: I recall the pictures from somebody, who used a holesaw and made round
: recessed fittings with a tube-shaped peice of wood and a SS peg thru it,
: with a bottom under the whole affair.

: I'm intending to do that with my Walrus, and thought I'd practice on the Tred
: Avon since it has no deck lines. Problem is, the Tred Avon has no hatches
: - access into the ends is thru a 4" porthole in the bulkheads, mostly
: just so I can air it out in there. Is there a way to install the recessed
: fittings without access underneath the deck?

: Suppose I cut the holes, made the tube-shaped pcs. Then notch them for top
: installation of the cross-bar. Then install them into the deck, reaching
: underneath with schmutz to paste them in place. Then install the bottom,
: then slide the cross-bars into the slots and fill from above with schmutz.
: Only the notches would actually show, if I could get the bottoms to stay
: in place long enough for goodge to set.

Perhaps you should try somthing simillar to a flush mount hatch.

Cut a hole in the deck for the fitting, build up a lip around the botom edge of the hole. (maybe on two sides is enough?).

With the cut out from the deck, can cut out the centre again, and build a recessed deck fitting within. Then epoxy the deck fitting assembly back into your boat.

If I have the guts to cut holes in my boat, and knew I could get a good refit of the assembly (like Joe did for his recessed compass), that is what I would consider.

let us know what you decide and how it turns out.

cheers

Myrl