Windlass Hole sealing

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Alaskan Sea-Duction

Alaskan Sea-Duction

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Joined
Jul 6, 2012
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8,056
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Alaskan Sea-Duction
Vessel Make
1988 M/Y Camargue YachtFisher
So as most of you know I had to install a new windlass. The new one was a perfect fit, with the exception of the shaft hole. I had to enlarge it from 2.5 inches to 5 1/8 inches.

Crusty suggested when i get back home, i needed to "seal" the hole with a layer of resin and glass.

Can I seal ot with just resin or do I need to glass it too? If I need to glass it, then I will need to enlarge the hole a bit to accommodate that.

Suggestions and/or ideas?
 
My first thought is Sikaflex 291 (or equivalent ? 5200). It`s what we used around our replacement foot switch, admittedly it was only installed recently, but that stuff is good, even underwater, and easy to use.
 
I just use epoxy with a thickener to seal any cored deck cutouts. It stops any water intrusion into the core.

First a coat neat, then another coat with thickener.
 
Last edited:
I smeared 5200 in the enlarged hole.

Yes you could glass the hole but in my case 5200 took 15 minutes and sealed just fine.
 
AusCan said:
I just use epoxy with a thickener to seal any cored deck cutouts. It stops any water intrusion into the core.

First a coat neat, then another coat with thickener.
Click to expand...



Same here.
 
Presuming we're talking about sealing the exposed core in the hole/bore: I second the epoxy coating. You can see it. You can verify it. You can recoat it.

Or you can make a jolly mess with sealants, as I surely would!
 
If the deck is cored, I would reef out the core around the hole about 1/4". Then paint the core with unthickened epoxy. Fill the reefed out core area with thickened epoxy and it is good to go. Some will say that this is overkill, but if it stops your coring from getting wet and rotting, it is well worth the extra half hour of work. You can use a dremel tool with a bit to cut the core out or an allen wrench with the short side cut down and the chuck it into a drill and use it to reef out the core.
 
Depends on the core.
Balsa core - route out core 1/2 inch as commodave describes above, fill with epoxy/glue powder/chopped fiberglass strand mix

Ply core - good drink of resin on end grain and glass over

Foam core - nothing

If decks are foam or balsa I would have removed it all around a windlass and put in a solid insert anyway.
All bolt holes oversized, fiber reinforced resin filled and redrilled to correct size leaving solid glue annulus.
 
​





A tube of West 6-10 is thickened epoxy with filler that is thixotropic.

It doesn't flow unless you move it.

A popisicle stick , small cup and your'e done.

Remove the cap, clean it and you can usually use the stuff all season, refrigeration helps.

If you are lazy , this will work perfectly.
 
Last edited:
I use epoxy. I cover any exposed plywood or core. I just use hardware store epoxy, usually the quick cure kind. No strength is required and no UV resistance. Just waterproofing.
 
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