"New" boat - bow rail removal - busted knuckles.

[stevebrownell]

First "real" post, long time site surfer. Took the plunge recently and picked up Blizzard's '72 20 I/O. Appreciate the advice from CSC members here, but could not find many posts regarding bow rail removal issues.

Has anyone been able to remove the machine screws that fasten the bow rail stanchions to the deck, especially the ones closer to the bow, where no underside deck cap access is available? I think some or all of the machine screws have nuts backing them up - when I start removing one, it will often times just spin in place.

I'm considering drilling out about 30 of the screws, but they are stainless, so that not my first choice. Might just take a angle grinder with a cut off wheel and cut them right below the screw head - a little gelcoat damage is ok, as the boat is a work in progress, and gelcoat repair is on the long list.

Also looking forward to the Newport area get together this summer...