Question regarding instalation of runners

John L

John L

Well-known member
I'm thinking about installing new mohogany runners and just using epoxy to hold them to the hull. My question is has anyone attached their runners without using screws thru the runners into the hull.
I'm re-glassing the hull and really dont want to shoot some screws into it if I don't have to.
Any thoughts?
 
John,

I used 3m 5200 to attach keelsons to a mostly flat fiberglass hull. did it with boat on the trailer. just made up some blocks of wood for wedges. they've been on for about a year. Then i decided to add aluminum strips to the keelsons.
 
I attached my keel and keelsons with epoxy only. I painted the wood good with just epoxy, then after that soaked in, I thickened some and made a paste that I also put on the keel(s). then I just the paste to make fillets. After all of that was cured, I put 4 coats of epoxy over them, covered the bottom with bronze (not brass) strips which were attached with 5200 sealer and bronze screws.

Having said all of that, I have not finished by boat yet and it has not seen the water. From what I have seen with my project, tests I have done, things I have read, etc. I have no worries about it. That epoxy is stronger than woodpecker lips. It'll stick.

Dave
 
I also used epoxy only to attach my runners. On my boat (a "Bluebill") there wasn't much to attach fasteners to. I'm not a big fan of running screws edge wise into plywood. I figure if they tear off it will still leave the watertight integrity of the hull intact. I tested them again yesterday when the weather turned to crap on me and the boat bounced a lot against the rocks while I got my truck at the ramp.

Eric
 
Thanks for the feeback guys.

Eric,
Thats exactly why I did not want to run any screws into the hull. If I'm going through the trouble of re-glassing the hull I would rather not put any holes through the glass and leave a possible point for water to enter. I figure, if I just epoxy some mohogany strips to the bottom I can always do an easy repair or replacement of the runners and keelson. In addition, if there is any moisture getting into the mohogany it will hold up better than any other wood to get through the season and repair at a later date
 
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