Assembly questions...

[Devilman]

I have a couple more questions for you guys as I'm out of my area again and I can't trust the way anything was done to my boat before I got it. Here's my situation... I had the floor and transom replaced in my boat, then everything gelcoated instead of going back with carpet so now my floor and transom are virgin( no penetration yet ) My question is this:
1) I've got stainless screws but do they go in dry or should I like dip em' in silicone or something? This would be for seats, diverter, throttle...
and
2) When I pulled my pump, the transom adaptor(cover?) had screws going all the way through the transom with nuts and washers on the inside. Will I be drilling new holes and putting it back together the same way or just using regular screws going into the wood?
Thanks in advance for any info, guys... I'm looking forward to getting this thing back together and running it a bit instead of just looking at all the parts scattered around the shop

[CARLSON-JET]

Devilman, I Think you already know the answers to your questions (gut feeling) and are just wanting reassurance here. On my transom adapter all the bolts that are able to go through do and use fender washers on the inside of the transom + a smaller washer. I know on mine the bottom couple are srewed blind into the keel and can not be bolted through, so they are just SS screws about 1/4 x1 1/4 maybe 1 1/2. On the seats and hardware ect. I personally like the dab'l do ya routine. but if this is incorrect or bad I would like to know why. Good luck on your boat. sounds like your very close to getn' her wet. R.B.

[flat broke]

Tips on stainless wood screws... Drill a pilot hole first! Drill the hole, dab in a little silicone and lag em down. As for through bolts on exterior stuff such as your transom adapter, drill the hole to size, then if you want to go the Schiada route, you resin the inside of the hole, let it dry then install your part. The rest of the world pretty much uses silicone.
A note on transom adapters specifically, if you're sealed properly on the flange, you don't have much risk for water intrusion, but where the screws pull down against the adapter, you don't always get a watertight seal. Slap a dab of silicone on the tapered hole in the transom adapter, run your bolt/screws down tight, then wipe clean. This should seal the bolt holes.
Now since you had the transom replaced, if it hasn't been done already, make sure you glass the edge of the opening that was cut for the pump. If you don't, bilge water can wick its way through the wood rotting it over time. Basically just don't leave open wood exposed to water and you should be fine.
Chris

[Devilman]

Appreciate it Carlson-Jet! Yeah, I'm trying to go with common sense here, but with all the jury-rigging and penny-pinching on this boat, I don't really have a good template to go by. (small example: he hacked the arm off the fuel pump & stuck it back on instead of using a $5.00 block-off plate.) That's keeping it short. I won't even go into the rest.... I hate having to go back and repair somebody elses work but I guess I'll learn that much more in the process

[Devilman]

Flatbroke, thanks for the tips. This thing was a rotten pile when I got it, way worse than I originally thought. Needless to say, I don't wanna be doing it again anytime soon!!

[CARLSON-JET]

Devilman. I sooo hear you on the "(small example: he hacked the arm off the fuel pump & stuck it back on instead of using a $5.00 block-off plate.) If I had every penny the previous owners tried to save on my hull I could darn near have a new one. Flat brokes advice went the extra mile and appears very sound. my transom plate adapt holes were resin sealed as well and I'm sure the small amount of waiting for it to dry is well spent as there is always something else to do in the meantime. keep chipping away. The old adage of pennywise and pound foolish never rings more accurate when things break, leak,rattle, or just plain don't function as well as they could be. go man go!! R.B.

[Devilman]

I've never messed with fiberglass at all. You mean I can buy a small can of resin(that's the liquid right?) and just daub it up into the bolt holes with say, a small paintbrush or Q-tip and let it dry, that's it? I haven't got back to it to do any work yet, so I couldn't tell you about the edge of the wood for the pump cutout... Will the resin trick work there as well (assuming the possibility of open wood)?

[Danhercules]

You could go to the auto part store, and get the fiberglass repair kit.
Mix the resin and the hardner, per instructions and brush it on like paint. Get acitone to clean up.

[Devilman]

Cool, that's a dam good idea. Go hit my local Vato Zone! I can handle that. I guess the pump hole edge would be the same as drilling those fresh holes... Fresh, open wood=fresh, open wood. Thanks for the tip!