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one of my cleats has a stripped screw..whats the experts fix for this ? tks in advance, bob

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Bob -

We need a bit more information to give you accurate advice.

Wood cleat? Holding what? Is it screwed into wood or just fiberglass. What is it used for?

I have 4 recommendations but don't know which to offer given the scant info.

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Besides what Phil said is it Thread stripped or Head stripped or screwed in medium?

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u guys are the best..tks for reply..also noticed im in the wrong category, however..when tightening all screws on board the other day.. i found that on a outbound cleat , the cleat to tie off boat..one of the screws just goes around...seems the hole is stripped..however, heres the screw specs..inch and a quarter stainless phillips.prob # 2...it is not self tapping..has a blunt end..not pointed..whats up with that ? material came out when extracting screw..like old silicone or something..thanks for your interest

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So was the material caulk or fiberglass/wood? I assume you have 4 screws on that cleat, what do the other 3 look like?
Do they have "material" (caulk) on them to when removed. You are saying they are machine screws as indicated on the drawing http://www.bostonwhaler.com/boat_grap...002075.pdf and it is a 1/4"x 20 x 1" as shown on the parts list http://www.bostonwhaler.com/boat_grap...002079.pdf

One solution for you is to drill out the substrate and use a stainless or brass expandable rubber well nut like this http://www.lowes.com/pd_137181-37672-...1368001084 which of course you can get at any hardware store. I would recommend an inch long at least.

Good luck and fair boating this summer.

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A factory installed cleat would be attached in one of the areas that has backing material embedded in the fiberglass.

http://whalerparts.com/Diagrams/2005/...%20(1).pdf

If an add on, there is no backing and the thin fiberglass is all that is holding the cleat.

Two methods:

For area with backing, remove cleat and screws. Fill all holes with epoxy, re-drill and tap.

For areas without backing: Use "hockey puck method" to add backing.

***Hockey puck method is to dig out foam, add expanding epoxy to bond to foam and fiberglass skin. To create void, insert short end of allen wrench in a drill, insert long end in hole and with low speed, route out foam. Remove with vacuum. Tape off all around holes. Insert Gorilla Glue, allowing excess to escape out of holes. Remove excess. Drill, tap and re-install.

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thanks phil, thanks ejo..its a rear cleat and has phen backing..so thats it ..clean out the hole..inject epoxy..tap and replace screw..gonna give it a try
just thought whereas the boat sits in a turbulent harbor, i might need all 4 screws holding that cleat...glad to have a strong craft..thanks for your direction..
ejo, safe enjoyable boating this season
phil, do u run rivers out there..there anin no ocean in kentucky ! hope u have an enjoyable boating season too

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Phil T: when you say "Gorilla Glue" you mean "Gorilla Epoxy", right? As a woodworker, when I say "Gorilla Glue" I am thinking of the bubbly wood glue that is really strong, but messy. The Hockey Puck is a big pile of epoxy made behind the fiberglass where the foam you removed used to be, right?

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Bill,
Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane adhesive. Since it needs moisture to cure, it is ideal for this moist hull application.

As an interesting aside, Fine Woodworking did a test comparison of glues commonly used in cabinetmaking, and Gorilla Glue did not fare too well in the strength department. Epoxy and PVA were stronger, as I recall.

Dennis

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My 2 cents (worth 1 cent)....throw a small splinter of hardwood in the hole before the epoxy. Too big and it throws off the cinching.
Garris

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For all stripped out screws where there is backing in the hull, either plywood or "whalerboard", the accepted practice is to drill out the hole twice the diameter of the screw, then fill with an epoxy based material, as long as the filled hole will be covered by the re-installed item, and where no gelcoat topping is required. I recommend White Marine Tex, which holds screws incredibly well. Also, you don't have to tap for a machine screw, and instead you can simply drill for a same size self tapping sheet metal screw. The self tapping screw is probably stronger than a tapped machine screw without nut.

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This way works amazingly well on stripped screw threads...
3 cents...
TP