About that H37C bridgedeck traveler.

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Spring of 2013 I want my traveler to look like Blaise's, see pictures.
Tell me once more how you were able to get the old traveler off of the bridgedeck and bolt on a new one.

No, this is not about moving the traveler up top. :)
 

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Nov 6, 2009
353
Hunter 37 FL
Spring of 2013 I want my traveler to look like Blaise's, see pictures.
Tell me once more how you were able to get the old traveler off of the bridgedeck and bolt on a new one.

No, this is not about moving the traveler up top. :)
Will be interested to see how he got the old one off.
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Ahhhh, take the bolts off, remove the travler, place the new travler on and re-bolt it. Perhaps I'm missing something, seems straight forward to me.
Admittedly getting the bolts off is problematical as the heads strip off the bolts. I've used a center punch or drift punch and hammer to beat then loose.
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
There is no access to more than half the nuts under the fiberglass bridgedeck. Someone here once wrote about sawing through the teak base and cutting the bolts, I think with a multi-tool. Then how do you bolt down the new one?
 
May 31, 2007
773
Hunter 37 cutter Blind River
I did this a few years ago as mine was leaking. Many of the bolts are hard to find but it can be done. The little box over the companionway steps must be taken apart to get at the centre ones. Port side, aft cabin on mine has a teak box which hides bolts too. Part of that came off after drilling out the plugs. Starboard side some of them can be accessed from the big cockpit hatch over the icebox. Hard to see them and harder to get a wrench in. But I assure you, it can be done. I had help from my son who is smaller, more patient, tenacious and far more flexible than I. Definitely a two person job.
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Thanks Bill. Kinda' what I thought and was afraid that I would hear. I looked in the starboard locker and could not believe how diifficult even the ones that you can see will be. Normally I work alone but maybe I can find someone with patience. Certainly that is not me.
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Took some pictures on Thursday. Found in the instrument area that two of the three bolts were bent over definitely requiring them to be cut off. In the q-berth are six bolts. There is one between those six and the three in the center that I cannot see nor feel from the bottom. There are seven to starboard of the three only four of which I can touch. I tried to saw through one with my Bosch oscillating tool to no avail. Not sure whether I can even buy a blade that will cut stainless bolts.
 

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Jun 8, 2004
1,065
C&C Frigate 36 St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
Wow, that's ugly Ed! On the photo with the engine panel, it looks like they took a hammer to the bolts to get clearance for the panel. Can you get at the bolts with a Sawzall (recip saw)? You can definitely get blade that will cut SS in that range. Or maybe you can get a nut splitter (available at NAPA Autoparts or similar) on there and split the nut off? Good luck and let us know how you make out...
 

Blaise

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Jan 22, 2008
359
Hunter 37-cutter Bradenton
Drill the heads off the fasteners and drive them down to remove. Took about an hour.
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Brilliant Blaise. Now there's something that I have the tools to do. Worry about how to get in there when I install the new one. Thanks.
 
Jun 8, 2004
1,065
C&C Frigate 36 St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
Drill the heads off the fasteners and drive them down to remove. Took about an hour.
That sounds like a good answer! I take it that there is no aluminum plate glassed into the hull under the traveler on your vintage of H37C? On mine, with the cabin-top traveler, I believe the bolts are threaded into a glassed-in alu plate that is drilled and tapped. Also have aluminum in the fiberglass at the base of the mast and under the main sheet winch. I too have to remove my traveler one of these days and I hope that a hand impact driver and hammer will budge the SS screws after all these years...:eek:
 

Blaise

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Jan 22, 2008
359
Hunter 37-cutter Bradenton
No aluminum plate. With the harken high beam track bolt spacing isn't important. It will span large distances.
 
May 31, 2007
773
Hunter 37 cutter Blind River
Wow, Ed - Looks way worse than mine did under the panel. And all they needed to do was use shorter bolts! Good suggestion, Blaise, but that sure is a lot of stainless drilling. Best remove what can be removed by traditional means. Those bent ones - I suggest cutting them. I have done same using a Fein multitool with Dremmel cutting blade. It is a bit slow and you will go through a few blades. But once you get half way through, you can wiggle the end back and forth until it snaps off. Remember, whether drilling or cutting stainless, you must go really slowly or you will harden the material.
 
Jun 21, 2007
2,117
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
Drilling off the heads and driving down? Or cutting off the bent portion of the bolts from the bottom? The first one is probably the easier and for sure your body is also in a much better working position than from underneath. Having a drill bit sharpener on hand or at least several extra sharp drill bits will assist with progress.

For the from-the-bottom alternative, I have cut through many stainless steel bolts with the Dremel tool cut-off wheel attachment pictured below. The wheels come in two thicknesses. The thinner ones work the best. Also real Dremel brand wheels (or Craftsman brand) are definitely superior to the Harbor Freight no-name variety. If you haven't used these before, note that the wheels are very brittle. Unless you've got a Midas touch, and even if you do, the wheels will most often break before they wear down. When they break, pieces go flying. So eye protection is an absolute must. And if the confines of the working space force the face to be close to the action, also a full face cold weather mask will protect from some stinging. It's important also to keep face and eyes off the plane of the rotational axis.

Even if you don't use the Dremel for this project, I decided to post this info because my Dremel and the various attachments are incredibly useful on my boat. Often the solution that nothing else can substitute for. If you don't have a Dremel, I've seen adds for Dremel knock-offs at Harbor Freight for under $10 -- with a selection of accessories. These will definitely be inferior to the real Dremel or Craftsmen brands, but doesn't cost much to experiment to see if also useful for you. I've got AC powered Dremels/Craftsman. I don't know about the battery powered ones.
 

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Hey guys, that traveler is off and in the garage! I don't even want to think about bolting a new one in it's place. I was lucky that I had a good 3/8" bit with me and drilled the heads off all except the six that are accessible in the quarterberth. After 33 years there were no leaks and the teak base is solid. I'll replace it with plastic teak.

Now Garhauer is working me with to design a replacement. One option is to angle the cam cleats at the end of the track in hopes that the locker lids will clear. You can see that in the second picture(very short track). They tell me that the cleats cannot be angled more. I included Blaise' traveler in picture three for comparison. Then in the fourth picture you can see the option of having the cam cleats on the car itself. But do I want the control lines to come out into the cockpit? Any thoughts?

Forgot to mention that Blaise' cleats swivel to clear the locker(pic #5).
 

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Jan 22, 2008
1,483
Hunter 37 C sloop Punta Gorda FL
It's your boat, but my plan is for cleats on the car. When we sail, the main sheet is all over the cockpit sole anyway, Couple of extra colored lines or one loop won't be any big deal. When we are not sailing we pull the car off center to allow easy coming and going thru the companionway, traveler lines will both be out of the way.

BTW on another boat I had turning blocks elevated slightly on the seat back and cleats aft. on yet another where it was expected that i would be sitting on the coaming I had blocks to turn the traveler lines vertical up the coaming, others to turn them aft, cleats aft so there are other options.

PS I really really like windward sheeting cars. Don't know that Garhauer offers them
 
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Blaise

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Jan 22, 2008
359
Hunter 37-cutter Bradenton
Ed,
Good luck with Gaurhauer. They make great stuff. I used the Harken high track because it spans long areas without support. Leaving Florida in a week and will have the main with me.
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Good point about the strength of the track. I'll ask because I would like to only bolt it in the middle and the ends. See you in Columbus Blaise.
 
Dec 14, 2003
75
Hunter H37C, H23 Annapolis MD
Ed
I was the one who cut the bolts off with a Multi - Sonic tool. Flat blades, Lots of the blades About 1 per bolt Only had to do three, bent like yours. I too replaced with the Harkin Hightrack. Drilled 4 holes at each end. First I got rid of the teak. Reglassed and gelcoated the top surface after plugging all previous holes with epoxy. With the Harkin you get to place the holes where you want and no holes are open on the top All hidden inside the rail. Very clean look. I spliced the travler line so there is no lose end the line goes along the edge Again very clean look. Cleats are at the ends. After a full summer sailing with it I just love it. I'll post a pic or two.

Mark
 
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