temporary repair in the water

i have an old wooden boat and sailing around the world. few days ago i discovered a rotten part. it is where the keel meets with planking. i cleaned as much as possible the soft wood and it became a big scar which is 30cm lenght, 5cm width and 3 cm depth. i need to repair this from inside.
still little bit water is coming. i dont know if the water coming from the sea or from the wood itself. i prepared a wood which fits more or less the shape of the place but i can not glue it with epoxy because the wood is wet.
i need a repair that can safely stay for two months then i will be on land.
helps really appreciated

Regards
Ulas

 

There are urethane based glues that actually need water to cure.

Some epoxy formulations also will bond under water. I don't ghar o out further than I am willing to swim back without some onboard.

I have used bubble gum, parafin, roofing tar and cans of expansion foam as emergency stop leaks.

 

Sheet metal on the outside with roofing tar works well.

 

i will do sth from inside. i am thinking to use cement.

 

does roofing tar bonds with wet surface?

 

It bonds well enough. I don't know if you can get it locally.
Henry 0.90 Gal. 208R Rubber Wet Patch Roof Cement-HE208R142 - The Home Depot http://www.homedepot.com/p/Henry-0-90-Gal-208R-Rubber-Wet-Patch-Roof-Cement-HE208R142/100041225

 

Cement doesn't bond to wood.

Remember, temporary repairs need to be undone before permanent repair.
Frozen tar is easier to remove than warm tar.

Water pressure will often hold outside repairs in place, covering could prevent water flow from dislodging.
To do repair from inside, one must overcome the water pressure forcing sealer away from surface.

 

A couple of years ago a local fisherman asked me for a handful of long nails, said he needed them for a quick repair. He also wanted to borrow a trailer for a couple of days, no further explanation.
It turned out to be a kind of emergency. His boat had hit a rock and was sinking rapidly.... He took a garbage bag and some plywood, nailed that to the hull from the outside, spent the rest of the afternoon pumping the water out and came back for the trailer.
Later he hammered the nails back from the inside, removed the patch and made a more permanent repair with a wedged piece of timber and some epoxy putty. The many nail holes he stuffed with matches or toothpicks. Job done!

 

There is a product called Stay Afloat. It will patch and hold low pressure water leaks, including blocking an open thru hull. http://www.stayafloatmarine.com/ There are videos on their site. Available in many marine stores, Amazon, and Ebay.

 

in the book "escape from Hermit Island" underwater epoxy was used to repair a sunken boat that hit a coral head. It was then refloated and sailed 400 miles to a major port for 2 years of repairs. You can find that book or amazon -or maybe just google it or google underwater epoxy. I provided the two women with the apply underwater epoxies used to save their sunken boat. More commonly these sorts of underwater epoxies are used (with fiberglass cloth) to repair leaking barges that have been turned into floating homes. These barges were sold to the homeowner because they were starting to corrode away. You cannot haul out a barge with a 2 or 3 story home on top! Don't sail off into the sunset without underwater epoxy for emergency repairs!

 

I will add my vote to the "paintable tar" solution. Get the stuff that can be painted on, and is used to waterproof water tanks etc, even if painted in water itself.
You need the solution that wont actually dry out altogether. It will probably last the rest of you journey. Make sure that you have the mechanical fastenings in place, because although it has good adherence, its strength is not like epoxy.


Another popular brand
Water Based Bitumen Paint: Waterproofing: Crommelin http://www.crommelin.com.au/range/at-home/waterproofing-products/water-based-bitumen-paint/