Fastening Ronstan C Track

[Pacman]

I recently purchased some Ronstan C track and genoa cars for my C-16 and I need to fasten it to the boat.

Now the question is:
Can I fasten them to the boat using screws into the fiberglass or should I remove the foam and fasten them using flat head machine screws with washers as backing for nuts on the underside of the fiberglass?

It would be much easier to use screws and they would be stressed from the side (in shear) but I have no idea how strong such an installation would be.  I once has a Sunfish that had a splash rail attached to the deck using screws so that is what got me thinking that method might work..

It would definitely be much stronger to use FHMS with washers and nuts but that is a lot of work and might be overkill.

Does anyone know how Com-Pac does it on their small boats at the factory?

Any information, advice, or ideas will be most appreciated.

[Rob]

All I can say is what I did on mine. When I bought the boat I remove all the deck fittings to re bed them .When I removed the tracks they were attached with a concrete anchors .I removed the blue anchor and with a scribe removed some foam to make a pocket,and injected the area with thicken epoxy . Then all I did was drill a new hole in the epoxy to re bed the track .Hope this helps.  Rob

[Pacman]

Rob,

Did you use screws directly into pilot holes in the fibergalss/epoxy resin?

If so, how did you determine the right size pilot hole to use?

[Rob]

Aim away from my shop right now so I cant use the chart ,Aim sure if you do a net search you can find the size of the pilot hole to match the screw.I know my screws were #10 about 1 &1/2 long.The scribe I used was a mechanist scribe with a 90 dg bend on one end .I worked the 90 end into the existing hole and rotated .When I had the foam worked loose I packed It down with the scribe.My guess is the void is about 1inch by 3/4 deep,I then lay ed a piece of 2 in masking tape over the holes and re cut the old screw holes .I had some west marine epoxy and wood flower left over from a stitch and glue boat that I mixed up till it looked like peanut butter and then injected into the void and then covered with more tape.My tracks have been installed about 3 years now with no problems . Hope this helps right now Aim getting my 16 ready for rhythm and booms on lake Menotda .Iam taking the main sail off and rising the boom up so I can hang a trap for shade allso fitting some lawn chairs .   Rob