well, I did it!

[ghuskin]

while mounting my battery charger i had to drill four screw holes in order to secure the charger to the sides (under the gunwale).

Measured the depth required, tapes off the drill bit, drilled pilot holes. Well, the drill bit grabbed and pulled all the way through. what a sinking feeling. I removed the bit from the hole and asked my son (who was able to quickly look over the side) "did I just drill trhough the side?" "yes" he said. "Is it above the waterline" i asked? "Yes" came his reply.

Ok, good, no need to panic. got up off the cockpit floor, rumage through my tool box to find the gel coat repair kit and carefully fill the holes (turns out another pilot hole pierced the outer coat as well).

I only needed about 3/8" pilot hole. any idea how thick the sides are on these boats?

 

[BillyT0020]

while mounting my battery charger i had to drill four screw holes in order to secure the charger to the sides (under the gunwale).

Measured the depth required, tapes off the drill bit, drilled pilot holes. Well, the drill bit grabbed and pulled all the way through. what a sinking feeling. I removed the bit from the hole and asked my son (who was able to quickly look over the side) "did I just drill trhough the side?" "yes" he said. "Is it above the waterline" i asked? "Yes" came his reply.

Ok, good, no need to panic. got up off the cockpit floor, rumage through my tool box to find the gel coat repair kit and carefully fill the holes (turns out another pilot hole pierced the outer coat as well).

I only needed about 3/8" pilot hole. any idea how thick the sides are on these boats?

Man that sucks! I was worried about the same thing when I mounted my battery charger, so I bought a package of Marine Tek and fixed a 3/4 piece of painted plywood to the boat using the whole package of Marine Tek. It dried rock solid in less then an hour and I screwed my charger to that. Hasn't moved an inch since. I would think you have less then 3/4 of an inch in the side of the boat down there.

Good Luck!

 

[ghuskin]

there's maybe 1/2" at most. Like i said, I only attempted to drill a 3/8" deep hole (4 of them) and 2 went through (results must vary)!

I thought of the same thing, but I have carpet on the sides. I used spacers to allow air flow behind the charger.

 

[BillyT0020]

You could cut the carpet off the walls in the shape of the board your going to affix to the side. That's probably what I would do.

 

[Henry Boyd]

The plywood board attached to the side is the way the factory mounted the charger on our boat. It also is a good idea as the charger is heavy and screwing into wood that is firmly attached per Billyto2's method will reduce the risk that the charger might come loose while you are underway.

Henry

 

[Lazy Daze]

The sides are relatively thin, and can change somewhat depending on location and boat model, but 1/2" sounds about right. If you haven't already positively figured it out, push your drill bit through the hole until your son says it's flush with the outside. Grab the bit with your fingers right up against the fiberglass and pull the bit out. Measure from your fingers to the end of the bit.

However, screwing into the hull sides is not advisable. Not enough material there. Do as suggested above and attach a wooden mounting block to the hull side with 5200.

 

[ghuskin]

Thank you for all your replies!

Looks like I have a re-do project on my hands.

what should I use to fill the insides of the holes with?

Gregg

 

[BillyT0020]

I would probably repair the gelcoat on the outside and fill the inside with either marine tek, 5200, or fiberglass. Any of the three would work fine IMO.

 

[ghuskin]

thank you, Billy!

 

[Lazy Daze]

Or, another option is, depending on how much gel you have laying around, put a piece of tape over the hole on the inside. Then just fill the whole hole :grin: with gel. Either way will work.

 

[Tail Chaser 661]

Do you have a pic of your charger mount setup Billy?

 

[BillyT0020]

Do you have a pic of your charger mount setup Billy?

I do not but can take one for you and throw it up on Friday morning if that works? I put it on the Starboard side of the Hull almost directly across from the Gas Tank and followed the rest of the wires thru the aft cabin, head, behind the fridge and directly into the fuse box.

Which reminds me I still have to re-glue the headliner I had to rip down in the cabinet in the aft hatch. :smt021

Anyway I'll throw some pics up Friday.

 

[Tail Chaser 661]

I do not but can take one for you and throw it up on Friday morning if that works? I put it on the Starboard side of the Hull almost directly across from the Gas Tank and followed the rest of the wires thru the aft cabin, head, behind the fridge and directly into the fuse box.

Which reminds me I still have to re-glue the headliner I had to rip down in the cabinet in the aft hatch. :smt021

Anyway I'll throw some pics up Friday.

Thanks Billy. Mines mounted flat on the upper shelf. Kind of a water magnet there.

 

[stevea661]

Thanks Billy. Mines mounted flat on the upper shelf. Kind of a water magnet there.

Mines original and mounted on the transom, twords the port side. Theres lots of material to screw into in the transom