How to Drill Pedestal Guards

Pedestal guards are combinations of stainless steel rails and metal sheets, designed to be mounted near the binnacle of a sailboat. They serve the multiple purposed of providing mounting locations for instruments and adding an extra spot for securing safety lines and handholds. They're commonly fitted onto ocean-going yachts either as standard equipment or as owner upgrades. It may become necessary to drill holes in a pedestal guard to route wiring or lines through it. Because drill bits can slip easily on stainless steel, some special techniques should be employed.

Masking tape
Marker
Center punch
Hammer
Carbide-tipped drill bits
Variable speed drill

Instructions

- 1
  Place a piece of masking tape on the pedestal guard at the location where the hole will be drilled. Mark the planned hole location onto the tape with a pen.
- 2
  Place the tip of a center punch on the mark. Hit the rear of the punch firmly with a hammer to create a small indentation in the metal.
- 3
  Place the tip of your drill on the indentation. Use a bit that's smaller than your planned hole. Start drilling, using a very slow speed and applying steady pressure. As the bit works into the metal you can increase the speed.
- 4
  Replace the drill bit with a larger bit when the hole is complete. Place the tip on the existing hole and drill slowly into the metal. As the bit catches and the hole expands, increase the speed of the drill until the hole is completed.

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