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  1. #1
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    Aug 2016
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    northeast maryland
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    Hatches coming loose bc rivets failing

    Ok so here it goes. I noticed my hatches on my boat coming loose so I was gonna get new rivets and redo them all. However the old rivets wore a bigger hole in the fiberglass and now I cant get the rivets to work. So I thought I will put a wall jack (one of those little white or blue things you push into your dry wall to hang a picture) and it worked out perfect. Its actually stronger and more stabile than it was before. and i have a 21 ft ranger comanche and my hatches are heavy. when I say wall jack I mean the ones where you drill a hole in the dry wall and push a white plastic wall jack into the dry wall then put a screw into that. So I did this 6 years ago and have not had to replace them yet. Hope this helps out bc it was a quick and easy fix but has lasted a long time.

  2. Member
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    Jul 2014
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    Crossville, TN & Houston, TX
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    #2
    Good hint. Thanks.

  3. Member
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    Jul 2009
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    Libertyville, IL
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    786
    #3
    Good tip. Here is another tip you can use. We do a lot of riveting at work. We use a stn. stl washer with the center hole just slightly larger than the rivet shank, and put the washer behind the bigger hole in the Fiberglas. Next take the rivet and press it thru all materials. You may have to get a slightly longer rivet, but this worked well for me when I re-did my hatches. Just another option.

  4. Member
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    Aug 2016
    Location
    Colbert co. Alabama
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    3,441
    #4
    Why not just use the next larger diameter rivet?

  5. New England Forum Moderator twitch's Avatar
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    Mar 2005
    Location
    New Bedford, MA
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    14,935
    #5
    I also used stainless washer behind the rivet when I re-did my rugs and compartment hinges earlier this year.
    1990 374V Ranger Still kickin' bass after all these years