I am one of those boaters that look for a small craft advisory to go boating. smooth water is just boring. I was even crazy enough ...... maybe even stupid to take my boat around Manhattan during our last hurricane. I just love to beat the $hit out of that thing in rough water. Its a stress reliever. And I can get very stressed.


Well after all the abuse last season some of the screws ( 1/2 of them) on the rub rail started to pop out. Now the hull is separating from the deck. I didn't like that rub rail anyway and now I have an excuse to replace it.

What I would like to do is bond the hull to the deck with some kind of bonding agent or epoxy. something that would also fill the striped screw holes so that I can drill new ones for the new rail.

anyone have any Ideas on how I should tackle this situation in the spring so I can beat the hell out this boat with out the sides caving in.

Thanks
paul

Hot boat most custom builders glass the hull and deck joint from the inside with fiberglass . You would need to pull down any carpet or headliner in the cabin but that is the way I would go. good luck

I believe many builders uses Plexus on the joint as well.

I used 5200 and thrue bolted the new rail on. Worked very well.

Also, I removed the old rail, split the joint to clean it out real good, sanded and used 5200 and through bolted it and then through bolted the new rail on. Pain in the a** but when its done the boat is a lot stronger and solid and you wont have to do it again. Depending on the boat, getting at the nuts inside was a chore. Use fender washers and locking nuts on the inside.

I think sheet metal screws should be banned from boat construction.

Damn right!

For the life of me, I can not figure out why Fountain uses 2" long sheet metal screws to fasten the side storage door trim panels on. The screw sticks out into the storage compartment by at least 1-1/2" inches, only to tear anything stored in there, or worse yet..........MY ARM!

One of my winter project to do items. Replace or cut down these pole barn spikes!

Hot Boat,
I saw a little of this starting to happen couple of years back. So before last season started, I removed the section of rub rail, cleaned, applied 5200 and then thru bolted from midships all of the way around the bow. I plan on doing the aft section of the boat although there doesn't appear to be any problem toward the transom.