Securing new head to floor

[wchevron]

i threw out my old head last fall and am getting ready to install the new raritan. i'm going to need to make new holes but can i just use self tapping screws into the floor or does the head need to be bolted down somehow?

[sailingdog]

I'd recommend having the head through-bolted. If you think about the loads that can occur when someone is sitting on the head and the boat changes tacks or gybes... and what you'll end up having to clean up if they move the head more than a few inches and tear out a hose or two... through-bolting makes a lot more sense.

Of course if this happens on the middle of a week-long trip... you'll really be wondering why you didn't take the extra time and effort to through-bolt it.

[TrueBlue]

Through-bolting is typically not possible with marine heads, due to inaccessible spaces below.

Self-tapping is what was used on two of my last boats with a fiberglass sole - they held without any issues. The Nauticat has a ceramic tiled sole, with a raised marine-ply base and high-pressure laminate. The Lavac heads were secured to the bases with large pan-head wood screws.

[wchevron]

tb, i have a similiar raised head base and can't thru-bolt. just wanted to make sure the self tappers would work. thanks.