Glen-L.com

I am building a Monaco and am getting ready to apply the strut to the hull. The plans call for installing a 1/4" washer plate above the keel to serve as backing for the thru hull screws. Any idea as to how to source this washer plate?

I just went to the local "Metal Supermarket" to buy a piece of 4" wide Stainless Steel plate. They cut it to length for me.

Drilling it was another matter.

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Bruce.

~~ Do what you love, and love what you do. ~~
~~ To me - only my boat is not yet perfect. Everybody else's is to be admired for I know the path they have walked (Dave Lott, 2010) ~~
Dow's Monaco Project

Thanks for the reply. Did you use stainless steel fasteners (screw, washer, nut) or bronze fasteners to secure the strut to the keel?

The strut I am using is bronze. Do I need to use bronze fasteners(screw, bolt, washer) or can they be stainless steel fasteners?

I used bronze fasteners.

I am sure there are some metallurgists out there that will take issue with what I did. Mine was for freshwater application.

_________________
Bruce.

~~ Do what you love, and love what you do. ~~
~~ To me - only my boat is not yet perfect. Everybody else's is to be admired for I know the path they have walked (Dave Lott, 2010) ~~
Dow's Monaco Project

agoletz

I used a bronze strut/316 stainless bolts & aluminum 6061-T6 backing plate. They are galvanically very close. I uas my boat in saltwater/brackish water. So far, no problems.

Bill

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Mini -Tug, KH Tahoe 19 & Bartender 24 - There can be no miracle recoveries without first screwing up.
Tahoe 19 Build

I got stainless hardware in bronze fittings, in salt water and no problems. My aviation grade aluminum backing plate is corroding though. Aviation grade is 6061 alloy compared to marine 50xx alloy.

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God Bless our Troops; especially our Snipers

I never saw drilling stainless as 'another matter'.
However, you cannot drill it up to full size holes all at once.
for best drilling of difficult metals, start with a small drill to get a pilot hole(s) into the metal. Use various size drills to gradually step up the hole size until you get to your final hole size. For something like a strut backing plate 1/4" thick, try a pilot holes 3/32" with a brand new sharp drill. then step up to 3/16 or so, then 5/16", and then 3/8".

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God Bless our Troops; especially our Snipers

Thanks, Ken.

Yah. I learned about drilling hard metal the hard way. I burned through a lot of bits. (I wish I had those BC Saw bits then!!)

I also learned the importance of using cutting fluid. It makes a huge difference.

_________________
Bruce.

~~ Do what you love, and love what you do. ~~
~~ To me - only my boat is not yet perfect. Everybody else's is to be admired for I know the path they have walked (Dave Lott, 2010) ~~
Dow's Monaco Project

My 6061 backer is ugly. But, does not seem to have any loss of properties.

Bill

_________________
Mini -Tug, KH Tahoe 19 & Bartender 24 - There can be no miracle recoveries without first screwing up.
Tahoe 19 Build

I maybe crazy for throwing this out, but the 1/4" backing is mainly a big washer. Why use metal, why not polymer lumber?

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A secret to a good marriage is to have a quick mind and a slow mouth!!!