What about a bigger and stainless version of those bolts that go through
gib board and open up like an aeroplane wing on the inside when
tightened up?
Did a big investigation, and local fixture guy /m8 here.. no nothing big enough along those lines..
As to later posts..yes se4aling has to be seriously looked at, and not just seal.. it is a buoyancy compartment.. go under water, and there will be huge pressures in there. So seals will have to be pressure sealed as well
Not an issue thu can be done easy enough...
Stainless plate idea good.. if top of my windscreen was right height.
See my 2nd post details..
Going with the ply plate, approx 400mm wide 800 long.. going from couple inches stern side of the pedestal to the bottom of the helm dash.
Required height for very good view over the alloy finish strip on the windscreen is 42mm.
Cant get treated ply that thick or near, so 2 pieces 18mm glued (laminated ) together with good gorilla type glue. gives about 38mm. This is currently sitting over night in the wood vice and 10 clamps.
This still gives clear view thru screen sitting on the seat , and good view over the screen leaning back against the seat..
If need be can change / cut the pedestal height to suit.
I need to pressure seal the old pedestal bolt holes.. Will drill out and with epoxy and fitted dowels tapped in, and a stainless screw counter sunk ,into the center of the dowel.. like a wedge in the top of a axe handle effect.
The plate, generous raduis the edges with router so carpet will lay over top and sides neat to match the floor carpets with contact glue.
6 x 10mm stainless bolt up from the bottom of the plate with large square stainless spreader washers, slightly counter sunk holds pedestal to the plate...and sealed with sika marine polyurethane sealant well rubbed into the wood.
Fix the plate,(pedestal bolts/ spreader washers, thru from the bottom) with counter sunk with 10mm x60 or 70mm coach bolts..and washers. 3 across bow end of plate under helm.. 3 across front of the pedestal, 2 across behind the pedestal.
All loading is leaning back on the seat , hence fixing on front side more.
Drill each hole for the coach bolts, generous siks sealant in floor , bottom side of ply plate holes and top of plate into bolt holes.
Bolt down pedestal, adjust seat height if need be..
See if holds next time , and hope not , the next big wave comes up in when crossing the bar...AND mis judge pulling back on throttle as bow goes over.. judge right and will slide down other side...
Out of interest .. cost.
2 bits play from yard off cuts $10
SS stainless bolts and nyloc nuts, washers , load spreaders $15 ( had 3 nuts/ bolts and couple spreaders on the shelf )
Glue.. have on self
Sealant , have on shelf
industrial grade Epoxy , have on self.
Carpet, 1m ex warehouse of similar approx $20
I replaced the carpet over the underfloor tank about 8yrs ago.. use elcheapo warehouse stuff.. had bait, crap, ground in, been water blasted heaps times.. hose power wash after each trip.. lots trips...still as new...
Secret.. when glue down, the WHOLE AREA.. not just lines of glue.
Reason .. If do lines, when stand between 2 glued areas, then turn, foot twists in that area the stretches that area. It becomes baggy, thin , rips, as if 'wornout'
Its not worn out, its incorrectly laid...
Anyway today will be routing edges, locating drilling plate bolt holes, sealing old holes in floor compartment... polyurethane the ply plate.
All a mixture of my own thoughts knowledge and tipas , suggestion in posts above...And so many bit fall into both areas.
P.S.
I did have another idea, about putting bolts and spreader washers up from inside the buoyancy compartment with out having to access the side by lifting the under floor fuel tank out.
The pedestal base is a decent size. diameter, cut a hole big enough to put hand/ wrist thru. 6 pedestal holes pre drilled
Tack weld spreader washers onto the bolts.. A heap of sealant on spreader washers and in bolt holes, push up bolts thru, and hold in place with a few bits of wood up from the hull.
Position the pedestal on the bolts and nearly torque up, let the sealant set over night.
Unbolt Remove pedestal...
The bit that was cut out of the hole.. epoxy back in, and a couple ss strips across the top, inside the diameter of the pedestal base, to support and pressure that would be inside the
buoyancy chamber if boat sank.
Mount and bolt down the pedestal.
Another method to support the bit cut out would be cut an elliptical panel, same width, slide in thru the hole and glue up from the inside.. Then when put the hole bit back, it is also epoxied between the 2 with a couple teck screws thru both.
I put that in just in case others in the future thinking about this sort of thing.
Comments would be welcome...
There is always something missed or better ideas dreamed up from others thoughts.