# Need some input bolting down loose console



## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Make sure your angle is screwed down into the deck and thru bolt with some philips head bolts and finish washers. 5200 is permanent, 4200 is semi-permanent.
On the hatch get some replacement hatch seal from McMaster Carr website. I believe it is the 1/8" grip edge 3/4" bulb hatch seal. I have the same boat.


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## predacious (Sep 1, 2016)

do not use a toggle bolt !

there's a specific technique required to use fasteners in a composite cored surface...

would you like to know it ?


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## swaddict (Dec 19, 2009)

no toggle bolts, you can use screws that are the next size up. But honestly, the best thing to do is get the console glassed in.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

predacious said:


> do not use a toggle bolt !
> 
> there's a specific technique required to use fasteners in a composite cored surface...
> 
> would you like to know it ?


Yes please share!


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Older Boston Whaler Outrage's are the gold standard for bolting consoles to deck. They used teak or mahogany strips(you could use aluminum alloy angle) fastened with wood screws and 3M 5200/4200 to the deck. Then the console is bolted through the teak with a steak strip on the outside of the console. Use lots of screws and bolts. But you need some space under the deck for screws. For skiffs a glassed in console is all that is needed, but if you are re-mounting your console the original method was probably not adequate.


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## predacious (Sep 1, 2016)

Using a larger screw - that not end well


Composites require this technique:

Sharpen an Allen wrench on the short end - make like a blade

Chuck it up in a drill - put the sharpened end in the hole

Remove the core

Epoxy - I use west system with 403 adhesive additive - mix it thick enough to pour 
Do not use polyester resin 

Pour this in the hole and let it all kick 


After it kicks 

Locate where the fasteners will be 

Example - you've got 1/4" holes in that aluminum 

Drill the hole in the epoxy 3/16 dab a shot of 5200 on the hole and use a 1/4-20 machine screw - run it down with an impact / driver

The machine screw will thread the epoxy - the fastener will be secure till you remove it


This is the accepted method to secure fasteners in composite cored surfaces


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## predacious (Sep 1, 2016)

swaddict said:


> no toggle bolts, you can use screws that are the next size up. But honestly, the best thing to do is get the console glassed in.


Composites are polyester based - they're brittle and they will fracture from vibration - resulting in a loose screw

Using a larger screw - only thing you've accomplished is making that hole bigger

The fiberglass skin is what's holding the fastener - not the core 

Composites should be thru bolted and sleeved - if this isn't possible - use the method I described

Avoid any of those expanding / toggle style bolts - they fail and fail quickly


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

^this. And when the toggle pulls through you will end up with a really big hole.

Also, when you squeeze the epoxy into the hole, vibrate the surrounding area to remove all air bubbles so the epoxy will adhere to the top skin and not have an air gap.


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## predacious (Sep 1, 2016)

When using the method I described 

You end up with the fastener secured in the thickness of the core / skin thickness 
This results in a secure fastener 

Machine screws are threaded - not like coarse self tapping fasteners - the machine screw's threads hold more secure


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## predacious (Sep 1, 2016)

DuckNut said:


> ^this. And when the toggle pulls through you will end up with a really big hole.
> 
> Also, when you squeeze the epoxy into the hole, vibrate the surrounding area to remove all air bubbles so the epoxy will adhere to the top skin and not have an air gap.



Pushing a toothpick or a paper clip in the hole will remove any air


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## Tilly_Copano (Feb 12, 2017)

predacious said:


> Using a larger screw - that not end well
> 
> 
> Composites require this technique:
> ...


The console is not completely loose, its primarily the left side. The problem is I don't know if I'm going to be able to get in the area to even do what you indicated. 

Would glassing it in be a bad idea?


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## predacious (Sep 1, 2016)

Tilly_Copano said:


> The console is not completely loose, its primarily the left side. The problem is I don't know if I'm going to be able to get in the area to even do what you indicated.
> 
> Would glassing it in be a bad idea?


Glassing it down means prepping both surfaces - if the console has been caulked down all the caulking removed ,which could mean actually removing the console

Areas need to be ground out with a grinder - console and deck.


Glassing a console down is something I'm not a big fan of


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Tilly_Copano said:


> The console is not completely loose, its primarily the left side. The problem is I don't know if I'm going to be able to get in the area to even do what you indicated.
> 
> Would glassing it in be a bad idea?


Take it off and fix every hole or you are going to get water in there and someday you will be fixing more than a few holes.


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