Looking for correct filler...

Hi all. I am hoping for some advice on a 1984 Laser in excellent shape. If you look at the photo attached, its of the front part of the dagger board shaft where the fiberglass meets the top deck. The BLUE putty fills the area between the shaft and the deck. Most of the seal is in tact all around but a small part has come away and I am concerned it will become a channel for water in the hull. Is there a simple putty recommended to spackle the area that has come away? I'm hoping it's a simple fix.

I appreciate any suggestions.
Jb 20210405_113212.jpg
 
I’m going tomorrow to my club, so I can check boats from the same era as yours if they have similar issues. I’m sure though that they don’t have anything blue there! Looks like something that was applied later.

In any case, the hull is not likely to leak there, and even if it did, it wouldn’t do so in problematic amounts unless it spent long periods of time upside down on the water :rolleyes:

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A little Marine Tex would take care of any problem there. JB Weld epoxy is cheaper and should do the trick too.
 
The club boats were still wrapped up... but here's a shot of my boat (yes, I KNOW I should fill that painfully typical and unforgivably deep hollow... :oops: )

IMG_0016.jpg


it's dark in there, but you can see the extent of the original grey sealing material. Your boat is a few years older (and built in Canada, not England, I presume) but I think it's clear that the blue stuff is something that some earlier owner slapped on top of the factory seal. Whether that was a necessary move or overreaction (or what the class rules call "preventative maintenance") is hard to say. You might do a leak test by turning the boat upside down and leading some water inside. If something really comes out, then apply the materials beldar mentioned.

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