t-top on a center console

[Dilligaf]

ouch...

[peterb]

Scrapper,

I was just trying to help you out. Guess that was a mistake on my part.

Peter

[Miles Offshore]

My t-top i could only through bolt it in a couple of places because of access to allow it. So what I did (not the prettiest but it worked) was take a coathanger, bend, twist it up so it would ream enough of the foam coaring out in the deck to allow enough room for t-bolts to flip open inside the glass. seems to work all -right and I have more crap on top of mine than the law should allow (radar, outriggerers, lights, antennaes, etc). I used the 1/4" 24? bolts that i bought at wm or bw. that was really the only size that the top was designed to have countersink into the feet on the top. craig

[PipeDreamsMarine]

The ones that I've worked on you can't get your hand in between the deck and the stringer. Even if you drill a hole you can't get your hand in there to put the hardware on. I guess you could drill two holes on each side, close to the legs, that many work but then you have four holes in your deck. Best bet is a winter time project of removing the top and fixing the holes the right way. Your in Court House.. is this your boat..?

[datngrizz]

I have had good luck with the following technique in a different industry:
- Drill existing holes out to a common dowel size such as 3/8"
- Cut dowels 1/2" longer than thickness of material they are going into (e.g., the deck)
- Use a fine blade saw (e.g., a backsaw or dovetail saw) to cut a kerf 1/2" into one end of the dowel. You will insert this end first. I also take a sharp utility knife and score around the dowel and in the hole to give them "tooth" in the drilled hole.
- Coat holes and dowels with gorilla glue (or resin)and drive the dowels into the holes until they are a little below the surface of the deck.
- Let dry and fill with your choice of filler/sealer
- Drill small pilot hole through dowel before remounting, fill hole with 5200 or equivalent before resetting screws
- The dowel is bonded to the substrate, the kerf alows the tail of the dowel to expand slightly, further locking it into the hole
- I would also put a lot of 5200 under the mounting flange of the ttop and look at getting a few more braces from the top to the console fabricated.

My two cents worth. Good luck!

[ElBichoMalo]

Have you used "thickened" resin before? If you think it will fall through the hole, make it thicker. After the first application partially sinks down, add a second application to make it flush with the deck. No problem, 30 minute fix. Or......just cut a pie plate next to every screw needed (since that is the answer you seem to be looking for).

[scrapper]

The ones that I've worked on you can't get your hand in between the deck and the stringer. Even if you drill a hole you can't get your hand in there to put the hardware on. I guess you could drill two holes on each side, close to the legs, that many work but then you have four holes in your deck. Best bet is a winter time project of removing the top and fixing the holes the right way. Your in Court House.. is this your boat..?

not my boat.i've seen that boat for sale for a long time.my top is similar to that top.the screws are loose in the forward legs.i would like to thru bolt them.i called the guy who owns that boat you posted,he has a repair shop,he quoted me a price for a new deck-i don't need a new deck,it's fine.the screws vibrated loose,the top working up and down caused the screws to chew up the deck a little-the reason the screws are loose.
i didn't know if there was a bulkhead or something else under the deck,i asked if i could cut deck plates there,i thought someone on here would know.

[PipeDreamsMarine]

You can do it, just your gonna make swiss cheese out of your deck. As for it working up and down, It needs front stand-offs on the legs. The "V" brace is for side to side, front stand-offs are standard on all of my tops. Once you get it bolted down, I would recommend you get front stand-offs put on by someone or its going to spider the deck and loosen up again...Good luck with your project..

[gofastsandman]

5 posts and so many negative waves......
You were given many solutions already. You don`t need to fill the holes completely, just build up the edges to give you proper "tooth". Thicken up some epoxy with wood flour or milled fiber or both. Roll up a piece of paper towel and shove it down the hole to the bottom. Inject w/ hypo. , and release bubbles w a cocktail straw.When still affected by gravity push the ball down. Done deal. Oh , you also get the added benefit of knowing these holes won`t be the root cause of future deck failure.Nuf said!
I`m GFS and I approved this message!

[fdheld34]

GFS---
nicely said, couldn't agree more

Fred