’s how I learned.

I just completed my engine install from scratch. I had to drill and install a shaft log where there wasn’t one. It turned out very nice. It took a long time but the point is you can sort this out and make the boat better in the process. Find that leak, make a plan, draw it all out and get after it.

Be careful about asking for too many opinions. You can easily get confused. Find someone who is experienced, like a competent pro (not easy to find one of those as so many seem to looking for short cuts) who can guide you along. I also have a book called “The Fiberglass Boat Repair Manual by Allan Vaitses. It helped me understand how projects are mapped out and completed.