What is the putty of choice for screw heads?

[JMAC]

The screw heads on my cedar planked boat are filled with putty that is for the most part ready to pop out. Also I have some hull filling to do. The previous owner had aggressively removed the paint from the hull. So what is the best choice for this? Maybe two different products?

[JMAC]

Anybody?

[Bryan Mehus]

I like famowood solvent based putty, and I think you will find many production boat builders in the past used it as well.

[Art Read]

Interlux makes a one part "Sufacing Putty"(?) that I used on my topsides. I can't remember the product number offhand, but I can check for you. I think most people would call this stuff fairing cement. It worked pretty well for me. Goes on like seam compound but dries in a few hours to a hard, sandable and paintable finish. Stinks to high heaven before it cures. It will probably need two applications to get a nice, flush surface on really deep holes as it does shrink a bit as it cures. No biggie though. Below the waterline I just used Interlux below the waterline seam compound, (the brown stuff). Hope this helps.

[Bill Berrisford]

Here at Skiff Craft we have been using Famowood for a long time on mahogany wherever we don't use plugs. It dries quickly and the mahogany color is a good match. On hulls, especially below the waterline, we use Smith's "fillit" epoxy fairing gel. It's costly :( but it mixes and sands easily. -Bill