Well Nut Failures

I’ve tried using well nuts for mounting accessories to my kayak in areas where you cannot reach the backside in order to use a machine screw and nylon locknut. I’ve not had much success with them as they either pull out, squirm out , wiggle loose, or they have torn out.
So I’ve been using another style anchor instead of the well nuts for several years without a failure.
These are the Powers Polly Anchors in the 3/16 short or 3/16 medium for hollow wall anchoring. The same style anchor is also available from many other companies although if you’re doing an internet search and you type “Powers Polly Anchor” it will pop right up on your computer screen.
The screw pitch threads on the 3/16 size Polly Anchors are for use with any 10-24 thread pitch machine screws.
The other anchor without the screw is a Pop/Stanley brand “ Jacknut” anchor, part number #6LJN which is also used with 10-24 thread pitch fasteners as well. The well nuts you may have used are also supplied by the same Pop Rivet/ Stanley company but their ”Jacknut anchor” is a much better, stronger anchor for use in plastic or other softer materials.
Both anchors call out for a 3/8 diameter drill bit though I usually go a bit undersize for a tighter fit.
The anchors have a specific grip range so it’s important to select the one that can handle the thickness of the material you’re using it in so check the thickness before choosing an anchor size.
The 3/16 short Polly anchor will handle about 1/8 inch thick material. The next size 3/16 Polly anchor will handle about 3/8 inch thick material .
The Pop brand Jacknut anchor shown will also handle 3/8 inch material as well and they don’t come with screws so you will want to buy some in the length you need to attach your mount to the kayak.
If you try to use the short Polly anchor in thicker than 1/8 inch material it will break during installation and if you try to use the longer anchor in thinner material it may not tighten up enough to grab the backside of your base material. So pay attention to the thickness of your base material and use the anchor that is best suited for it.
Installation of these anchors is fairly straight forward, you push the anchor into the drilled 3/8 hole and then tighten them up with a Phillips #2 bit. I do it all by hand as a power drill can over tighten them and snap the anchor.
Once the anchor is set in place you can remove the screw and the anchor stays in place so you can then use any length screw with 10-24 thread pitch which is quite common to find in every hardware store.
I use stainless steel 10-24 screws when replacing the ones that come with the Polly anchor although you can use zinc plated steel or even nylon fasteners too as long as it has a 10-24 thread pitch.
Before you use these anchors I would suggest you test a few of them in scrap plastic material so you get a feel for how they work.
I’ve had very good results using them in my Hobie kayaks, no failures to date.













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Looks good, but how would you remove them if needed? Do these self seal? Just wondering...

Good post! Thanks for the info.

Hello Rc109a
No, I’ve never had any leaks from these anchors, in fact none of my 4 Hobie kayaks going back to my first one in 2006 has ever leaked. Once the anchor is in place, it is filled with the machine screw and the mounting brackets you’ve attached will cover the anchor up so there’s no place for water to get in.
If I was concerned about a leak at all I would cover the anchor with silicone caulk but I’ve never had to. This anchor has worked perfectly, which is why I’ve waited years to post this information to see if the anchor would ever fail or leak which it hasn’t.
I just put four more in my brand new Revo One Six a few days ago which hasn’t even been in the water yet so yeah no worries. I’ve never had one of these anchors leak, pullout or shear off in typical kayak use or otherwise.

Where do you buy them?

You can find these at most hardware stores , big box stores or online at industrial supply E-Tailer sites.
I would recommend that you get enough to do some tests first to get a feel for how they work, just remember to pay attention to the proper grip range of the anchor and the total thickness of your base material which you can double check after you’ve drilled your first hole. If in doubt order several sizes and then test them in some scrap plastic material in the same thickness material of the mount location on your kayak
These anchors will also be a great replacement for an anchor you’ve had which has failed and you need to repair in order to remount your gear.
If you’re doing an online search use “ Powers Polly Anchor .
Also if you need to remove one of these anchors first remove the screw and whatever you’ve mounted. Once the anchor is exposed put the screw back in and tighten the crap out of it until it breaks. Once it finally breaks you can slip a slotted screwdriver under the rim of the anchor then work it out .

Found em. https://www.idealtruevalue.com/store/p/ ... Screw.aspx


I'm going to order some and get some experience installing them on some spare pieces of plastic before I use them on my kayak.

Yes they’re not hard to locate and this style of anchor has been in use since the last century. Let me know how it goes and if you have any questions and I’ll walk you through it if need be !

Do you all worry about rust with those or can you find stainless versions?

_________________
Fish tremble when they hear my name

A ship in harbor is safe -- but that is not what ships are built for.
--John A. Shedd, Salt from My Attic, 1928

No sir I don’t worry at all about rust as they have not rusted nor shown any signs of rusting through the years !
They are not located anywhere in the kayak underwater, unless you’ve sunk your kayak to the bottom of the sea.
It will likely take some years to rust out under normal use but they cost about 25 cents each which won’t break the bank to replace them.
The important key thing to remember is that the base material the anchor is installed into will never rust, which is the plastic wall of your kayak, so the anchors can be easily replaced into the same hole without needing to relocate, or drill another hole for the replacement anchor.
If they ever did rust you can simply pinch off the top exposed rim with a pair of pliers, then push the remainder of the anchor through the hole and replace it with a new anchor.
They do make stainless anchors similar to these but at a much higher cost and they would be more than happy to sell you a box of 100 each on special order paid in advance if you were concerned about it.
If you want to try them and think they will rust out then I would buy a couple extra and put them in your emergency kit onboard with some hand tools, that way you could replace them on the go if need be. I’ve found them to be very strong and reliable , more so than well nuts by a country mile.

Ok I located some stainless hollow wall anchors from an online retailer here is their price for 2 each.
Stainless Steel Hollow Wall Anchor
#10 4" 1-5/16" 6UTC7
Regular Price $123.04 / pkg. of 2
This is a price for just 2 anchors so you will need to buy 4ea if you want to use them with the sidekick outrigger kit.
So for $246.08 , plus tax plus shipping you can have a stainless anchor in the same style.
If you spent the same amount of money buying the zinc plated steel anchor you would get 984 of them.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and just predict that most folks would go with the zinc plated steel hollow wall anchor and pay $1.00 for 4 of them.