# Help removing pedestal seat bases



## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

I just bought a leaning post to replace the pedestal seats on my boat. Of course, there is a problem. The screws are not just screwed in like I thought. They just turn with out coming out at all. Is there a certain way to remove them?


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Probably thru bolted. Have to crawl into the bilge and take a look.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Or rip em out and re-do some FG!!! I was gonna take my flip seat out and put a leaning post but I couldn't get the bracket off...I think they used some industrial glue!!!


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## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

Rip them out? Good idea. I'll go get the sawzall


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## smooth move (Sep 25, 2012)

sawzall is your friend.


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## tkh329 (Mar 14, 2012)

Can you drill or grind them out? I hate making bigger holes than needed in fiberglass...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## johnsonbeachbum (Oct 1, 2007)

have you tried a thin straight blade screw driver prying under the head as it is being turned out?

If there is a butterfly "nut" that is now turning, (down under) and you can't get to it, I have had luck drilling a 1/4" hole next to the screw/bolt and dropping a big nail thru to stop the wing nut from turning.


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## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

I ended up drilling 6 screws off the first pedestal base. Easier than I thought. Just gonna have some nuts floating around in my hull...


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

Would it be practical to install a deck plate in the floor somewhere between the mounting locations so that you can put nuts and washers under your new leaning post legs??? Also, be mindful of where your fuel tank might be when you screw down the new hardware...


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## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

I want to throw a deck plate down there, but I'm not sure about what is underneath.. would there be any support that I would be cutting into? Gas tank is directly under the helm


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

Drilling out the screws may work, since the holes your gonna need probably will be new holes you will have to make 


.


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## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

Snagged Line said:


> Would it be practical to install a deck plate in the floor somewhere between the mounting locations so that you can put nuts and washers under your new leaning post legs??? Also, be mindful of where your fuel tank might be when you screw down the new hardware...


After verifying I am clear to drill/cut the deck where I want to put the deck plate, how would I go about cutting it? Simply drill a hole and use a jigsaw to cut the hole out? Is there a certain blade I use to cut FG without cracking/damaging it?


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

Fin-icky said:


> After verifying I am clear to drill/cut the deck where I want to put the deck plate, how would I go about cutting it? Simply drill a hole and use a jigsaw to cut the hole out? Is there a certain blade I use to cut FG without cracking/damaging it?



That is the million dollar question...lol

It might be time for you to post some photos and give up some more info about your boat..... For one thing, you can push a stiff piece of wire down through the screw holes you recently exposed to see if you can determine if anything is directly below the old seat bases and how much clearance you have between deck and whatever you hit....

assuming you still feel good about cutting in a 5 or 6" deck plate, I would mark where it will go, in about the center of both locations you will need to reach so you can do both through same opening.

somewhere off center of the hole location ( but still inside of the cutout area) I would carefully drill a 1' hole with a paddle bit so you can again probe around under the cutout area and decide if you still feel good about this...

If you still feel like superman, take a peice of scrap plywood and cut a 5" or 6" hole in it with a Hole Saw......... Position the round cutout of plywood over the area you want your hole in your deck, and secure it onto the Deck with about three deck screws evenly spaced to hold the wood cutout tight against Deck where you want your hole... This will serve as a guide to keep the hole saw where you want it without it grabbing and running across the deck when the pilot bit suddenly breaks...

Remove the pilot bit from the holesaw and position it over the wood cutout, take a sip of beer and start the cut... If your deck is really thick, the wood plug will bottom out in the holesaw and stop cutting... if that is the case, remove the cutout once the cut is deep enough to act as it's own guide and start again...... be careful when you punch through, that you do not hit anything below the cutout...............................Finnish the Beer you opened earlier..... Remember eye protection.


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## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

Snagged Line said:


> That is the million dollar question...lol
> 
> It might be time for you to post some photos and give up some more info about your boat..... For one thing, you can push a stiff piece of wire down through the screw holes you recently exposed to see if you can determine if anything is directly below the old seat bases and how much clearance you have between deck and whatever you hit....
> 
> ...


Thank you for the step-by-step. I'll post pictures as I go.

I have a feeling I'll be going through a lot of beer..


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## Breeze Fabricators (Oct 2, 2007)

We run across this occasionally. Use a 3/8 cobalt drill bit. Drill screws in middle of the Phillips head cross. This will take the heads off. Pull seat posts bump screw will drop into bilge and rattle to stern as you use the boat.


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

Breeze Fabricators said:


> We run across this occasionally. Use a 3/8 cobalt drill bit. Drill screws in middle of the Phillips head cross. This will take the heads off. Pull seat posts bump screw will drop into bilge and rattle to stern as you use the boat.





What about the install??? Wood screws and hope leaning against it doesn't pull the screws out?? Do you not support your towers from the underside?

Serious question.... My first boat was a 17' Cobia that I restored when I was in late teens/ early 20's and replaced seats with new pedestal seats..... On first major trip out ( Spring Break /Bruce Hornsby Concert @ Pensacola Beach) The Trip back got nasty and Three out of four pedestals ripped out because my Lazy Ass Crew sat their stupid asses in them like they were at home in front of the TV rather than help releave the stress from the hardware...... My floor was solid, I just didn't know about Nuts, Bolts and Fender washers at the time...


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## johnsonbeachbum (Oct 1, 2007)

Your going to cut a 5" or 6" diameter hole with a hole saw?
The expense to acquire the saw and the drill motor to turn it are going to be expensive.

I would use a router with a 1/4" diameter bit and a plywood guide.
Before cutting the big hole, drill a 1/4" hole in the center.
Then using a bent coat hanger, fish it in and turn it around as you move it up and down to confirm there is clearance underneath.
Easier to patch a 1/4" hole if you have to relocate the hatch location outside of the desired area.


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

If the deck has a wood core don't forget to seal it off before installing the deck plate or if you drill new holes for thru-bolting the pedestals.


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

johnsonbeachbum said:


> Your going to cut a 5" or 6" diameter hole with a hole saw?.




I do it all the time installing speakers



Sent through Tapatalk, even though they ruined it with "upgrades"...


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## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

I'd like to hear what Breeze Fab has to say about his installs. For the time being, I have the 6" deck plate, the SS screws, but unfortunately I couldnt find the right size hole saw. This deck plate says you need a 6 1/2" hole, but no one had that size hole saw. Instead, I got a dremmel bit for cutting FG. Ever used this bit before? If not, I'll let you know how it goes..


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## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

The dremmel bit..


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

Fin-icky said:


> The dremmel bit..






I never used one, I would try it out on something other than your boat first to see how predictable it will cut and see if it will work or not... Maybe even fabricate a guide that can be secured to the center of your cutout that is 1/2 the diameter of your cutout size and act kinda like the pivot on a compass that draws a circle...

I thought I had a 6 1/2" hole saw, but can only find the 5 1/2" I'll look again and see if I can find it...


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## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

After measuring the distance I had to the gas tank with a straightened out coat hanger, I cut about a 1" hole out to see how thick the deck really was. Then I started carving out my trace while leaving a little buffer. Finished up the cut by expanding where needed . Then I drilled small holes for the screws, added sealant to the underside of the deck plate, and slapped that thing down. Perfect fit.


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## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

Snagged Line said:


> I never used one, I would try it out on something other than your boat first to see how predictable it will cut and see if it will work or not... Maybe even fabricate a guide that can be secured to the center of your cutout that is 1/2 the diameter of your cutout size and act kinda like the pivot on a compass that draws a circle...
> 
> I thought I had a 6 1/2" hole saw, but can only find the 5 1/2" I'll look again and see if I can find it...


I bought the deck plate from this marine store today, and the owner was willing to let me borrow the right hole saw, but he didn't even have it.... Lowes nor Home Depot had anything bigger than 6", so I had to make it work. 

Would have been real shitty if the dremmel caused a lot of damage..


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

Sweet!!! You can pressure wash the stained areas and fill the screw holes with new screws with the dress washer that the head of screw is counter sunk into the washer and you will forget they are there once covered with fish blood and spilled beer...... As mentioned earlier, dont forget to seal the holes... 




edit................ Post pics of the leaning post when finished...Nice work there.

Also, it looks a little tight for room under the deck in the photos... If you remove the deck plate completely, it will be less cramped to reach under there, especially if the mounting screws are sharp on the underside.. also, they make two piece backing plates that might be easier to install rather than individual nuts and washers in each bolt...


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## Fin-icky (Sep 3, 2014)

I have two more bolts to put in, but for now it is finished. Then I'll need to get the old stains out.

Thanks for your help!


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