Attaching fittings securely to decks

Adding deck fittings is a task long-term boat owners will invariably have faced many times. But for those new to boat ownership taking a drill to a previously pristine and waterproof deck can be a daunting prospect.

I still remember being filled with trepidation the first time I did so on a shiny 12-year-old boat worth real money, rather than the old 18ft plywood Caprice I’d renovated a few years earlier. Had I measured everything right? Was there anything unforeseen that might go wrong?

Of course, these are legitimate concerns even for the most experienced boatbuilders – and anyone who forgets the old adage of measuring twice and cutting once does so at their peril. But it’s equally important to keep these in proportion. Even if you get it wrong, the basic procedure for filling in redundant bolt holes is simple, even if the final cosmetic stage, achieving a perfect colour match, is more difficult.

Nevertheless, before