Removing Cap from 1978 23
 

Previous owner used about 40 three inch deck screws (for use on wooden decks not boats) to hold the rub rail on. Every rusty screw head broke off leaving a fun little project to remove broken off screws from the hull. I will have good access to the back of the screws when I hoist the cap off. Any idea of the best way to remove these screws? Vice grips and go? If it breaks off from the back side I will have to try and drill out what is left. I thought about drilling very small holes around each screw to help it break loose if vice grips don't get them without breaking off.

I am open to any ideas? I could heat them with propane torch due to their length without hitting the glass if that would help.


Also the cap has a lot of gel coat stress cracks so I am planning on a couple of layers of 1708 on the underside to reinforce as well as new core material where applicable. Will the additional 1708 cause any problems when I reassemble (make the seam too large-stick out too far)?


Thanks

If you can get to the back of the screws AND there is some thread to get a bite on you could try a "titan stud extractor". The tool resembles a drill chuck that tightens down and bites into the screw and you can attach a ratchet.

Try this:
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?...llow&cId=PDIO1
I made my own without the diamond edge to get some broken screws out and ran it CCW so the screw stub backed out when I got deep enough. That worked ok - not having to make the bit seems a lot easier though.

About the 1708 - each layer of properly done 1708 is about 0.044" thick