Holes in boat- like something out of Looney Toons
I swear, I feel an idiot, but not sure what else I could have done.
The bilge pump died in our boat due to fishing line wrapped around it. As the old style pump is no longer in production, I bought a new one, which came with 4 mounting screws, about 1/4" long each. So, as we are getting ready to launch, I drill 4 holes about 1/4" deep, plus mebbe a hair more in the bilge well floor. This is in a 24' Thomson fishing boat. I felt one hole punch through- I thought into the double hull, i.e. into open space below the bilge well floor. (Shows what I know! Read on!) I was prepared for this, and filled each hole with JB weld and put JB weld on each screw's threads before inserting, figuring I'd seal the hole that way. The other 3 did not punch through.
So I look under the boat.... and damned if I didn't drill right through the hull! You can see the end of one screw up in the hole, and 3 bulges where the other three almost punch through.
All I could picture was Elmer Fudd or something drilling the floor of his boat while in the boat and it sinking.
In any case, the JB weld probably has me set already, but I am going to open up the bulges, pack those and the existing hole with Marine Tex, sand, and re-paint the areas, so it will soon be a non issue, but damn, whodathunkit that the hull was only 1/4" thick?
The bilge pump died in our boat due to fishing line wrapped around it. As the old style pump is no longer in production, I bought a new one, which came with 4 mounting screws, about 1/4" long each. So, as we are getting ready to launch, I drill 4 holes about 1/4" deep, plus mebbe a hair more in the bilge well floor. This is in a 24' Thomson fishing boat. I felt one hole punch through- I thought into the double hull, i.e. into open space below the bilge well floor. (Shows what I know! Read on!) I was prepared for this, and filled each hole with JB weld and put JB weld on each screw's threads before inserting, figuring I'd seal the hole that way. The other 3 did not punch through.
So I look under the boat.... and damned if I didn't drill right through the hull! You can see the end of one screw up in the hole, and 3 bulges where the other three almost punch through.
All I could picture was Elmer Fudd or something drilling the floor of his boat while in the boat and it sinking.
In any case, the JB weld probably has me set already, but I am going to open up the bulges, pack those and the existing hole with Marine Tex, sand, and re-paint the areas, so it will soon be a non issue, but damn, whodathunkit that the hull was only 1/4" thick?
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I guess its a good thing you didnt use a door knob bit. 0 -
Thats funny! One of those things that makes you feel stupid as a rock and look around to make sure nobody is watching at the time.
When the put in the cell phone in my Company BMW 535 back in the late 1980s in LA they drilled right through the transmission hump into the automatic transmission. That cost 8K to replace.0 -
Dont sweat this, Ive seen it many times. Ive even seen boat mechanics do it. Whats even funnier is when someone mounts a battery box in the bilge of the boat using long screws and screws the boat tight to the trailer board. When they go to launch the boat it wont come off the trailer. 0 -
Oh, the correct way to do it would be to mount the pump to the transom wood (stern) which is thicker. Not all bilge pumps have mounting holes for this but you can use plumbers tape (perforated straping)around the pump screwed into the transom. Or to epoxy or fiberglass in a wood or plastic pad to the bottom of the boat with the pump screwed onto it. 0 -
I would think the Acme company would have something that would fix that right up. 0 -
I hate to say it - but better you than me[:D] 0
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