My family and I took our boat from Florida To the Bahamas last summer. The trip was about 60 miles one way. Everyone was having fun, and everything was going according to plan, then about halfway there, we heard a disturbing noise. The glove box falls to the floor, and everything that was on it flew everywhere.
My wife and kids freaked out for a moment until we realized that it was just the glove box. We stop the boat for a moment, picked everything up, and put it away. We continued with our trip and made it safely to the Bahamas. Once there, I mounted the glove box back in its place. Then I went around the boat, checking all the screws that I could and was surprised to find several more screws loose.
When we got back home, I did some research about why screws come loose on a boat and how to fix it. In this article, I want to share with you what I learned.
If you are a new boat owner, you must know that a few loose screws are expected. We have incorporated a twice a year check up to our routine to go around the boat and check and re-tighten any loose screws.
Why screws come loose on a boat?
There are many reasons why screws come loose on your boat
- Over tight – a lot of times this happens when screws are installed with a power tool. If you are the one installing the screws, make sure to not over-torque them. A lot of times this happens in the factory, and there is nothing you can do about it.
- Wrong drill bit size – similar to the golden carpenters rule if you are drilling a hole in your boat, mark, and measure two or three times before you drill. Drilling to big of a hole could be the reason for screws coming loose.
- Vibration– the more you take your boat to the water, the higher the chance of screws vibrating lose you are going to have. Not only because of the waves you are going through, but also if you trailer your boat, it is inevitable to expose it to more vibrations on the road.
5 Ways To Repair Striped Out Hole In Fiberglass
Here are some tips you can use to fix stripped out holes on your fiberglass boat and prevent screws from coming loose.
You must identify the cause of the screw coming loose. It could be as simple as a striped out hole or as bad as a roth piece of wood behind the fiberglass. If it is the second, it could be related to a water leak, and it should be fixed as soon as possible to prevent further damages.
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- Fill screw hole with RTV silicone or 5200. Let it dry completely and then screw into it. The filler will keep the screw in its place.
- Go one size bigger; you can do this as a permanent fix if there is room for a bigger screw.
- If access to the backside, drill a bigger hole and replace the loose screw with a stainless steel bolt flat and lock washers and a nut.
- Fill the hole with epoxy or marine-tex, let it cure then drill a pilot hole and install the screw.
- For a fast and temporary fix, remove screw then stick a toothpick or a cable tie on the hole and install the screw. The toothpick or cable tie will serve as a filler when the screws are tight trim the excess off.
Here is a video that shows the cable tie trick.
How To Screw Into Fiberglass
First, it is important to understand how fiberglass works. Fiberglass is made by combining glass fibers with a hardening resin matrix. The primary strength comes from the glass fibers but it is the resin job to hold them together.
Unlike wood and other materials, fiberglass doesn’t expand or contract. When you add volume like with a screw, the fiberglass has do dissipate and grows in size.
This is why it’s imperative to drill a pilot hole the size of the screw shaft to prevent fiberglass from cracking. And chamfer the hole to avoid any of the threads coming in contact with the gelcoat and damage it.
Damage to the fiberglass integrity can occur if a screw is driven in the fiberglass without pre-drilling it. This will break the bond between glass fibers and resin matrix in that area and your screws are going to have less holding power and possibly vibrate loose.
So what type of screws should you use?
The best choice of screws would be those of Stainless steel screws marine grade, machine screws or bolts. The galvanized or raw metal screws won’t last more than a couple of weeks on saltwater.
The takeaway
Make a routine of checking screws and bolts around your boat a couple of times a year. This is going to ensure that all of the components of your boat are secure and tight. It will also give you a chance to correct any loose screws before they become a problem.
On the toolbox on your boat, make some room for some spare screws and bolts of different sizes. If something happens while you are on the water, you’ll be prepared to fix it and or help a fellow boater.
We can’t stop all screw holes from striping or screws from vibrating loose. But we can do a little prevention and be prepared to deal with the situation and not let a loose screw ruin a day out in the water.
Related Questions
How to drill a hole in fiberglass? Mask off area you want to drill this will help with dust and chipping of gel coat. Remember to measure twice and drill once. Check the other side of the fiberglass and make sure there is nothing that can get damaged by the drill like wiring, hoses, etc. Using a sharp bit, drill backwards until bit goes through gel coat then switch directions and drill the rest of the way.
How to fix a small hole in fiberglass? Tape the area around the hole, sand the surface of the hole perfectly. Clean the sanded area with acetone. If possible, put a piece of tape on the backside of the hole. Fill the hole with Marine-Tex Epoxy Putty, allow about an hour for the epoxy to cure. Sand off the excess after epoxy dries out. If you plan to apply gel coat, don’t fill the hole all the way to leave room for the gel coat.
