Skunked again
Well-known member
Gas struts on the lids, as well as locking slam latches. However, they are cheap. The locking feature is to keep an opportunistic thief at bay.
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Advice and ideas on decking out our Tracker Guide v14
- Thread starter Tcusta00
- Start date
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Any advice from folks here on these rivets to attach my brackets to the benches?
https://a.co/d/iG8l6sx
Or any other recommendations on how to attach?
https://a.co/d/iG8l6sx
Or any other recommendations on how to attach?
Skunked again
Well-known member
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rivnut&a...14595198&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_7viirfuz2j_e
Look up rivet nut or rivnut. If you’re only doing a few, look up rivnut diy tool.
I think there’s two different styles of Rivnuts. One is pre slit, when it compresses, flares out in four spots. This supposedly gives more surface area. The other flares out uniformly. Not sure of the pro to this one.
I highly suggest getting some extra and practicing on scrap material. So you can see and get a feel when it’s fully compressed, that way it doesn’t spin on you.
Watch a few videos on them.
Once you do one or two practice, it’s quite simple and effective. Not to mention if you want to change something later, back out your fasteners, your only left with the Rivnut, not a hole.
Look up rivet nut or rivnut. If you’re only doing a few, look up rivnut diy tool.
I think there’s two different styles of Rivnuts. One is pre slit, when it compresses, flares out in four spots. This supposedly gives more surface area. The other flares out uniformly. Not sure of the pro to this one.
I highly suggest getting some extra and practicing on scrap material. So you can see and get a feel when it’s fully compressed, that way it doesn’t spin on you.
Watch a few videos on them.
Once you do one or two practice, it’s quite simple and effective. Not to mention if you want to change something later, back out your fasteners, your only left with the Rivnut, not a hole.
thill
Well-known member
Wow, those are some expensive rivets. You can get 500 3/16" rivets for the same price.
In my builds, I use 3/16" solid rivets or stainless bolts w/nuts anywhere I can. For certain parts, I will use blind rivets with the backing washers that are made for them. Those washers make the rivets much stronger.
In places without access I use standard 3/16" blind rivets but avoid using them through the hull. With blind rivets, the trick is to use enough and place them so the work is secure. Placement is important. If you are installing angle aluminum horizontally, for instance, you want most of the rivets as close to the bend of the aluminum as possible to minimize leverage against the fastener. And then some down lower to protect from lifting forces.
If you notice how many rivets are in the joints of riveted boats, it's clear that you can use a bunch of them. Having a good rivet pattern will help avoid problems later. Don't go too crazy, but do be too shy.
In the build I pictured earlier, notice that the bow platform plywood ran OVER the bunk. The bunk is carrying a large percentage of the weight, and only a few tabs are needed @ the hull, using solid rivets or bolts for strength. I think the tabs were @ 8" long and well secured.
The secret sauce for bow platform strength is that the perimeter of the platform is continuously bonded to the hull using PL Pro 3X construction adhesive. That adhesive essentially turns your platform into a structural part of the hull. I use it on aluminum boats, wooden boats and fiberglass boats. You need a little space to fill, ideally 1/8-1/4" all the way around. Shave off any "hard" spots, where the plywood is touching the hull. The PL swells a little as it cures, so you may want to hit it with a flap disc or a sander to get it flat before flooring. PL holds paint, poly and epoxy resins well. I just hope they never change the recipe..
Plan it out carefully before you start, and it should go quickly and last you many years.
Last edited:
Perfect thank you!
Skunked again
Well-known member
Your more than welcome !
thill
Well-known member
Make sure to always add a touch of anti-seize or marine grease when screwing into rivnuts. If they seize up, it makes a real mess.
I always put a little silicone adhesive to rivnuts before expanding. Sometimes they get a little corrosion in between there and then they just spin, which is very frustrating. You can tighten them up later, if there isn't a fastener in there, but better to avoid the problem to begin with.
I use them in places where I will need access to, and they work well for that purpose, but not for general purpose connections.
I always put a little silicone adhesive to rivnuts before expanding. Sometimes they get a little corrosion in between there and then they just spin, which is very frustrating. You can tighten them up later, if there isn't a fastener in there, but better to avoid the problem to begin with.
I use them in places where I will need access to, and they work well for that purpose, but not for general purpose connections.
For anyone interested in an update, we finally got some time to work on it and have our plans finalized (I think!) Any tips or mods to this plan are welcome if there’s a compelling reason to change something.
The plan is to attach the deck piece in the front of the bow and the piece over the bench permanently with screws or rivnuts (in the case of the bench) and the middle pieces will just have a handle to pull them up to access the storage Below.
We plan on waterproofing all the plywood and framing sections with Thompsons and then covering the decking with this stuff…
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VX9LPJD/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_5?smid=A1UR4YG6HGHFHW&psc=1
…wrapping it around the edges to the bottom and stapling it (even though it’s self-adhesive).
Also going to stick that same stuff right on the other benches. If there’s a reason not to do that or to do something different, we’re open. Thought about more plywood for those benches but it seemed like unnecessary added weight and future maintenance.
Finally, we’re going to put a seat on a 6” post on the front most bench in the center, mounted through the plywood and the aluminum into rivnuts, which is also how I plan to attach the plywood to the bench in case it needs to be removed in the future.
Another seat will go on the back bench near the motor.
Thoughts are welcome!
The plan is to attach the deck piece in the front of the bow and the piece over the bench permanently with screws or rivnuts (in the case of the bench) and the middle pieces will just have a handle to pull them up to access the storage Below.
We plan on waterproofing all the plywood and framing sections with Thompsons and then covering the decking with this stuff…
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VX9LPJD/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_5?smid=A1UR4YG6HGHFHW&psc=1
…wrapping it around the edges to the bottom and stapling it (even though it’s self-adhesive).
Also going to stick that same stuff right on the other benches. If there’s a reason not to do that or to do something different, we’re open. Thought about more plywood for those benches but it seemed like unnecessary added weight and future maintenance.
Finally, we’re going to put a seat on a 6” post on the front most bench in the center, mounted through the plywood and the aluminum into rivnuts, which is also how I plan to attach the plywood to the bench in case it needs to be removed in the future.
Another seat will go on the back bench near the motor.
Thoughts are welcome!
