Mainship 400 replace cockpit step

[PaulB.]

My great re-inforcing job of the worn cockpit entry step gave way and I have a new Garelick "footrest" to install. It is the identical unit so the holes will line up.
QUESTION? Does anyone know if the unit is attached with screws into the cockpit wall? As opposed to bolts into a nut or re-inforcing plate that is located behind the wall? My initial effort has the screw/bolt heads spinning so I am contemplating my options.
QUESTION? Assuming I have to cut the screw/bolt heads off what would be the best option for installing new fasteners?

https://www.fredwarner.net/product/...-polymer-footrest-15-wide-marine-boat-eez-in/

 

[Dougcole]

If it is spinning I'm guessing the step is not attached to a backing plate with screws. Sounds like it may be through bolted, which would be stronger but problematic to remove. Did the fasteners back out at all when you unscrewed them? Maybe enough to get a dremel blade behind them?


There must be some sort of plate or reinforcement behind the cockpit liner where the step attaches, it holds too much weight for a thin layer of unreinforced glass.

 

[PaulB.]

I have now installed the new step.
The step is bolted on and as they spin and there is no rear access I ground the heads off.
I could not manage any way to capture the cut off bolts and nuts so they are rolling around the bilge somewhere but I am comfortable thinking the are too big to clog the bilge pump.
For the upper two holes on each side I used Garelick Pt # 21026 "Toggle bolt anchor" This is a large SS anchor used to support pedestal seats and worked well. The lower hole on each side has a stringer behind it so there is not enough depth to insert the large toggle bolt. I used a short bolt backed with a thread repair bushing and epoxied it in to the lower hole. As the bottom holes have only a vertical down force on them I feel this will be adequate to help support the step.
I switched out the new and very white step with the old beige "Mainship 40" step (to match the far side step) with no difficulty.
The large 1/2 inch hole required for the toggle caused some chip out of the gel coat when I used a 1/2 inch drill. If doing it again I would use several incrementally larger drills to avoid chip out.