The TV got bigger. So did the project.

An unexpected upgrade

The August 24 Walmart order was for an open-box TCL 32S357, a 32-inch TV priced at $78.00. With $5.46 in tax, the actual order total was $83.46. Walmart delivered a 43-inch onn TV instead, and that is the television I am using for this project.

There was no separate purchase of a 43-inch TV. That matters when reconstructing the cost: the model on the receipt and the television in the cabin are different. The screen got an upgrade before the installation had even started.

I later bought another 32-inch TV and installed it in the midship cabin. Its $104.86 purchase belongs to that separate installation and is excluded from the master-cabin total below.

Finding somewhere solid to attach it

The plan is a Mount-It flip-down ceiling mount. Before drilling, I needed to understand the structure above the mounting position and where a backing plate could go.

The bow dock box turned out to be a shell with no separate bottom: the boat’s fiberglass deck forms its floor. That gives access to the deck from above and a place for the stainless backing plate. The plates in hand are 4 × 8 × ⅛ inches.

That answers an access question. It does not establish that every dimension, fastener, or clearance is ready. The remaining checks include the actual TV and mount weights against the mount rating, the full folded and lowered positions, the deck condition, and what lies between the deck and the cabin ceiling.

The assembly I am planning

The current materials plan uses ¼-20 stainless through-bolts, a stainless backing plate above the deck, and aluminum compression sleeves between the underside of the deck and the mount plate. The tubing purchased for the sleeves is ½-inch outside diameter; it still needs to be cut to the measured lengths.

I also bought 12-inch drill bits and a Richelieu drill guide to help keep the holes aligned through the separated surfaces. Five-inch and six-inch hardware kits provide two candidate bolt lengths. The final length depends on the assembled thickness; buying both does not mean both will be installed.

The deck penetrations are the part I want to get right. The planned approach includes isolating exposed core with WEST SYSTEM Six10 epoxy and bedding the deck-side hardware with 3M 4200FC. These products have different jobs in the assembly.

WEST SYSTEM’s Fiberglass Boat Repair & Maintenance manual, section 7.2.1, explains how through-bolted hardware can compress a cored panel and how replacing core around fasteners with epoxy can protect it from moisture and improve load distribution. Its Six10 product information describes the thickened structural epoxy selected for this project.

3M’s 4200FC information describes a flexible, medium-strength marine sealant for fittings and screw holes that allows later disassembly. That is the bedding material in my plan; the mount and its fasteners still need a suitable structural attachment.

This is the design I am preparing to fit and verify aboard this boat. The sleeve dimensions, bearing surfaces, mount rating, and final fastener arrangement still need to be checked together before the TV is supported overhead.

Costs, options & sourcing

The TV came from Walmart. The mount, backing plates, installation materials, and tools came from Amazon. These are the historical amounts recorded for my purchases, including the order tax where captured. They are not current advertised prices.

The $90.93 mount-and-plates entry is the full approved order amount. The captured receipt showed $23.53 charged and $67.40 pending at that point. I have counted the complete order once here; the table is a purchase-cost summary rather than a claim that every payment had already settled on the receipt date.

The drill guide and drill-bit set account for $48.86 of the total and can be used on other work. The remaining $277.06 covers the TV, mount, plates, hardware, tubing, and consumable purchases. Some hardware and consumables may remain after installation.

The two hardware lengths are an actual purchasing decision, not two different completed solutions. A comparable professional-installation quote or another supplier’s complete package price has not been recorded. Labor, any further materials, and future returns or credits will need to be reconciled before publishing a final installed-project cost.

Purchase amounts and project status come from my reviewed project and expense records through September 30, 2026. Order numbers, private receipts, delivery details, and correspondence are omitted.

What will complete the story

The next stage is to confirm the complete fit, measure and prepare the fasteners and sleeves, and carry out the deck-protection and mounting work using the relevant equipment and material instructions.

A completed installation needs more than a television that turns on. I want to document the final attachment, sealed penetrations, clearance in both mount positions, secure stowage, and the power and cable arrangement. Then I can add photographs of the finished job and reconcile the cost.

For now, the useful result is a clearer plan and an honest parts list. The TV is ready for its close-up. The installation still has a few items to check.