Applying adhesives under water

[TwinFin]

Any of you ever successfully applied 5200 or any other adhesive under water (sea water)? I've been told that thru hull fittings can be changed/installed while a boat is in the water using 5200. This first came up while I was having a discussion about adding a second bait tank to my 28. The two people who told me this are very experienced boaters but I checked out the 3M literature and found no reference to applying the adhesive (or any of the 3M adhesives) under water. They are intended to be used above or under water but application and curing is a different story.

I have another swim step bracket bolt (1/4-20) with a head broken off and I don't really want to haul my boat to change a few 40 cent bolts. Any of you ever done this in the water? Any of you ever change that middle, lower swim step bolt? It's right under the bait tank.

[seatime]

no way in hell I would pull my thru hull transducer from the bottom of my boat while it was sitting in the water. That opens up a hole in the bottom of it for your boat to be sitting on the bottom.

[TwinFin]

I feel the same way but I know pros who have done it. Same guys who slip a prop shaft aft and change a gear box in the water. Needing to maximize up time to run a business is the driver.

I might be willing to do it with a quarter inch diameter swim step hole.

[xl883lo]

Any of you ever successfully applied 5200 or any other adhesive under water (sea water)? I've been told that thru hull fittings can be changed/installed while a boat is in the water using 5200.

I have had friends change thru hull fittings while a boat was in the water, but these were sailboats. They would heel them way over to raise the fitting above the waterline,remove the fitting, dry and prep the hole, re-install the fitting and wait a few hours and let it over. They were also using the stuff in the red tube that is dry to touch in 1 hour and cures in about 24 hours. I think the important part is getting a clean dry surface to apply the 5200 to.

[TwinFin]

Bit the bullet and

hauled out today. Removed old hardware, cleaned the holes, used fast cure 5200 (red tube) and replaced all 5 swimstep bracket bolts that were below the water line. $450 to replace five 50 cent bolts! Ouch.

As always, Keith was very helpful. Sent me out replacement brackets & hardware on short notice. Thanks bud!

I noticed some pitting on the bracket flats below the water line. I'm going to tie those five bolts into my bonding system tomorrow. I should be back in the water by tomorrow afternoon.

In case this helps others, Keith told me our factory now has better, single piece triangular brackets instead of the ss tubing/L bracket combos I have on my swim step. I'll probably fill my original holes and switch to that bracket in a few years when I next bottom paint. Unless, of course, I own a CC 32 or 35 by then. I know, keep dreaming Steve.