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I just received my new interior from Mike at Nautical Lumber and I have a question: what size, length and number of screws should I use to mount the side rails to the hull?

Thanks.

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My '83 has 4 on each side. You should be able to see the original holes, unless they've been filled in. I moved mine a couple inches because the original holes were stripped.

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I have SS #10 on mine.

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Mine are spaced about 10 inches apart. Be sure to bolt them into some anchor nuts in the side. The fiberglass is too thin just using screws only and there isn't enough wood behind the fiberglass to hold the screws. I learned the hard way.

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Thanks for the input, guys. There are so many holes in this old hull that it is hard to tell what they were originally used for.

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It's not that the fiberglass is too thin it's that it gets brittle over the years. Not for nothing anything you can do to strengthen the glass, like filling the holes with thickened epoxy will help. The older the whaler the more brittle the glass. #10 SS in my '79 work just fine for the sides. Every boat is different depending on how much it is weathered.

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Just looked at your personal page. Are you talking about The stainless or aluminum rails? I use #12 Stainless screws for those.

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Sorry, a little clarification: this is concerning a '79 13' hull that I am I am bringing back from the dead. The interior that I ordered was the "economy" interior cut from plywood instead of mahogany. I mention this because the design is altered slightly from the original.

The big mistake that I made in my original post is that I said "side rails" when I really should have said "side CLAMPS". I am installing the wood at this time.

I really need to proof read my posts before I submit them. :)

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I believe it's the gel coast that gets brittle and will chip off. Whether the fiberglass hull under the gelcoat gets brittle, who knows, unless some sort of a test is done, but it is not less strong, no need to worry about the service life of your old fiberglass boat.

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Binkie, you are correct. However in the earlier model 13's the fiberglass is very thin in the interior of the boat. I agree that fiberglass does not get brittle over time however by using a screw to hold somehing into it is asking for trouble as the screw will pull itself loose over a short period of time. This is why it is essential to use an anchor nut or reinforce the fiberglass in the area you're mounting to.

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There is a 3/4"x7/8" piece of wood embedded along each side to screw your side rails into. When redoing my 15, I oversized the holes in the fiberglass, filled with epoxy, and redrilled. I agree with #10 SS with finish washers.

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The strength is in the glass not the gelcoat. Glass does get brittle over time. Whaler used screws without anchors. After time the fiberglass will get brittle and you might need to use other means to anchor anything which may be different from the original manufacturer.

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Once again, I am installing a wooden interior and I would like to know what size screws are used to secure the two side clamps (wooden side pieces that hold the two benches in place).

I really appreciate the advice on the rails and I will use it when that time comes.

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#10 Stainless Steel.

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Thanks.

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Mike at Nautical Lumber makes a great kit, but beware of using your original whaler screw holes in the sides of the hull. When I got my kit I simply placed the old side rails over the new ones and drilled thru the old holes to mark the new ones. Well, the seats and console are 1.5 to 2 inches more forward than the stock seats and while this is good for weight displacement it caused my steering cable to come up short. Steering cables come in 1 foot intervals so I was left trying to deal with the extra cable. Also the console is narrower and if you have side rails your 15 or 16 inch destroyer steering wheel will cause you to hit your knuckles on the side rail. I had to go with a 13 inch wheel even though I mounted the helm as far toward the boats centerline as the console clearance would allow. I am not knocking the kit, but he ought to include instructions warning people that while this kit is advertised as an exact dimensional replacement , that is not true. All you have to do is put the new and old side by side and you will notice the same differences.

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Thanks, jgortva. Unfortunately, there is no old interior to use as a guide. I'm pretty sure that I am over-thinking this whole process.

Drill holes. #10 SS screws. Done.

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??

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Theo, I agree....if fiberglass were to become brittle over time, our 40-50 year old boats would literally be falling apart by now. The fiberglass is VERY thin to start with compared to the later models.

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Your boat is 44 years old. Do you believe the fiberglass is as strong as the day it was made?

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Fiberglass resin, polyester, epoxy, polyester or otherwise has solvent in it. Anything with solvent gets brittle over time. Paint, Gelcoat, Resin, etc... Polyester resin, which the older whalers are made of are porous as is the gelcoat. Anything porous will weather and get brittle.

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all gelcoat is porous, old gelcoat, new gelcoat, it really doesn't matter. That's why you need to seal and wax your boat.

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Yup, boat, car, truck garbage can, anything you want to preserve. Wax fills the pours.

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Just FYI.
My kits are made from original kits, in hand, at my shop. I also have prints to back it up. If something doesn't fit my customers needs, you're always welcome to ship them back for me to alter ( if possible) or at least call me for suggestions.
In 3 years I've sold over 150 13' sport interiors and I've never heard of this problem. Im disappointed you weren't totally satisfied with your kit & would still help correct any problems you are having if its not too late.
Regards,
Mike

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I just finished varnishing an SS kit I got from Mike. Everything was fine and great quality. Maybe your interior wasn't original or you made a mistake in measuring.

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I am sorry if I gave the impression that I was unhappy with my interior. Everything fit like a glove and the quality was top-notch. I was only asking for installation advice.

The interior is varnished, installed and has been used extensively since my first post. I am very pleased with the final product.

Oh, and BTW the answer to my question is very simple: #10 ss screws (I used 5 on each side). Thanks protek!