Drill & fill needed for skeg and skid fasteners?

Builder's Forum
1

I've read in this forum of the recommendation to oversize holes for deck hatches etc.and then fill them with epoxy and then redrill them for the correct fastener size.  As I understand it this technique prevents water intrusion into the plywood which can darken the wood or turn black.   I'm finishing up my Passagemaker and there 8 wood screws for the beach skids, fastened through the hull from the inside.  Same for the keel with 4 wood screws. The exterior surface of the skids is epoxied and filleted to the hull

Do these need to be drilled and filled?

I plan on countersinking them into the fiberglassed Okume keel board and then covering the screw head with a thin jot of epoxy.  Is that sufficient ?

2

   No. If you are going to use metal fasteners, you need to do drill/fill. The metal expands and contracts at a different rate than the wood, so it will eventually form micro cracks.

Alternatively you could skip the screws for the skids and keel. The glue and fillets are plenty strong without needing screws.

Have fun,

Laszlo