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Let's work together to fix your 1962 Eastport 16 console so that the lower console deck cleats are secured properly for another 60 plus years.

Gorilla glue will not be strong enough.

Remove the lower console deck cleats from the console base. The onsole base was fastened originally using 5 screws with finish washers each side horizontally into the deck cleats. The deck cleats had 7 screws originally each cleat fastened into the deck vertically.

Inspect the solid mahogany wood cleats. Are they punkish? Rotten wood? If so, replace. Bob Latourelle in Havehill MA can make you a new set.

If you can reuse the originals, then what you are going to do is install the cleats on the opposite side.

You want to fill in the old holes in the deck first. seal them up good.

Now pay attention to where you place the cleats. The reversed cleats will now have holes that line up on a new area of the deck, so you can pre-drill fresh, new shallow holes, not more than 1/2 inch into the deck, and of smaller diameter than the fastening screws. This way, the stainless screws will seat securely through the plywood substrate below the deck.

You can also move your console back an inch or two, so that the deck cleats have a clean, undrilled area to be fastened again.

Get yourself new phillips head stainless screws 1 7/8 inch long. Insert a screw into each countersink hole in the deck cleat and visually oberve the length of screw sticking out of the bottom of the cleat. It should be at least 1/2 inch long but not more than 1 inch. You do not want to screw 1 1/2 inches into the deck, lest you piece a hole in your bottom.

You can look at the the diagram for the console located in the download section of this website.

Go to the page that provides specifications for the Lower Console "flloor" (the term deck is more appropriate) cleats.