Can I glue Aluminium to make a structural bond?

[Puggy]

Long term I would go for metal straps fastened with bolts. If I am thrown against the pedestal they would not give way under my weight (73kilos)...

I think this is a good idea and I am going to look at something like this. It is annoying as the whole reason I replaced my old fibreglass pedestal was that it was showing signs of stress cracks around the base and I feared it might fail in just this way! 73kg... I can only dream...

 

[Puggy]

Is the pedestal too old for Lewmar to be interested? Not a good result in the circumstances you describe.....

The pedestal was unused but several years old when I acquired it: it had been a sort of demonstration unit used at boat shows for a steering system. So I bought it used and not from lewmar. So I don't hold them responsible under a time warranty sort of thing, however I have questioned them about the welds and whether there is a deliberate engineering reason for having such minimal welds i.e. as some sort fuse to prevent ripping the cockpit floor out and creating a dangerous hole in the boat but they didn't respond to this particular point.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

However, I expect one of our aeronautical experts might tell you how aeroplanes are glued together ( I do nt mean the wood ones either)

As per Angus's comments they are done in very carefully controlled conditions. You can glue aluminium quite easily but you won't get a strong bond unless you have some fancy kit and a fair size building to keep it all in. Welding is definitely the answer.

The other benefit of tack welds, as you've discovered, is that you don't rip up the cockpit sole when you have to take the pedestal out for some reason.