The scenario ....... hand rails attached to top deck, and through deck to
hand rails below.

The boat construction ...... fiberglass deck ( cabin roof ) , core balsa ,
fiberglass bottom ,, insulation ,, cabin liner.

If I want to follow Casey's book method: remove hand rails, drill out the
holes a bit larger, tape the bottom hole and fill with thickened epoxy,
redrill holes, reattach the hand rails ,,, the problem is the underside.
With the cabin liner to deal with, and the insulation, and all ......... it
is hard getting at the underside of the deck, cabin roof.

Would removing the hand rails, rebedding with 4200 , be worth while?

How can I get to the bottom of the bolt holes ?

If you have had to do this ,,,,,,,,,,,,, ????

go ahead drill out the old holes, then do this.

thru drill holes to the size of a dowel such as 1/2 inch or 3.8
whatever.

Cut dowel to length of the hole. plus a little bit., if room about 1.4
inch or more.

Glue dowel piece in hole. Use a hard wood dowel from HD.

Now using a dril stop on your bit, drill out the center of the dowel
but dont goto the end, set the drill stop so it drill but not thru the
dowel, give yourself some leeway like 1/4 inch.

Now your holes are pluged with a bottom and you can fill wiith epoxy,
whatever.

Option 3:

Over drill holes maybe 3/4 inch diam. When drilling do not not go
through the bottom layer of glass. In other words, drill down into and
through the glass layers of the roof....then the balsa core... then
stop.

take a 1/4 or 5/16 inch machine screw/bolt and put head first into the
hole.

pour in epoxy and "pot" the bolt with threads up. When epoxy hardens
now you have a stud sticking up out of your house roof.

Slide your had rail on the studs. Apply goo 4200 or Sikaflex 291etc and
torque down nut... But do not forget the 1/8 inch spacer between the
rail and the roof. I use nickles. cheeper than washers and can use as
money when finished with project. Let goo cure. Torque down.... then
plug.

Ta da........

Other options??

Option 4:
Tear off and throw away. Hand rails are for wimps.

Don't use a stainless steel bolt (crevice corrosion). SS needs air.

Roger

http://home.insightbb.com/~derbyrm

"Bob" wrote in message
oups.com...
Option 3:

Over drill holes maybe 3/4 inch diam. When drilling do not not go
through the bottom layer of glass. In other words, drill down into and
through the glass layers of the roof....then the balsa core... then
stop.

take a 1/4 or 5/16 inch machine screw/bolt and put head first into the
hole.

pour in epoxy and "pot" the bolt with threads up. When epoxy hardens
now you have a stud sticking up out of your house roof.

Slide your had rail on the studs. Apply goo 4200 or Sikaflex 291etc and
torque down nut... But do not forget the 1/8 inch spacer between the
rail and the roof. I use nickles. cheeper than washers and can use as
money when finished with project. Let goo cure. Torque down.... then
plug.

Ta da........

Other options??

Option 4:
Tear off and throw away. Hand rails are for wimps.

"derbyrm" wrote
Don't use a stainless steel bolt (crevice corrosion). SS needs air.

Not necessarily true. Crevasse corrosion requires a lack of oxygen AND an
electrolyte like salt water. If the rail is properly bedded as recommended
the bolt will remain dry. If it does leak the damage to the interior
headliner will force rebedding long before the bolt is damaged to any
significant degree.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

derbyrm wrote:
Don't use a stainless steel bolt (crevice corrosion). SS needs air.

Roger


Would bronze or............. be a better choice?
Bob

OK. I haven't broken any bolts, but, the theory is that the portion of the
bolt below the line is deprived of oxygen. The same as a keel bolt. The
salt spray and humidity is there for the exposed portion. I don't think
it's a question of leaks.

Roger

http://home.insightbb.com/~derbyrm

"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
news:E4%8g.23482$iF3.17843@dukeread01...

"derbyrm" wrote
Don't use a stainless steel bolt (crevice corrosion). SS needs air.

Not necessarily true. Crevasse corrosion requires a lack of oxygen AND an
electrolyte like salt water. If the rail is properly bedded as
recommended the bolt will remain dry. If it does leak the damage to the
interior headliner will force rebedding long before the bolt is damaged to
any significant degree.

????

I'd go with double dip galvanized steel, but ...

Bronze is too pricey and weak.

Roger (I don't plan on having lifelines either.)

http://home.insightbb.com/~derbyrm

"Bob" wrote in message
oups.com...

derbyrm wrote:
Don't use a stainless steel bolt (crevice corrosion). SS needs air.
Roger

Would bronze or............. be a better choice?
Bob