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It seems the screw in table mount for the cockpit table has let moisture seep into the floor under the mount and it has become soft. I thought I has read that someone else had the same problem but I can't find it now. Anyone have that problem and what would you do to repair it. I know when I get it fixed I'm going to have a SS plug made for it. Seems like a poor design to me. Hardly use anyways.

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Inboard, outboard, onboard never bored
KUT 'N LOOSE
'99 258 VISTA

On the 258, is the table mount screwed to the deck floor, or is it into the engine hatch cover, as on the later 268?

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

Engine hatch is the deck on the 258. The table mount is about on the center. The under side is covered with sound proofing.

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Inboard, outboard, onboard never bored
KUT 'N LOOSE
'99 258 VISTA

Good ... so you can remove the panel to work on it, and get to both sides (if needed).

If the area is soft, I will assume that the panel has a wood (plywood)center that is encapsulated in fiberglass. In this case, I think I would grind out the fiberglass in the area around the screw hole, down to the wood. Keep cutting/grinding until the rotted wood is gone (down to the fiberglass at the bottom of the wood, which is the underside of the panel).

Once you have a ground-out hole and all of the rotted wood is gone, as well as the fiberglass deck surface that was ground-out in order to get the wood out, start to lay-up pieces of fiberglass cloth and resin. Use a roller or some other tool to assure that there is no air in the layers AND only use enough resin to saturate the fiberglass cloth. Only do two to three layers at a time and allow them to cure until the resin is just tacky, before laying on more. continue adding until you are near the level of the original fiberglass, leaving room for the gel coat as the final layer (1/16" to 1/8").

The gelcoat can be a universal repair gel coat or you can purchase the original color from Four Winns dealers.

Poke around on the internet and on You-Tube for instructionals on fiberglass repair and gel-coat application, for guidance.

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

Thanks Gordon, the mount itself is a circle of SS about 4" in dia., once I remove that I should be able to determine the amount of damage.

When you wash the deck water always stayed in the threaded hole that the table post screwed into. Very poor design. Others take note- make a plug for the hole or seal the bottom of it. Took 9 years to deteriorate.

_________________
Inboard, outboard, onboard never bored
KUT 'N LOOSE
'99 258 VISTA