Picture of Leaky Drain Plug hole

[billferguson]

Hello:

My 1990 Sea Ray 220 drain plug had a slow leak. I removed the plug and see where it has been repaired at least once before.

The drain hole itself is raggedy looking, and soft. I would appreciate any comments on what, if anything, should be done before I install a new plug. Thanks-Bill

 

[Sorrento 25]

Here's what I would do. Get in there with a cotter pin removal tool or something similar and dig out as much of the soggy core as you can. Sand, clean, and dry the excavated area between the inner and outer layers of fiberglass as well as possible. Sand away the loose fiberglass from the outside around the holes so nothing remains but solid glass.

Make a "dam" to block the inside with a circular scrap of plastic covered with aluminum foil and with a long wire through the middle. Feed that through from the inside of the boat. Now make a "cap" for the outside consisting of a short piece of PVC tubing with an O.D. equal to the O.D. of the new drain fitting, and cut a large "washer to fit over that to dam the outside up.

Fill the void between the layers with Marine-Tex, pull up the dam with the wire, add the PVC tube sprayed with Pam (and center it), and fill up to the outer level or just a bit higher, and slide on the "washer" also sprayed with Pam. Apply pressure until the Marine-Tex oozes out nicely, secure tension on the wire, tape on the PVC pipe and washer, and allow to cure.

This is a simple one-step process that should allow you to easily install the new fitting and expect a long service life if you seal it and the screws well with 5200 after only some minor sanding and drilling the new screw holes offset from the originals.

The only better method would be to cut away and replace the outer skin of fiberglass but that would be much more labor intensive.

Hopefully the sogginess in the core is limited to the area near the drain plug.

 

[H2ONUT]

HOLY CRAP Bill... :wow: