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Hull thickness

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 11:00 am
by trumpetguy
I intend to mount a teak storage rack to the inside hull just above the galley unit.(Sliding galley on port side type) Can someone tell me how thick the hull is at that location so I don't screw right through to the outside. It feels pretty thin when you thump it.

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 11:06 am
by Craig LaForce
If it is like the X, it is very thin just above the hull to deck joint.
Like maybe the thickness of a sheet or 2 of typing paper.

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 12:02 pm
by Duane Dunn, Allegro
I would estimate about a 1/4" max. I would not drill into it at all. That is one of the things I hate about the M, the lack of a real lower liner like the X has. I have stuff mounted all over my X on both the upper and lower liner. The X liner is thin, very in some places, but it is easy to get a backing plate behind if needed. I have two places where I was drilling through the X liner and it was tight to the hull so there was no indication I'd hit the gap. In a heart beat I was through the entire structure to outside. It's easy to patch, but still something to avoid. These hulls are very thin, there is not enough material there to put in a pilot hole and get a screw to bite without penetrating all the way through.

On an M, to mount something above the galley I would make a set of vertical rails that could hang down from the upper liner. They could pass up behind the liner and be bolted in place. You could then attach things to these rails. I would make them out of aliminum flat stock that you can get at any hardware store. They could be curved to match the hull shape.

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 3:43 pm
by Matt19020
I was thinking of something like Duane suggested but instead, attaching it to the galley itself. This way if you need to move the galley the shelf would move with it. I was going to look into using some round stainless and possibly fittings that you would use to mount a bimini as my supports. I am going to wait till mid summer to work out the details. I believe someone has posted thier picture of something like this under galley mods

Hull thickness

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:20 pm
by trumpetguy
Matt,

I thought about mounting the storage unit to the top of the galley, but the unit is 6" deep and will not fit in the area between the factory faucet and the hull. Since typing my original post the wife has suggested I mount it on the aft end of the galley. The seat there is not used on my boat so that seems to be a good solution. This is he teak unit found at www.macgregorowners.com I am speaking of.

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:51 pm
by NiceAft
I believe the only chance you have of such a mod is to attach it directly to the galley. There is not enough support to attach any thing of substance to the liner wall that extends only partially down the interior of the boat.

Matt, maybe this summer when we are lounging around the marina we may be able to toss around some ideas. Maybe even a libation or two? Your slip or mine :)


Ray

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:02 pm
by NiceAft
trumpetguy,

What is the title that the mod you refer too is listed as? I could not find it at the site.


Ray

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 5:00 pm
by kmclemore
You could also consider bonding a thin piece of wood to the back of the fiberglass where you plan to mount something... use epoxy, and if necessary for strength you could even lay a piece of 'glass over it all and laminate it down.... then drill into both the glass and the wood for a pilot hole and mount your gear. Strong as can be.



(edited to remove stupid spelling mistakes!)

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 5:08 pm
by NiceAft
Trumpetguy,

Do you have an X or an M.

You mention a movable galley. Is that on both boats?

I know my M has it, but the walls are covered with a carpeting. On an M that might complicate what Kevin is suggesting.


Ray

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 7:04 am
by DLT
The simplest thing to do is hang it from the liner...

There is a lip on the bottom of the liner. Buy some of those picture hanging hooks that you nail into a wall. Instead of the wall, nail then to the back side of whatever your want to hang. Then, set the hook part up under the liner.

Obviously, this is prolly not a good solution for really heavy stuff...

Hull thickness

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 12:51 pm
by trumpetguy
Kevin's idea of mounting a backer plate to the hull with epoxy sounds like it will work. I will need to trim the carpet off the hull, but the rack is only 24" long and 6" tall. I will get some 1/2" teak and epoxy it to the hull, then screw the rack to the teak. Should work.

This forum is so full of experience and good ideas.

BTY. I have a 2005 M with the sliding galley on port side.

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:13 pm
by Richard O'Brien
All the carpet areas are single layer, and you do not want to be drilling into them, of course. I've had pretty good success attaching things with Male velcro to it. We used the same type of carpet in the display business for attaching velcro plastic brochure holders, and pictures.

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:34 pm
by baldbaby2000
I've mounted shelves above the galley on the liner. You can see one in my mod http://www.macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin ... record=520 on the right in the top photo. I put screws with backing bolts through the liner.

BB

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 8:02 pm
by Duane Dunn, Allegro
NiceAft,

All X's have a fixed galley on the port side and full upper and lower liners. In most cases there is a reasonable gap between these liners and the hull so it is easy to mount things anywhere you want in an X.

Here is the X galley, heavily surrounded by things I've mounted and with the stock face removed to open up the interior space. Compared to an M sliding galley (or the early M starboard crosswise galley) the X galley is much larger.

Image

The X galley runs all the way to the floor.

Image

Image

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 9:22 pm
by Highlander
Don't use wood as a backing plate an resin or epoxy just use recyciled plastic board thats what I used for my portlights as a shim spacer between the inner and out skins they never rot