New Teak Hatch Runner Install (words of wisdom)

Dec 30, 2018
37
O'Day 26 Onset, MA
Everyone was so helpful with advice for my bringing lines aft (bought supplies, will post updates in that post) I thought I would ask you all something:

I have a pair of brand new teak hatch runners, the old ones are in rough shape. How would you recommend I go about installing these? Mainly, my issue is drilling the holes in the new pair, should I:

  1. Secure them to the old ones to try to match those, OR
  2. Take off the old ones, and mark where the actual holes are in the deck?
I suffer a bit from engineers OCD: I'm always drafting and CAD-ing things up, that I have a hard time dealing with things that don't match up exactly. If I do the first option, I might find that things don't line up right, BUT, it can be something I do from home in a more controlled setting (decreased marking accuracy, increased drilling accuracy). If I do option number 2, I will have more confidence in where the holes are (increased marking accuracy, decreased drilling accuracy) AND I will have to make sure I get the job done in a single day.

Am I crazy? Is a little wiggle room going to be okay? If you have done this before, how did you do it and how long did it take you?
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
I firmly believe in aiming for 100% perfection when starting a project and then living with whatever pile of :poop: you get when finished.

I suffer a bit from engineers OCD
I usually acquire a touch of the same when starting a new project. I have never griped about wasting a lot of time on drawing out details which may have all been for naught. However, I have kicked myself a few times for missing details which I should have drawn out before even starting.

Speaking as a woodworking hobbyist, your option #2 is always a bugger as getting under the deck to mark is a challenge suited only to a midget contortionist.

Unless there's something I'm not seeing because I'm a few thousand miles away from you, my preference would be to drill new holes in the teak and new holes in the deck. What kind of new expletives will you create when you find yourself stripping an old existing hole in the FG when you are half way through the install and need a little more force that you anticipated :banghead:. Lots of sealant over the unused cabin holes and around the new holes and you're leak free.

Remember to experiment with drill sizes as there's only a few angstrom difference in dia. between refusing to go into the FG or having the hole strip and release the screw.
 
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