We still have over 1000 screw holes in the bottom that need to be filled somehow. We’ll use two methods, depending on whether the screw hole will eventually be under paint or varnish.
I use a wood filler called Famowood for any screw holes that will be under paint. It’s pretty waterproof, dries quickly, sands easily, and won’t shrink. It’s been around for years and is superior to most other wood filler putties you can get at the big box stores.
For those screw holes that will be under varnish, the traditional approach is to fill the hole with a bung cut of the same wood, glued in with varnish or some other fairly un-tenacious glue so that the bung and screw can be removed later if repairs are necessary. Boats do run into things occasionally, and it’s best to be kind to the poor person who may have to replace a plank later on.
After all holes are filled and sanded smooth, we’ll add a coat of clear epoxy as a sealer and to provide something for our fairing filler to adhere to. Then we trowel on the WEST System 410 fairing filler to the low spots. Let it cure and sand it smooth.
