Trying to install a new (used) Stern Pulpit (Railing) on 1971 C22

[Carl Wonderful]

Hello champions...


So I got this 1 piece stern pulpit railing from a guy that was parting out a totaled C22. My boat is a 1971 and his was a 1981. I believe the bodies were the same for these years but I could be wrong?

Anyways, it sits real nice up on my 71' and seems to be a great fit. Only one issue though. The 2 braces in the 'center' land on the top of the transom where it is very thin (only couple inches fore to aft surface) and I have no access to getting underneath of this area at all. Form inside its completely hidden and only enough room for say a piece of paper or cardboard to slide up.

Wondering how in the bojengles an I supposed to mount this?

Do I have to cut of a section of the fiberglass to get my fingers in there to fit nuts and washer? I'd rather not cut more holes in the boat but... I want this to be very sturdy as it will be taking people weight as they come up off the ladder and also might mount a bimini or other things on it so it needs to be mounted well and correctly.

The other 2 bases on the sides are no problem and I can reach right up to add a plate and tighten the nuts and bolts

Thanks dudes and dudettes

 

[danooxnard]

maybe cut a whole you can the cover with access port or a vent. There is not much room in the space you are working with so your options are pretty limited. You may not have enough room to put the nut and bolt on one of the holes due to the twist in the base plate in relation to the stern. Dano

 

[Jacktar]

Go to home depot and get blind butterflys kit see pixs

 

[Carl Wonderful]

How did the toggle bolts work out?

 

[OS2Dude]

Unless they are 100% 316 stainless I would avoid toggles from a Big Box. Plus if you ever need to remove the railing, the toggles will fall or become stuck there. I doubt you could reuse them again.

One option is to drill an oversized hole, push in a plug if you can't tape from below, and fill with thickened epoxy. When cured, drill and tap the appropriate sized hole. On my 1985 Catalina 30, there were backing plates built into the fiberglass for the bolts to thread into. How did the legs attach on your previous stern rail?

If you can get a long threaded rod of the same thread as your bolts, you could try to push the rods down through the holes, connect a backing plate and slather on some 4200/5200 or thickened epoxy and pull it up snug with a nut and washer. Once cured, unthread the rods from the backing plate and mount the pad for the railing leg. You will want to heavily wax the rods so they are not glued in place. Or try a wooden dowel that could be partially drilled out (smaller than the tap dimensions) and retap the holes to clear the rest.

 

[Jacktar]

Worked fine been there for years and no problems. easy peasy less than hour to install.

 

[Carl Wonderful]

Unless they are 100% 316 stainless I would avoid toggles from a Big Box. Plus if you ever need to remove the railing, the toggles will fall or become stuck there. I doubt you could reuse them again.

One option is to drill an oversized hole, push in a plug if you can't tape from below, and fill with thickened epoxy. When cured, drill and tap the appropriate sized hole. On my 1985 Catalina 30, there were backing plates built into the fiberglass for the bolts to thread into. How did the legs attach on your previous stern rail?

If you can get a long threaded rod of the same thread as your bolts, you could try to push the rods down through the holes, connect a backing plate and slather on some 4200/5200 or thickened epoxy and pull it up snug with a nut and washer. Once cured, unthread the rods from the backing plate and mount the pad for the railing leg. You will want to heavily wax the rods so they are not glued in place. Or try a wooden dowel that could be partially drilled out (smaller than the tap dimensions) and retap the holes to clear the rest.

This boat never had a stern rail so this is new for her.

Those are so interesting ideas and something to think about.

I was considering maybe cutting out a little ~4 x 4" opening on the vertical side (would aft side of transom be a bad idea) just below where I need to get to so I can get my fingers in there and also a backing plate. I wanted to attach some little fans anyways to constantly move air out from the bilge areas .....so maybe his would accomplish both? I'm very sensitive to mold and want really good airflow.

 

[Rick Webb]

FASCO FASTENER Stainless Steel Togglers

They are available in stainless steel perhaps at a better price from other merchants

 

[Rick Webb]

SNAPTOGGLE® Heavy-Duty Toggle Bolt — Stainless Steel – TOGGLER

toggler.com

 

[LakeShark]

Traditionally people have cut access holes like the ones located near your travler rail. It's been the only way to access nuts to remove the hardware as most of the stern hardware was factory mounted before the deck was joined to the hull. The toggles are an interesting choice though; I may try that to see if it would work first before making more holes in the boat.

 

[OS2Dude]

Try drilling the holes for the pads first. There may already be metal plates embedded in the fiberglass since it was a production boat. I don't know if they customized the construction of the hull that much that they would keep track of which hulls had them and which didn't. You will need the holes eventually and who knows, you might get lucky. Drill the initial holes to a tap diameter, not a clearance diameter. If you see metal shavings, then you should be good to just tap the holes and go.

 

[...3TacksontheWater]

Carl:

Did you get a chance to pick up the Catalina Direct Video Projects for the C-22? Many of the issues you are dealing with (in your ongoing projects) are either directly or, indirectly addressed and the visual aid of the video is IMO, invaluable. There is also a video covering keel refurbishment which having a wing keel, I had not been aware of. lol.

George

 

[LakeShark]

Unfortunately there are no plates mounted in the stern. They did not start that till the later new design boats and I believe that was mainly for the rudder grudgeons. Would be nice though if they had for sure.

 

[Carl Wonderful]

Thanks for all the info guys! Much appreciated.

Does anyone have an opinion if its bad to cut a say...5x5" access hole (with some sort of screen over it of course) in the very "back" of boat (meaning you would only see it if you were following my boat from behind) , up by the top where that rail mounts....this would allow we to really get a plate and bolts/nuts on there and would also give me the option to mount a heavy duty computer fan back there to constantly draw bilge/locker air out of the boat? I'm very sensitive to mold and want to get as much fresh air as possible and eliminate as much bilge/locker air. I will also have a front hatch solar fan to help bring in fresh air.

 

[...3TacksontheWater]

Thanks for all the info guys! Much appreciated.

Does anyone have an opinion if its bad to cut a say...5x5" access hole (with some sort of screen over it of course) in the very "back" of boat (meaning you would only see it if you were following my boat from behind) , up by the top where that rail mounts....this would allow we to really get a plate and bolts/nuts on there and would also give me the option to mount a heavy duty computer fan back there to constantly draw bilge/locker air out of the boat? I'm very sensitive to mold and want to get as much fresh air as possible and eliminate as much bilge/locker air. I will also have a front hatch solar fan to help bring in fresh air.

The access hole (s) traditionally are on inside of the cockpit, not the outside the boat. If your boat doesn't have cowl vents, they can be installed. Older C-22's had two on the port side, the stern vent faced forward and the front vent mounted several feet forward faced aft to vent the gas fumes.

George

 

[LakeShark]

Does anyone have an opinion if its bad to cut a say...5x5" access hole (with some sort of screen over it of course) in the very "back" of boat

Not recommended as you will be cutting through the structural component of the hull. The Catalina is comprised of an outer hull and transom, an inner liner, and the top deck / cockpit. The liner and the cockpit you can generally (not always) cut out to make room to work on things. The hull is generally meant to stay rigid without holes.

 

[Gene Neill]

I don't know about 1981, but my 1988 does have stainless plates imbedded in the top of the transom for this exact purpose. Drill one tiny hole, where you will need a hole anyway, and find out.