CD27 - Deck thickness

[csoule13]

Getting ready to install the WM gunwale ladder, which doesn't come with bolts. Anyone have a ballpark figure of deck thickness in the area of the toe rail on a 27? I'm assuming a 2 inch bolt is going to do the trick, but if I'd also like to avoid installing knucklebusters if I can avoid it.

[fmueller]

If its going where there is no core 2" is long ...

[csoule13]

Yeah, I think the actual best bet here is to just suck it up and drill the holes in the boat and see what's what.

[atcowboy]

Not knowing how thick the bracketry for the ladder is makes it difficult to say if 2" is good or not. About 3" from the toe rail to the hull is solid glass about 3/8" thick I would say. I would guess the deck is 7/8" thick where the coring is.

The stock chain plate bolts are 3 1/2" long, with plenty of extra bolt (long). I would guestemate that the deck+backing for the chainplate is approximately as thick as the coring.

Long bolts can be made short, but lots and lots of the bolts on my 27 are quite long through the deck. Looks like the top of a cave. But even then they are fairly unobtrusive.

- AT