# Need help with my grab bar!!!



## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

I had the same problem. I had to fill the giant holes they had made with fiberglass and resin in the deck, drilled through the repair and it held but I did not really like the position of it. I thought it was too far aft, so I removed it again and moved it up about 8", had brand new deck to drill holes in and used SS course thread screws that just barely fit in the GB mount plates (almost too large of diameter). You want the screws to go through the deck board but not so much they touch the hull. The hull will flex in rough water and if the screws are too long they can pierce the hull (don't ask). You also need to use a good marine sealant when you put the screws in and don't use silicone. Should hold for a while. This what I used:

Loctite PL Marine 3 fl. oz. Fast Cure Adhesive Sealant-2020627 - The Home Depot


----------



## GSSF (May 25, 2013)

MarineTex is great for filling holes and can be drilled. I have had great success with it, as long as you clean out the old holes well and the surface/area is clean. Or also you can just use fiberglass resin to fill in the holes. I seal any deck/hull fittings with 4200 or 5200, depending on the application.


----------



## scott nathanson (Jun 7, 2019)

Glass some pvc board pads where the grab bar goes .paint with gelcoat problem solved


----------



## Pearbear850 (May 3, 2021)

scott nathanson said:


> Glass some pvc board pads where the grab bar goes .paint with gelcoat problem solved


I will look into that. I haven't done any glasswork before but I may give it a shot.


----------



## Reed Wilson (Aug 9, 2020)

Pearbear850 said:


> My grab bar recently striped out of the hull. There was no damage really, but now the grab bar is not sturdy at all and is shaking. Before I work on it I wanted some advice from more experienced people on this. It is a Saltmarsh 1444 Kevlar by Ankona.
> View attachment 178587


Is there any way to add a backer plate after the repair to prevent it from happening again?


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

If you have enough space between the deck and the hull... (about 1.5 inches...) you can do exactly the same thing that anyone bolting deck chair pedestal does... Simply do a toggle bolt installation and you'll have a rock solid anchor for that grab bar... Go to any marine hardware store and ask for "Togglers" - that's the stainless steel model meant for marine installations (don't even think about using home repair type toggle bolts since they'll rust out on you). Remember that everything depends on being able to stick the toggle bolt through the hole where the toggles can spring out and hold (and it's a great idea to do a trial run on two pieces of scrap first to actually see how it works). Once in place properly the grab bar will be secure until you unbolt it (just about the life of that hull...). I've used Togglers in the past to re-anchor center consoles that pulled free from the deck under hard use... 

If you don't have enough space between deck and hull (use a probe and measure...) then your best bet is one or more anchor blocks glassed into the deck to provide some material to actually anchor that grab bar. I won't say a word about cheap installations that only used screws in the deck to secure a high stress item like a grab bar - if you can't say anything nice.....


----------



## Gogittum (May 24, 2020)

I haven't worked with the SS marine version of togglers, but from my experience with standard ones, I'd say to look very closely at the attachment/pivot points for the wings. I've seen some that just have a little soft tab that bends easily and the wings pop off under pressure. Seen others that are pretty skookum and hold up well. If there's room to use them, they could be a good option.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Most "blind" installations on boats of every size use Togglers... if you have the room for them - and the saltwater version is definitely much tougher than those cheapies from big box home repair stores...


----------



## Pearbear850 (May 3, 2021)

lemaymiami said:


> If you have enough space between the deck and the hull... (about 1.5 inches...) you can do exactly the same thing that anyone bolting deck chair pedestal does... Simply do a toggle bolt installation and you'll have a rock solid anchor for that grab bar... Go to any marine hardware store and ask for "Togglers" - that's the stainless steel model meant for marine installations (don't even think about using home repair type toggle bolts since they'll rust out on you). Remember that everything depends on being able to stick the toggle bolt through the hole where the toggles can spring out and hold (and it's a great idea to do a trial run on two pieces of scrap first to actually see how it works). Once in place properly the grab bar will be secure until you unbolt it (just about the life of that hull...). I've used Togglers in the past to re-anchor center consoles that pulled free from the deck under hard use...
> 
> If you don't have enough space between deck and hull (use a probe and measure...) then your best bet is one or more anchor blocks glassed into the deck to provide some material to actually anchor that grab bar. I won't say a word about cheap installations that only used screws in the deck to secure a high stress item like a grab bar - if you can't say anything nice.....


Thanks for the detailed response. I did some research and I think this is more my skill set.


----------



## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Reed Wilson said:


> Is there any way to add a backer plate after the repair to prevent it from happening again?


If you just screw it back to the deck - nope. It is a 40" lever held on by a small screw. 

It would be nice if the builders would inlay some suitable material for this purpose.


----------

