How do I repair a loose snap that screwed into the hull

I can't imagine that the cheap-o plastic in a drywall anchor would hold up for very long... maybe one of them butterfly metal drywall anchors would be better? ;-)
 
95290 said:
Yes I am serious. Have done it for a long time, works. Almost too easy to be true. I keep some plastic anchors in my tool box. Kinda interesting to watch people's reaction when you tell them how to fix the problem.
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Nope that will pull out when you pull the snap on the canvas a few times. Unless you leave the canvas up all the time. If that's the case just use duct tape.

We're not hanging a picture there
 
GUILTY... I have used a wall anchor in the past. It didn't last long at all just as Todd said. I needed something in a hurry and it did work.
 
I just fixed two, one I used some bubble gum and the other I just used a phillips screw driver.
 
95290 said:
Whatever
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Seriously, it won't last. We're all here to learn from one another but posting or suggesting methods that are shortcuts in nature and potentially damaging or unsound will attract some resistance.
If the Wall hanger method is a "sound fix", canvas shops and boat manufacturers would suggest it......they don't
 
Originally Posted by Asureyez
"I've been beset with canvas snap screws stripping. When they go they blow out the whole hole and a new screw won't grab.

After messing with the first few holes trying to add bite in the hole with wood, and stuff, I took a landlubber approach and tried the plastic shields used for running screws in to wallboard, you know those little colored plastic torpedo shaped gismos that you get in the little packs with everything you buy that needs screws.

I tried one that fit the screw used in the snap, drilled out the stripped hole a little to get an even insertion pressed in the shield and drove in the screw. Shazaam!

Man they worked great! The screws grab, hold as good or better that in just the glass and I've not have on failure in a year and half.

I put a puddle of GE Silicone on the screw and the shield as I drive the screw home and thats it.

I keep several sizes of these things on board now that I buy at a local hardware store in 100 ct. boxes.

A cheap, quick and low labor solution to a pesky problem."

I tried the wall anchor approach last summer on the cockpit cover of the 260 and it worked just fine even when trailering it. Seems to work for others also :huh: No joke, it really seemed to work just fine. SB
 
band aid approaches are temporary and are a potentially inevitable larger repair. Why not just do it right. Tawcat is correct the blue tape works great, sand the cured filler down and drill and screw in. I also use 4200 not silicone.

wall anchors are for walls.
 
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I had 5 snaps give way this spring. I don't know when Sea Ray went to pop rivets but they will make the repair harder since I will need to drill them out. I have not worked on them yet since my boat is in rack storage and I don't need the trailer cover. My boat is an 05 and this is the first year of the failure. They look like they corroded. Maybe I will get lucky and the drill hole will match the screw hole and there will be no need for creative patching.
 
I have about a dozen to change on my '05. Pop rivets also. Mine failed due to over-zealous high and dry guys "ripping" off my covers instead of gently unsnapping. Pricks.
 
Wow- thirty posts on how to put a screw in fiberglass.
Not much to add except that it reall does matter whether you're screwing into solid glass or a cored assembly- you didn't specify.
If it's solid glass, toothpicks, bubble gum, duct tape, who cares- water intrusion around the screw hole isn't going to affect anything unless there's a finished surface on the other side.
If it's a cored assembly, you'd better do it right and it needs to be watertight. My cabin top is cored and there's nearly 40 snap penetrations for hatch covers and bow cushions. If not properly sealed, water's going to get into the core and cause lots of problems down the road. Also, if the hole is sloppy (did I say that?) the screw is going to "work" and any caulk seal is going to fail. If it's cored, epoxy and re-drill the hole and install the new snap with a high quality, UV resist. adhesive like 4000 UV or Lifeseal.

There- that's 31.
 
LOL... I finally got a a chance to take a look back on my original question:) Thanks for all the responses guys! And I see that I was not specific enough as to where the the snap is located. The snap is above the bumper/water line screwed directly into the fiberglass hull.

I'm just going to reiterate what I think I need to do.

1. Get some 4200 (assuming I get this at West Marine).
2. Use painter's tape (blue tape) and tape around hole.
3. Fill hole with 4200 and let dry good.
4. Redrill hole and screw in original screw.

I saw a mention of epoxy, so I'm curious if I should use that or 4200? Is it really personal preference at that point?


Also, thanks for offering the bigger snap screws H2ONUT, but I don't want to fix the problem by tapping it with a larger screw and then have that one possibley pull out, leaving me with an even bigger hole:( I may use that option as a last resort...


Did I miss anything in my lil summary?:)
 
Slacker said:
LOL... I finally got a a chance to take a look back on my original question:) Thanks for all the responses guys! And I see that I was not specific enough as to where the the snap is located. The snap is above the bumper/water line screwed directly into the fiberglass hull.

I'm just going to reiterate what I think I need to do.

1. Get some 4200 (assuming I get this at West Marine).
2. Use painter's tape (blue tape) and tape around hole.
3. Fill hole with 4200 and let dry good.
4. Redrill hole and screw in original screw.

I saw a mention of epoxy, so I'm curious if I should use that or 4200? Is it really personal preference at that point?


Also, thanks for offering the bigger snap screws H2ONUT, but I don't want to fix the problem by tapping it with a larger screw and then have that one possibley pull out, leaving me with an even bigger hole:( I may use that option as a last resort...


Did I miss anything in my lil summary?:)
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I just had one fixed by MM in Cape Haze. Their plan of action on snaps are first try a slightly bigger screw and if that doesn't work they use "Epoxy" and let i dry redrill and put the screw back in. He said epoxy not 4200.
 
wrong, epoxy first(formula 27 works great),let dry and sand down if any bump, drill, then use 4200 on snap threads,screw in. And yes use the blue tape along the way
 
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Slacker said:
LOL... I finally got a a chance to take a look back on my original question:) Thanks for all the responses guys! And I see that I was not specific enough as to where the the snap is located. The snap is above the bumper/water line screwed directly into the fiberglass hull.

I'm just going to reiterate what I think I need to do.

1. Get some 4200 (assuming I get this at West Marine).
2. Use painter's tape (blue tape) and tape around hole.
3. Fill hole with 4200 and let dry good.
4. Redrill hole and screw in original screw.

I saw a mention of epoxy, so I'm curious if I should use that or 4200? Is it really personal preference at that point?


Also, thanks for offering the bigger snap screws H2ONUT, but I don't want to fix the problem by tapping it with a larger screw and then have that one possibley pull out, leaving me with an even bigger hole:( I may use that option as a last resort...


Did I miss anything in my lil summary?:)
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How did your repair work out? Is it holding up? Just curious what you ended up doing.
 
The problem with any caulking, sealer or glue, except epoxy, it that it is a temporary fix. Sooner or later the snap is going to come loose again. When it does, the calking reidue left behind will prevent you from getting a good bond with resin or epoxy.

Most snaps are #6 screws; get a few #7 screw snaps. If you want a different approach, use pop rivits, as long as you can reach behind the snap to install a backing washer on the rivit before crimping it. But my favorite method is to use thickened West Systems Epoxy to fill the hole, then redrill, countersink the gelcoat and install a new snap.
 
tobnpr said:
Wow- thirty posts on how to put a screw in fiberglass.
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That's what I thought when the thread came up:lol:

If the hole is really worn out filling it with epoxy and redrilling is really the best solution. Then install the new snap with 4200
 
fwebster said:
But my favorite method is to use thickened West Systems Epoxy to fill the hole, then redrill, countersink the gelcoat and install a new snap.
Click to expand...

I need to do a few of these. I guess this is the method I will try. some PO used the Molly/Wall fastner, which really screwed the pooch. the screw head was too big fo the snap to even work...so a useless exercise in futility.

I have some RC modelling expoxy laying around. I figure expoxy is epoxy...No?
 
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