Accessing swim ladder nuts

DWLMan

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Mar 6, 2021
1
Catalina 25 MILTON
I have a 25 swing keel stored on a trailer. I'm getting a fair amount of water in the bilge after rain and while on the water. I suspect some of the water might be entering through some combination of swim ladder, rudder mount or motor mount bolts. I'd like to rebed this hardware.

Question: Is it a fool's errand to try to do this? For example, the ladder is on the port side. From the port side cockpit locker I can see the outboard (i.e., left) bolts, but I'm not sure I can get a wrench on them. I haven't tried contorting myself to find the inboard side bolts.

Is it possible to access these bolts with out cutting an access hole through the transom in the fuel locker area?

Advice, suggestions welcome.
 
Sep 11, 2013
242
Catalina 25 6106 Lake Erie Metro Park
Contorting is an understatement. I used an inspection mirror, flashlight and a long 7/16 box wrench. When reassembling I taped the nuts to the wrench with masking tape while a helper turned the screws.
I still have the same issue...a minor leak from unknown spot. I finally just got frustrated and dammed off an area on the shelf like surface below the bolts and ran a drain tube to the bilge. Not very elegant but effective.
 
Sep 14, 2014
1,251
Catalina 22 Pensacola, Florida
Two suggestions on these types of problems. 1 Use Butly tape on thru bolted mechanical bolts. 2 Buy cheap set of vise grips to hold nuts when single person tightening thru bolts.