Bolt, screw or clip new wood deck to frame?

[BeachBum57701]

I am redoing a 1970 Kayot pontoon and it is time for the deck to go on. Orginally it was only bolted around the outside edges of deck to the frame. Between the four foot sheets of plywood there were these JH clips. I am not sure what to call them. The wood slide into both ends of the H and the J hooked around the frame. Now that I am redoing the boat which is the best way to go? I see the nice 1" head deck bolt kits or just the self tap deck screws? I would think the orginal way was not very sturdy but maybe it needed the flex???

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Bolt, screw or clip new wood deck to frame?

they build houses using the H clips between the trusses.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Bolt, screw or clip new wood deck to frame?

I would bolt it.

The deck on a pontoon is a strutural member and adds alot of rigidity to the boat.

We use elevator bolts at work, like a bolt stuck to a washer, it is a little more work but as I said the boat will be much sturdier when you are done and this probably isn't a job you are in a hurry to do again.

 

[BeachBum57701]

Re: Bolt, screw or clip new wood deck to frame?

Thanks for the feedback. I was leaning towards the bolts but just thought a second opinion would be nice. I wasn't sure if making it more sturdy would put to much pressure on where the pontoon bolts to the cross member.