Screw question

[Greymare]

I have looked around the board and looking at the way folks have been mounting things to there boat. It appears in the pictures lots of folks have been using what looks to be a wood screws or that type of screw. I own a Stratos and was wondering what type of screw would you use to mount something on the boat? Is there a special type screw? Have any of you ever used Rivnuts/Rivet nuts on your boats? I have used them a lot but never in Fiberglass or any other composite and wonder if they can be pulled without damaging the fiberglass.
Thanks in advance for any help.

[rooster tail]

stainless steel screws only. Also predrill with a smaller bit than the screw. This
helps the gel coat not to crack.

[Greymare]

Thanks is it wood screws, machine screws, sheetmetal screws, ect?

[BASSCAT7]

Wood screws. Or for a more secure hold for heavier items, thru bolting is much better.

[Greymare]

What about Rivnuts? Have ever tried them?

[BASSCAT7]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Greymare &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">What about Rivnuts? Have ever tried them? </td></tr></table>

I've used them on wood, etc, but not on glass.

I don't see why they would not work well, as long as the glass was thick enough so the compression of the rivnut does not want to crack the glecoat.

[Greymare]

Thanks for the reply Basscat7. I may have to find some glass to test it on and report back.

[Skeet'r89]

While you are testing the rivenuts/threaded inserts test something else also. Get some plastic drywall anchors and the matching screws and see how it holds up. I have used the drywall anchor and screws to repair rub rails that had screws strip out and come loose.

[Greymare]

Well its funny that you say that because there are some of them on my boat now. I noticed that it had some of the large auger looking ones on the trolling motor switch panel when I removed it. 3 of them backed out a little and the 4th one was completely loose. It was not holding the panel down. I will take some picks when I get a chance. I think they may have been in the big rubber pad though. I will post some pics when I get home this evening.

[Skeet'r89]

No, I do not mean the auger style anchor. I mean the plastic drive in type that are tapered.

[WarEagle24]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Skeet’r89 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">While you are testing the rivenuts/threaded inserts test something else also. Get some plastic drywall anchors and the matching screws and see how it holds up. I have used the drywall anchor and screws to repair rub rails that had screws strip out and come loose.</td></tr></table>

I too have used these type anchors and they work very good. The lid on my cooler/step had worked loose and wallowed out the screw holes. I tried several different type screws but none worked very well until I used the anchors. It's been 2 years and they are still as tight today as the day I put them in.

[Greymare]

Skeet'r89 I think wareagle24 answered your quetion on the push in type.

Not sure how good these would work on glass but if you have a hole that is opened to big for a screw you might could use some Clip nuts or UClips. They come in locking or none locking.







Modified by Greymare at 11:36 AM 6/16/2011

[Skeet'r89]

Oh, I have used the plastic anchors before. Its just that the boat that I used them is not around for my inspection. I was just suggeting that if someone was testing nut serts that maybe they could test some plastic anchors. I fortunately have not had to test my drywall anchor theory other than the rub rail on a previos boat.

[sandbarDan]

i tried the plastic drywall anchors on my boat. sometimes they worked sometimes they didn't but if they held at first then they stayed put. Not all palstic drywall anchors are created equal, I just used whatever I had left over from home improvment projects. I liked those auto body panel clips on things like electric switch panels where the screw hole was close to a large opening.