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I'm replacing the gunnels on my brother's fibreglass boat and I was wondering what the standard is for screws and other fasteners in this application. Are there special "marine grade" screws available?
Stainless steel or silicon bronze... I prefer SS for strength but SB might be preferred for appearances. Don't use brass, they'll bend and break easily.
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Also, I had previously replaced the front and rear decking material that had rotted away with some thin plywood we had on hand. That has also rotted. What materials would be appropriate to replace this? I'm thinking of something a) cheap b) light c) durable.
If plywood was OK previously, marine grade plywood might be acceptable... it costs but the shop could give you the scrap left over from cutting pieces to size. Mahogany is nice, cut to fit, epoxy in and apply three coats of marine varnish to waterproof.
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I'm thinking, rather than trying to waterproof the enclosure, I'd be better off with some system to allow water out once it has got in there.
Waterproof the wood with epoxy and/or varnish, and allow water to escape through drainage holes. A hole drilled out at the lowest spot when the canoe's turned upside down should allow for this. Also add a hatch and removable cover, and plug the drainage hole with something to keep the enclosure airtight when it needs to be.
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how to fix the gelcoat
There are color-matched repair kits available from manufacturers and marine shops... or sand and fill with epoxy plus filler if the paint's available.