Holes

[johngalt]

I am in the process of adding a swim platform on my 41c and to do the install I need to remove one transom step. My question is this,what is the best way to seal the two screw holes created by the removal of the step? It is below the water line. The screws are about 1/4" diameter. Do the holes need to be glassed , or is there a simpler way to assure water tightness? Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks, Bruce

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I think I'd just fill them with epoxy.

 

[MikeP]

A common way to do this IF you don't care if screws are still in place is to simply remove the item and then reinstall the screws or nuts/bolts/washers in the holes bedded with 5200. No glassing/epoxying is needed. This is done frequently when removing old fairing blocks or whatever below the waterline.

 

[johngalt]

Thanks for the ideas gentlemen. I think that your idea suits me just fine Mike. The screws will be under the swim platform and nearly invisible to all but the fishes. Thanks again for the help. Bruce

 

[johngalt]

A PS on the swim platform issue. Do the stainless brackets need to be wired into the grounding system of the boat? I am getting conflicting opinions on this from some people I have talked to. Bruce

 

[mike41tc]

Yes, All metal should be grounded .
Mike

 

[SKYCHENEY]

My OEM brackets have no ground/bonding wire, FWIW.

 

[Genesis]

If there are no dissimilar metals in contact with one another there is no reason to bond them.

A SS bracket and SS bolts or screws of the same alloy, none of which has connection to any other metal in or outside of the boat, does not need to be bonded and in fact bonding it increases rather than decreases the risk of corrosion.

My platform brackets were not bonded and when I removed the platform both the brackets and bolts were in perfectly good shape.

 

[Capt K]

That's right. Remember, it is not the metal in the salt water that is the problem.

The problem is different metals in contact with each other in the salt water.

K

 

[REBrueckner]

Bonding a swim platform likely gets back to traditional ABYC rules as does the nearby thread on "correct wiring" for spreader lights. I'd be really surprised if ABYC did not call for a conducting swim platform to be bonded.

Actually, however, with modern alloys it's not a necessity. It's only when different metals are in close proximity and their natural electric potential can cause corrosion (galvanic) in salt water that bonding becomes helpful.

 

[Pete]

Stainless steel swim platform brackets deserve some thoughtful inspection before installation. Few stainless alloys are a good choice for constant salt water contact. Stainless screws below the water line are not a good choice either, due to crevice corrosion. Our shafts are stainless, but a special breed of passivated stainless. Bronze is a much better choice for immersion in salt water. That is the reason for bronze thru hulls/struts/rudders versus stainless. Just be sure you know exactly what you have before installation.

Pete

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Pete is probably right. Hatteras used bronze platform brackets held on with bronze screws. When I had to replace mine, however, I went with stainless as that is what I could get and it was easy to weld up new ones. Cost and availability sometimes outweigh performance. I didn't worry much since I'm in fresh water, but even in salt water, I could probably make 3 or 4 sets for the price I would have to pay to have someone fabricate them out of bronze.