steering cylinder bolts

[Merry Kate]

Quick question for a circa 1997 28TE: does anyone know if the 4 bolts securing the foot of the steering cylinder to the hull are just tapped into the fiberglass of the mounting pad, or are there nuts embedded inside the pad? They are 3/16" machine screws (not lag bolts) and would'nt seem to hold much torque if they are just tapped into fiberglass. If so, I will seat them in epoxy when I reinstall.

Thanks

[DougSea]

I'll try and take a look this weekend when I'm working on the boat.

[Mariner]

I'm not familiar with this boat, but I'd be willing to be that there are either nuts imbedded in the pad, or, if the underside of the pad is accessible, they are through-bolted, hopefully with a backing plate or large washers.

You ought to be able to tell by removing one of the bolts and looking into the hole if there are threads in there or not.

[Merry Kate]

Thanks. I figured out there is an aluminum plate glassed under the pad that is tapped for the bolts.