false keel

[kenowens]

The newly discovered holes/dowels derailed my glassing plans. Since I'm a peel ply virgin I went with plan B and did a peel ply test. My layup schedule is to level the bottom, glass over the rudder shoe area, add the 1 inch thick bottom layer you suggested, glass my way up the sides and finally glass in the stern tube. I asked about the holes because I did not know if I could just drill out the holes and fill with thickened epoxy or if they required a bevel. I will drill them from the inside. I think I can lower the bow enough to put some tape on the exterior of the holes to retain the thickened epoxy. Thanks for all your comments.

[atomvoyager]

Bevels are only required when holes are large or you have limited area to add fiberglass over them but in your case are not needed because you are adding a large area of glass and resin plug inside. There will be no difference in strength in this case how you treat the small holes or even if you don't drill them out and just cover them over.

[kenowens]

Thank you for the advise. It gives me confidence to continue. I decided to have a look at the plugged hole through the starboard side of the keel (The one to the left of the peel ply in a previous image). As I sanded off the bottom paint the plug began to leak around its edge. A little poking, hammering and drilling popped the plug out. It turned out to be a thickened resin plug. I will bevel this just a bit to lay a few layers of glass to prevent the new glass plug from printing through like the old one.