Deck Mounted Fishing Seat

[PAkev]

I just bought an adjustable (telescoping) fishing seat to mount on the front deck of my boat. I will have to cut a hole (about 1 1/2) in the fiberglass deck for the flush mounting and hope not to compromise the construction in any way. I will also have to screw the base to and through the deck with stainless steel screws and was hoping to glue some kind of material beneath the deck where screws can bite into the material to hold securely and prevent pulling through. The problem is I only have that small 1-1/2 hole to work through. <br /><br />Helpful thoughts appreciated.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Deck Mounted Fishing Seat

I concur with CAT. <br /><br />Here's an idea:<br /><br />*Get a bigger flange, which will let you make a bigger hole to work through. <br />*Get two pieces of hardwood, slightly less wide than the diameter of the hole, and four inches longer.<br />*Stick one through the hole and clamp it to the edge, so it's out of the way of the other one.<br />*Stick the other one through the hole and screw it to the deck, where it almost covers half the hole.<br />*Unclamp the first one and reposition it so that it almost covers the over half of the hole, and screw it in place.<br />*Position the flange and screw it through the deck into the wood.<br /><br />If necessary, cut out some of the middle part of the wood to allow space for the pedestal to slide down between 'em.<br /><br />I recommend using stainless steel screws, coated with 3m 5200, plus a bead of 5200 on the flange, to protect the wood against water intrusion.<br /><br />You might even be able to work out a way to use nuts & bolts - even better.<br /><br />Good luck - post back with the results.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Deck Mounted Fishing Seat

Uffda! Screwing into the fiberglass decking may well not offer enough strength for your seat, in my opinion.<br /><br />Without a backup plate, you're likely to find your seat pulling out of the fiberglass before long, with you perhaps sitting on it.<br /><br />I'd reconsider the project, unless you can access the area beneath the seat and reinforce it thoroughly for the seat installation. <br /><br />Personally, I wouldn't use just screws for any fishing seat. Better to use machine screws and nuts, with a substantial backing plate to distribute the load. Screws into fiberglass just don't have a lot of strength. They WILL pull out.

 

[PAkev]

Re: Deck Mounted Fishing Seat

Thanks Guys,<br /><br />I definately don't want to screw right into the fiberglass deck.<br /><br />Today I was able to obtain a 1 sq ft solid piece of 3/8 nylon and marine epoxy. I was planning to use the epoxy to bond nylon strips beneath the deck for reinforcement and between the deck base.<br /><br />Although I've read about lots of folks using the 3M 5200, I personally do not have any experience with it. What makes this different than the marine epoxy that I purchased? Secondly, is it something commonly available from places like Home Depot, Lowes, etc. or do I have to visit my friendly marine dealer?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Deck Mounted Fishing Seat

Your idea of using the 3/8 nylon is a good one. Go one step further and use blind nuts on the back side of the nylon. These are available at hardware stores. They have machine threads and spurs that dig into the material so they don't turn when bolts are tightened. Use anti seize compound on the machine screws, even though they are stainless steel. The blind nuts are not.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Deck Mounted Fishing Seat

5200 is flexible when it cures, takes hours to dry but days to cure completely. Looks sort of like caulk out of the tube. Walmart, marine supply stores, I've heard home depot has it but I never noticed.<br /><br />Your epoxy is probably 2-part, mixing required & will probably cure a lot faster and harden when cured. I'm sure it will work fine for your application. No wood = no rot.

 

[PAkev]

Re: Deck Mounted Fishing Seat

I got my hands into the project this weekend and it took one drill hole through the deck to realize I had some luck on my shoulders. Underneath the fiberglass deck was a solid alluminum plate that I was able to tap into with 2" SS screws. I was able to get a small tube of 5200 at a Marina down the road and fill the holes before putting in the screws and also applied to the bottom of the deck base plate. With the 5200 and 6 screws holding the base in, the thing is rock solid and hope I will never have to remove it. <br /><br />Although the nylon was pricy, I didn't have to use it but I am sure it will eventually come in handy for another project down the road. <br /><br />Thanks for the help!<br />Kevin

 

[jtexas]

Re: Deck Mounted Fishing Seat

Sounds good - but keep an eye on those screws; a couple hundred pounds on top of a pedestal puts a lot of leverage on 'em. If they vibrate loose you can count on it shifting at the most inopportune time, like when you're setting the hook on what would've been your personal best [whatever you fish for].