O'Day 25 Spreader Base Repair

Oduy

.
Jul 25, 2018
8
Oday oday 25 Albany NY
Hello all,

I recently purchased an O'Day 25. The spreader base which is attached to the mast has snapped off. The spreader base is attached to the mast via pressure tubes and a large bolt. While I have removed the nut behind the bolt I have not been able to remove the bolt or the spreader base. Can anybody share some insight as to how I can remove and replace the spreader base and bolt holding it in?

I Believe I have found the right size spreader base but can anyone confirm this for me? ( http://www.rigrite.com/Spars/Kenyon_Spars/Kenyon_Spreaders/SPR9H-Round.php)

Thank you all.
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Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Call Rigrite. They can answer your questions. Kenyon Isomat long gone but Sparcraft makes the parts which Rigrite sells those parts

Sailboat Owners forums has one for O’Day. Ask your questions there for faster responses
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
It looks like you've been bashing that bolt, on the thread end - is that so? You should put a block of aluminum or even hardwood on it if you do.

Can you turn it with a wrench?

It may be frozen to the aluminum mast, due to electrolytic corrosion. It can almost be like they are welded together. Not sure what will dissolve that.
 

Ward H

.
Nov 7, 2011
3,645
Catalina 30 Mk II Barnegat, NJ
May have to soak it for several days/couple of weeks with PB Blaster. Spray it everyday with the threaded end up so it will creep down between the bolt and inner sleeve.
I’ve had good luck with PB Blaster when working on masts and booms.
 
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Oduy

.
Jul 25, 2018
8
Oday oday 25 Albany NY
It looks like you've been bashing that bolt, on the thread end - is that so? You should put a block of aluminum or even hardwood on it if you do.

Can you turn it with a wrench?

It may be frozen to the aluminum mast, due to electrolytic corrosion. It can almost be like they are welded together. Not sure what will dissolve that.
Hey,

So I can turn it with a wrench but I can't pop the bolt loose. Thanks for the suggestion because I have been destroying the bolt attempting to remove it with a hammer.
 

Oduy

.
Jul 25, 2018
8
Oday oday 25 Albany NY
May have to soak it for several days/couple of weeks with PB Blaster. Spray it everyday with the threaded end up so it will creep down between the bolt and inner sleeve.
I’ve had good luck with PB Blaster when working on masts and booms.
Hey,
Thanks for the tip Ward, I'll start with that to hopefully loosen it up. Will this help with what @jwing said about the bolt being frozen due to electrolytic corrosion?
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
It is likely that inside the mast the bolt passes through a piece of aluminum tubing that is there to prevent the mast collapsing, i.e., being squished, when the bolt is tightened. I suspect now that this piece of aluminum is corroded to the bolt, and that's what's stopping it from coming out.

If you can get those brackets off, on both sides, by drilling out the rivets you will probably find that the hole in the mast on one side is big enough for the tube to go through, and is stopped by the bracket, and that the other side the hole is only big enough for the bolt. This is how it was on my Catalina 36.
If that's it, you may have to carefully hacksaw off the head of the bolt.
 
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Oduy

.
Jul 25, 2018
8
Oday oday 25 Albany NY
Great advice! After removing the other side with a drill carefully (bases are $140 ea!) I could see the aluminum tube holding the bolt. I’m going to see if a week of PB blaster does the trick to loosen it up before sawing off the bolt head and removing the aluminum tubing. Thanks again!
 
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jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
You are welcome. I built a brand new rig for a C36 a while back.

Get a jar of Tef-gel. It's not cheap, but it's the best. Put it on any metal-to-metal interface that are dissimilar metals. For large areas, cover them with thin vinyl tape.

Please note, those rivets should be stainless, and they may be impossible to pull with a hand pop-rivet tool. I have a 2' long puller for these. It was $120 18 years ago. If you want to borrow it, just pay round-trip shipping.

I also have a spare stainless steel bolt from my experience, if you need one and it's the right size you can have it.
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
If you do hacksaw off the bolt head, use plenty of cutting fluid so you don't heat up the stainless. If it gets hot it will harden, and then the saw teeth will just slide off it and not cut.
 
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Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
...
Please note, those rivets should be stainless,...
This is something that I have debated about several times. When mounting a stainless part to an aluminum mast, should I use aluminum rivets or stainless rivets? Usually, I go with aluminum.

My logic is that I would rather have the aluminum rivet fail than the aluminum mast. I do expect that the stainless rivet would provide a stronger grip in the short run, but after corrosion sets in, that may no longer be the case.

I have considered the possibility that my logic may be flawed. I would invite constructive criticism regarding my choice so that I might better evaluate the wisdom of the choice that I have made.
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
If you do hacksaw off the bolt head, use plenty of cutting fluid so you don't heat up the stainless. If it gets hot it will harden, and then the saw teeth will just slide off it and not cut.
+1 on using plenty of fluid when cutting stainless. If you don't have proper lubricants handy, run a garden hose on it while you are cutting. Keeping the heat down is more important than lubricity when cutting off scrap stainless.