Brad Taylor (NC)
Well-known member
For all of you wood boat owners (and others for that matter), some years ago someone posted about keeping some toilet bowl ring wax in the boat for emergency repair. Well, I tested it out this past Saturday. For those of you that remember, I designed a wooden mudboat back in 2008 and to this point it has taken a ton of abuse quite well. Fast forward to this past Saturday when scouting a little creek, the boat hit an undewater log which kicked the stern of the boat into some unknown and very solid underwater object. Whatever it was punched through two layers of 6 oz glass, a layer of kevlar and a 1/4" of ply making a quarter sized hole which quickly began taking in water. I was composed, hit the bilge, and maneuvered the bow of the boat up on the nearest low bank. I have a bucket with 5 or so wax rings in it. I quickly scooped up a handful and worked it into the hole from the interior of the boat and added a little more from the outside just for safe measure. Stopped the water and allowed me to run the 6 or so miles back to the house at full throttle with no issues.
As for the repair, I had to cut a 3 x 10 inch piece of the side out. I cut a replacement piece and filled around it with thickened epoxy, covered the exterior with a piece of biaxial tape and a scrap piece of 6 oz cloth. Will finish up with a piece of biaxial on the interior after it sets. Should be back in business by the weekend.
Anyway, the wax really kept the situation from becoming worse and while our lives weren't really in danger, it kept me from having my boat sitting under 6' of water!
Brad
As for the repair, I had to cut a 3 x 10 inch piece of the side out. I cut a replacement piece and filled around it with thickened epoxy, covered the exterior with a piece of biaxial tape and a scrap piece of 6 oz cloth. Will finish up with a piece of biaxial on the interior after it sets. Should be back in business by the weekend.
Anyway, the wax really kept the situation from becoming worse and while our lives weren't really in danger, it kept me from having my boat sitting under 6' of water!
Brad