Filling the stanchion vent tube hole.

[Roland Gendreau]

I finally got around to moving the holding tank vent hose to a thru hull fitting, installed between the rub rail and the stripe.

I have removed the stanchion and sawed off the vent tube flush with the base.  Now I need to patch the hole in the deck, so I can reinstall the stanchion.

What would be the recommendations for filling/patching the hole?  I surveyed this site and found one who said they glassed it, someone else mentioned marine tex, and others were not specific for what they used.   

Thanks in advance

[KWKloeber]

Don't over think this.  Whatever makes  you happy.
Fiberglas, epoxy, 5200, silicone, .........

Personally I'd take it to the hardware store and get a rubber stopper "cork" and wail it into the tube bottom with a rubber mallet. Then fill the exit hole with silicone or liquid steel or the like.

I'm sure there's a dozen other ways.

[KWKloeber]

OHHHHH are you talking about the DECK or STANCHION hole?? LOL!
Deck, defo epoxy/microfiber thickener after you have cleaned up any crappy deck around the perimeter.

IIWMH, I'd rout out core around the perimeter w/ a Dremel #115 bit, leaving the top and bottom skin intact before filling (making a skin-epoxy-skin sandwich.)

[Jim Hardesty]

If you are talking about the vent hole in the stanchion, here is what I did with a hole with a GPS antenna wire at the pushpit it's held up for 3 seasons now.  From a hardware store got a stainless steel electrical punch-out hole plug, the ones with the little tab clips on the bottom, put it in place and crush-fit with a hose clamp, removed the plug and bent the little tabs back, finally assembled with 5200 held in place with tape, after cured clean up outside with a razor blade.
Jim

[Roland Gendreau]

As I mentioned above, I need to plug the hole in the deck.  Thanks Ken for your recommendation.

[Ron Hill]

Roland : I'd take a piece of tape and put it on the inside (underside) and the use glass or 5 minute epoxy to fill the hole.
For the hole in the stanchion itself, I'd take a screw and screw it in the hole with some butyl rubber!!

A few thoughts

[MarcZ]

Pro way of dealing with holes

https://youtu.be/kxWDhwfCgNE

There is a ton of excellent information on his channel.

[Roland Gendreau]

I ended up using Jamestown Distributors Totalboat Thixo epoxy to fill the deck hole.  The epoxy product comes in a caulking tube with a mixer tip, so using it is certainly simple.   I put some duct tape on the bottom of the hole and filled the hole up with that epoxy.  After giving it a day of drying time, I reinstalled the stanchion.

[Roc]

Roland,
Why get rid of the stanchion vent?  I did the same as you, installed a thru hull fitting near stripe.  When getting advice from Peggie Hall on the matter, she said to keep the original vent since more air going into the holding tank is a plus.  I kept it, now I have two vents.

[Roland Gendreau]

I got rid of the stanchion vent tube because it was inadequate for venting, and I believe it was also a cause for that stanchion to need to be re-caulked too frequently.  I took the opportunity to put a backing plate on that stanchion while I was at it.