Post by reelkul on Mar 1, 2021 10:46:14 GMT -5
Since I have owned my 2006 2660CC I have had to re-bed all the stainless steel hardware on the boat as it would constantly rust stain the fiberglass. One of the last items that I have been hesitating to re-bed was the stern cleat on the starboard side. There was no access to the screws holding down the cleat. The stern livewell just prevents even a small kid from accessing the screws from inside the hull. I asked my daughter a few years ago to crawl in the bilge and try to access the starboard cleat screws. I think she was 10 years old at the time, and weighed only about 80lbs then. Even with her small stature and kneeling on the water tank in the bilge, she was not able to reach the screws.
So, this weekend I took out the dremel and cut a small access hole to be able to loosen the cleat. In one of the image you will see a gasket that Sailfish placed between all the stainless hardware and the fiberglass, that obviously did nothing. After cleaning the rust with Bar Keepers Friend and polishing the fiberglass surface with Smoove Pro-cut, then Bubble gum, and then White Cloud, I placed a bead of Boat life Silicone under the cleat, after tossing the old gasket and cleaning the surface with scuffing pad and acetone, and under the new access panel.
The last thing I have to figure out is how to re-bed the bowl rails. They really don't stain the fiberglass too much, but at least twice a year I have to clean the interface with magic eraser. The cleats and rod holders I had clean every month before. But I am not cutting access holes for the bow rails. Anybody have any ideas?
Starting look of the cleat.
New access hole.
Rust stains on the fiberglass after removing the cleat.
Gasket under the cleat.
Fiberglass cleaned with bar keepers friend
Finished look with the cleat and access cover bedded with silicone adhesive.
So, this weekend I took out the dremel and cut a small access hole to be able to loosen the cleat. In one of the image you will see a gasket that Sailfish placed between all the stainless hardware and the fiberglass, that obviously did nothing. After cleaning the rust with Bar Keepers Friend and polishing the fiberglass surface with Smoove Pro-cut, then Bubble gum, and then White Cloud, I placed a bead of Boat life Silicone under the cleat, after tossing the old gasket and cleaning the surface with scuffing pad and acetone, and under the new access panel.
The last thing I have to figure out is how to re-bed the bowl rails. They really don't stain the fiberglass too much, but at least twice a year I have to clean the interface with magic eraser. The cleats and rod holders I had clean every month before. But I am not cutting access holes for the bow rails. Anybody have any ideas?
Starting look of the cleat.
New access hole.
Rust stains on the fiberglass after removing the cleat.
Gasket under the cleat.
Fiberglass cleaned with bar keepers friend
Finished look with the cleat and access cover bedded with silicone adhesive.