[esoxesox]

Hey Mada, I had the same issue with my '73 20. Mine was actually detached from one aft corner to the other, all the way around. In heavy seas it would bang to beat hell and running into the waves would put a LOT of water directly into the hull through the gap. I took some time off the water last summer to get it fixed (I only have ONE SeaCraft). Here are the steps I took to get it fixed(I should warn you that I don't know that this is the "right" way to do it but the final product is great). First I pulled the rail, cleaned the adhesive out, and drilled out the rivets. I was suprised to see how closely the factory had riveted to the edge of the deck. There were numerous rivets that had simply torn through the small amount of decking on the lower border. I pre-drilled rivet holes every 4' or so prior to applying the 5200. Once I applied the 5200 I ran enough washer-backed rivets to secure the deck to the hull "horizontally" but in many areas it did not draw the two together. I immediatly secured the rail to the bow (because it was easy to see where the "V" should sit). I followed behind the rivets with SS machine screws and nyloc nuts OVER the rail through the original screw holes. They really pulled the two pieces together. I worked my way back until I couldn't get to the inside of the hull anymore. From there I used a SS screw of some sort back to the stern.

The difference on the water was instantly noticable. It ended up that much of the banging in rough seas was the deck coming down on the hull. The ride was 100% more quiet and, since the repair, I have taken no water in though gaps in the hull/deck joint...just plenty in my face.

Like I said before, this may not be the "by the book" method to fix the problem. It's just what I came up with after staring at the dumb thing for a week. I'd be interested to hear what other guys suggest for a solution.

Scot