Water leaking in rub rail bolts 44" wooden boat

by Dylan
(Australia)

I have a 44" glass reinforced ply x fishing charter boat which is leaking water.

It seems to be from the bolts that hold the rub rails on or where the bottom section of the hull joins with the vertical section.

The type of construction;
wood frame, ply sheet, glass reinforced.

Boat type;
Motor cruiser 12L cummins v8 diesel.

I would love to get some help with this as I am pulling the boat out in a week when I plan to fix the issue.

Comments for
Water leaking in rub rail bolts 44" wooden boat

Click here to add your own comments

Dec 11, 2012

Glass reinforced ply leaking water.
by: Mike

It sounds as though the fiberglass sheathing has been damaged in places.

This needs to be repaired otherwise the plywood will begin to delaminate and rot as water is allowed to penetrate.

Before you repair the fiberglass you should check to make sure that the fastenings/bolts are tight and don’t need replacing.

Cut back through the paint etc to sound fiberglass.

Allow the wood and glass to dry out thoroughly, then seal the area with epoxy before applying new fiberglass.

It’s a good idea to lay an extra layer of fiberglass tape along chines and places that are prone to wear.