Bertram33 User Forum

Hi There, just recently picked up a new life raft and looking at my installation options. #1 location is going to be right behind the forward hatch infront of the windscreen. Does anyone know how thick the core is here? I'm hoping to not have to thru bolt as removing the nice new headliner inside will be a bit of an issue. 1973 B35. thanks,Matt

Matt, I'm not sure about the core there but it will be at least 1/2 inch, probably 3/4. I would be very Leary of not through bolting it, that skin is pretty thin and will work a little and end up leaking and saturating the core. If you really want to put it there, maybe glue it down with 5200 ? I'm quite sure it would hold it.

Why not fasten it to the bridge just below the windshield ? Rick Ticket 85 SF Merc 454 MPI's Falmouth, MA

Matt... This afternoon while down on my 1983 FBC I checked the piece of the foredeck I saved when I cut a hole near the bow and installed a new hawse pipe for my anchor rode. The base material is 3/4" high quality plywood, with a skin of cloth reinforced fiberglas on both the inner and outer surfaces, the top (deck) skin was almost 1/4" thick, and the underside (fwd cabin overhead) was slightly less. The whole deck is about 1 1/8" thick. my liferaft was mounted just ahead of the hatch with through bolts that extended through the cabin overhead, with fairly large backup washers and acorn nuts. I do not use just screws to mount anything to the deck, I drill oversized holes for the mounting bolts, fill them with reinforced epoxy, then drill proper sized holes for the bolts through the epoxy. This seals the wood. IMHO screws would eventually allow water to penetrate the plywood core and cause deterioration. But I admit I probably overbuild things for the boat, it is just my nature!