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Pop Rivets, well nuts, or nuts/bolts???
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Author:  Kayak2Work [ Sun Apr 07, 2013 3:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Pop Rivets, well nuts, or nuts/bolts???

What is the best way to mount accessories to my kayak? Are pop rivets and well nuts truly waterproof? Can nut/bolt mounts be made waterproof?

I am going to add a block and a cleat for sailing. Are pop rivets or well nuts strong enough for the job? I'm not 100% sure I can get access on the inside for the nut/bolt setup.

Here are the things to be installed...

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Author:  VegasEric [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 3:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pop Rivets, well nuts, or nuts/bolts???

I've only had experience with well nuts. I attached an aluminum bimini mount to the rear of an Oasis with 4 well nuts. I never had any leaks and I could pick up the back of the boat by the mount. They were really strong. When I wanted to remove the mount, I would just put the screws back in and they were water tight. Well nuts can be a little tricky because you have to use a lot of pressure for the screw to grab the nut. But they worked really good for me.
Hope this helps.

Author:  Tom Kirkman [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pop Rivets, well nuts, or nuts/bolts???

If there is going to be any real force on the item being mounted, I prefer a bolt/screw backed by a washer and nylon lock nut. A dab of GOOP waterproofs the assembly.

Wel-Nuts and rivets are fine for things like paddle holders, fish finder mounts, etc. They're often used to hold items that do generate some force on the fittings, but I don't personally trust them for such applications.

Author:  Grampa Spey [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pop Rivets, well nuts, or nuts/bolts???

VegasEric wrote:
I've only had experience with well nuts. I attached an aluminum bimini mount to the rear of an Oasis with 4 well nuts. I never had any leaks and I could pick up the back of the boat by the mount. They were really strong. When I wanted to remove the mount, I would just put the screws back in and they were water tight. Well nuts can be a little tricky because you have to use a lot of pressure for the screw to grab the nut. But they worked really good for me.
Hope this helps.


After we got our 2009 Oasis, I installed the AMA kit with the holding bar. It was my first venture with well nuts and I messed a couple up. After a consultation with one of my Ace Hardware Geniuses, I bought new longer well nuts from them. I installed them and did my terrible gooping.

There has to be a lot of stress on those well mounts with two adults in the Oasis, pedaling and sometimes in waves over a foot high. Years later, the mounts are still water tight, and I use the bar to flip the Oasis over on the trailer for the launch and post launch.

With my Freedom Hawk Pathfinder I needed some paddle mounts to hold my stand up paddle and long two handed paddle. I bought the mounts made by another kayak maker and installed them with their provided well nuts. One held very well and the other didn't. On the one that didn't work, I removed the ones that came with the oar mount and replaced them with longer Ace well nuts. That worked so well, I replaced the well nuts on the other paddle holder. They are so sturdy, I can lift that part of the Pathfinder with the paddle holders and have used them to tie off my anchor or to snub the yak to a pier after removing the paddle.

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