Dash Project(s) Help

I have a few issues in and around my dash that I am going to try to address this offseason. I have some questions and am hoping to figure out my best solutions (99 Sport Nautique for reference):

1) My keyed ignition keeps spinning over time. I took the dash off and hand tightened it but it wants to come loose. Any tricks?

2) My push buttons are very difficult to push. Is the solution to replace?

3) One of my speedos works sometimes. The needle looks bent and may be hanging it up. Is this something I can take apart and straighten and/or replace the needle?

4) One or two of the exposed screws/bolts holding my dash panel on can go through the panel. Like the panel fiberglass has given. What is the solution? A nice looking washer or fiberglass work?

Thanks for any and all answers.

-David

1) My keyed ignition keeps spinning over time. I took the dash off and hand tightened it but it wants to come loose. Any tricks?

I think JP has the right idea. Do more than a hand-tighten. Don't strip anything, but another 1/4-turn beyond hand-tight will likely do wonders.

2) My push buttons are very difficult to push. Is the solution to replace?

Do you mean these switches? They are notoriously stiff, and get worse over time. I've replaced a few and found that seems to be the best solution.

3) One of my speedos works sometimes. The needle looks bent and may be hanging it up. Is this something I can take apart and straighten and/or replace the needle?

Do a google search on this site on speedometer repair. They can be fixed/repaired. Are you sure that your pitot (the plastic "pickup" at the back of the boat that sticks down into the water) is not blocked with sand, grit or weeds?

4) One or two of the exposed screws/bolts holding my dash panel on can go through the panel. Like the panel fiberglass has given. What is the solution? A nice looking washer or fiberglass work?

This is a common problem. JP has the most workable solution to date. Rod (Velde99) has been working on a solution to this problem. I donated an old dash panel to him as a working test model for dash repairs. For a while we hoped that we could have reproductions made, but the cost of the match-metal dyes necessary was cost-prohibitive. I've not heard if he has had any success beyond JP's methods, but to date a JP repair is the best method going.