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Reading this topic in "Black Arts", I have a couple of things to add, & thought worthy for all to see.
- Epoxy putty stick - available at West Marine & others, you break off what you want, knead the two layers into a solid color, and apply. Sets quick, will stick underwater! If I suffered a puncture of the hull, this is what I would use.
- 3M Penetrating Lubricant - this was recommended to me by a rigger who found it would work on running rigging that has sat for 30 years in salt water environment. It puts WD-40 to shame. Read the directions and try not to spill on aged fiberglass: you will have a lot of scubbing to do.
- "DC (Damage Control) Plugs" - thought everyone knew about these. Tapered wood plugs sized for each thruhull. In addition to wiring or tying 1 to each thru-hull itself (you can find underwater and in the dark), have a spare of each size you need.
The existing list is well done and very sensible, but I thought these should be considered worthy additions.
Warren Smith
Serendipity
Thank you for your suggestions. I should have thought of the wooden plugs - I have them myself, though I keep a bag of them together with a wooden mallet, rather than fixing them to the relevant seacock. Once they are tapped in snugly (not pounded, which might compound the problem), you are supposed to secure them with seizing wire. The local plumbing store also sells an epoxy tape designed to fix leaking pipes which might work as a temporary patch for hoses.
As an aside, it's probably just as important to think seriously about using emergency gear as it is to have it. A C&C 30 sank in Lake Ontario a dozen or more years back and the people on board nearly died of hypothermia; the owner acknowledged that he panicked and didn't even attempt to locate the source of the inflow.
I've often heard people talking about mending hull punctures with 'instant' epoxy, but I think this is based on a misconception of the nature of a 'hull puncture'. Coincidentally, I saw one of these this Sunday when a N-M 36 (Maggie Kelly for you LORC followers) returned from the club's regatta course taking on water from a port-starboard t-boning. Now this was not a serious sinking-condition situation – the crew was drinking while waiting for the travellift to move into position – but the seriously damaged area was 9"-12" around. Fix that with the little packages of kneadable epoxy they feature in the West catalogue? Don't think so. A double handful might have helped. I'm not saying that you shouldn't have this on board – just that you should be clear about what it can and cannot do. West does sell a damage control package that consists primarily of a chemically activated, hole-plugging sponge.
As to the 3M Spray Penetrant – Google found this for me on a page featuring products designed to protect your weapons systems, so I rang up 3M and asked if they had a package deal of 3M product and a weapons system, but they said that, like batteries, it's a case of "weapons system sold separately". In addition, they don't sell it in Canada.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Offline
David,
Good advice on the hole plugging. Guess I also "assumed" common sense on hole plugging. I have seen the epoxy putty work. On a 1/2" hole a golfball-sized ball of epoxy was smashed into it from the outside - the waterpressure held it till it cured. If he had the wooden plug, he would not have had to make the dive.
I prefer tying the wooden plug to the thruhull with a reasonable length of string or monofilament; if you have to find it in the dark or underwater in tossing seas amidst swirling debree, it should be easier
I buy the 3M penetrating lubricant here at the local chandlry, it is getting quite popular. Instead of an oil mix, it is a mix of mineral spirits and petroleum parrafin plus some othe magic ingredients I presume. Apparently it leaves a waxy coating on the threads internally. It come in a spray can much like a paint can, $6.95 US. Actually I have found out this is very expensive for me, now everyone on the pier comes to borrow "a squirt" from me.
Warren Smith
Serendipity
Remember, the problem with common sense is that it's not that common. Also, what appears obvious inside your head has the potential to mean something quite different to others unless you are very careful in your choice of words.
When you say a "puncture of the hull", I think most readers would join me in envisioning damage to the skin or structure of the vessel, not the failure of a through-hull, which is what you appear to be talking about now. A "puncture of the hull", an "accidental piercing" to use the dictionary definition, would tend to be irregular and almost inevitably larger than a broken-off through-hull and certainly larger than one of those little blobs of epoxy they sell in chandleries. As you now elaborate the situation, the epoxy is an acceptable solution but your wood plugs are, as you say, better. I wouldn't, however, want anyone to come away from this discussion thinking that ten bucks' worth of kneadable epoxy is the answer to all their prayers if they should wallop a floating picnic table (one of the main hazards on this lake) at 7 knots.
As my wooden plugs and mallet are a kit, as it were, I prefer to keep everything together. Different ships, different splices (or some suitably salty bromide).
You'll find a short section on damage control on the Tools & Spares page now; again, thank you for the suggestions.
If it bugs you that people are hitting you up constantly for stuff they should be looking after themselves, do as one friend of mine began doing when he found too many people cadging "a little dab" of this or that – tell them it will cost them a beer. Sensible people won't mind because they won't feel like such mooches and the hard-core parasites (every club or marina has a couple) will go pick on someone else.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Last edited by (2004-06-15 06:58:02)
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Offline
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