Installing deck beam and foot braces

I just finished planing the shear clamps on my Chesapeake 17 and I'm ready to install the deck beam and foot braces.  What I don't understand is whether or not the screws will be left exposed on the outside, or if they are ultimately counter-sunk and buried under the deck fiberglass which will hang down over the hull.  Can anyone clarify?  The plastic foot braces that came with the kit contain steel screws and the deck beam screws are brass.  Are the foor brace screws covered and the deck beam srews left exposed?


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RE: Installing deck beam and foot braces

Deck beam screws should be countersunk and filled. I can't see any reason why you wouldn't want to do this and a few why you should.

Foot brace bolts should be left exposed because you really have nothing to countersink them into. Use drill-n-fill to retain encapsulation integrity. If the aesthetics are bothersome use internal mounting studs.

 Dusty

RE: Installing deck beam and foot braces

I didn't use the screws to hold the deckbeam on the 16LT I built, just glued it and filleted it.

Same with the foot braces - I used the internal mounting studs which are glued in place and then glassed for strength. Besides the aesthetics, they're also stronger than the screws (because of the greater bearing area), have no chance of leaking and don't act as stress concentrators.

In fact, I used no metal fasteners anywhere on that boat. I guess I'll be able to take it through airport security :-)

Laszlo 

RE: Installing deck beam and foot braces

If I decide to add a rudder on my Chespeake 17 later, is it very difficult to swap out the foot braces?  I have no idea if I'm going to need one, but I figure that the original keepers models are good enough for now.  I like the idea of the internal fasteners, especially after thinking about the stress the screws might have on the hull paint.

RE: Installing deck beam and foot braces

Hey Laszlo, any pictures of the foot brace studs? I've ordered the rudder kit- will your setup still work with it?

thanks,

Perry 

RE: Installing deck beam and foot braces

I'm not sure about swapping out footbraces, though I can't imagine it overly complicated.  I can say that you will have very little need of a rudder as long as you learn how to lay the chesapeake up on her chine (ie. lean the boat away from the direction you want to move).  She tracks quite well, but will require leaning to turn quickly (+ sweep strokes, etc.)

 Enjoy

RE: Installing deck beam and foot braces

Perry,

Here's the kit:

and they're sold here. And here's one glued in place with some tape to keep the threads clean. It's been in place for 3 1/2 years and it's still holding strong. Don't know how it'd work with a rudder, you'll have to ask CLC tech support.

Good luck,

Laszlo 

RE: Installing deck beam and foot braces

Thanks, Laszlo, 

Duh, for some reason, I had something much more complicated in mind. According to the product description, the studs will work with the rudder system, but the posts will have to be shortened. 

Perry 

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