Screws in Skeg

Builder's Forum
1

Do I remove the screws from my wherry after I've fitted the skeg and the epoxy has cured?  The bond from the epoxy is stronger than the mechanical bond achieved by the screws, which act simply as a clamp while the adhesive sets.

I will only screw into the skeg where the holes will be concealed by the rear deck and rely on a strap to hold the skeg further up towards the bow while the epoxy cures. 

Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Scott

2

I leave them in. 

George K

3

George has built a Dory, I haven't. But, for my sailing dinghy I used no screws at all and the skeg has survived years of sailing, rowing and groundings on sand, mud, concrete, rocks and asphalt.

I put the skeg on while the boat was upside down. Since epoxy requires no pressure to make it cure I just ran a line of epoxy/woodflour to make a thin bed and used duct tape to hold it all in place. Once it had cured, I made a nice fat fillet down each side of the joint and covered the seam with 4-oz glass tape. After it all cured I gave it a light sanding to get of the selvedge ridges. The final bottom finish was epoxy/graphite and I let that fill the weave. You can pick up that boat by the skeg.

Have fun,

Laszlo

 

1 Like
4

I understand builders typically leave in the screws from underneath for the daggerboard trunk and mast step.  You guys agree with that or prefer to remove them and fill once the epoxy holding them in has cured?

 

Thanks

Curt 

5

Thanks for the help - I hadn't planned on the glass tape, as suggested by Laszlo, but it sounds like a good idea. 
 

All the best,

Scott