Bow eye access

[Jaidee]

Hi all,

My first post! We bought JaiDee last summer (our name for her), a 1986 Cat 22 swing keel. The bow eye (what you would connect the trailer winch to) is a bit loose, and needs to be re-tightened and re-sealed. It looks like there is an access hole in the anchor locker, but I can't figure out how to remove the cover. It doesn't seem to want to pop off with a screw driver, and it's so close to the sides that I can't get leverage. I know I'm missing something simple here, but how do I get at the back of the bow eye? How is that cover supposed to come off?

My big project this fall is to get the keel off for maintenance over the winter months, so I am sure I will have many more questions, and be looking for guidance soon.

As an introduction: we are located in Saratoga Springs NY, and for the past 2 summers have kept the boat slipped on Saratoga Lake. This is our first boat in about 15 years. Previously we had an O'Day daysailer.

Thanks!

 

[Gene Neill]

Jaidee, I've been meaning to respond to this for a couple days, but I wanted to take another good long look at my boat first so I could be sure I was giving accurate info. Unfortunately, I still haven't had time to do that, so you're just getting the "best of my recollection".

First off, that access cover did come off easily for me, no trick to it ... once I got done scraping off all the silicone crap some genius had slopped all over it.

But, if I recall, you can't access the back of the bow eye down in there. And to make matters worse, it may be very difficult to access it from inside the cabin, too. Behind the teak panel in the forepeak, there is a fiberglass "skirt" piece that Catalina designed for some reason as if they wanted to keep people out.

Some other genius PO of my boat (or maybe the same one) used a drill, and drilled about a hundred holes in what roughly resembled a square, to cut an opening in that skirt, to access what I THINK was the bow eye. Then he slopped fiberglass resin (or something) all over whatever it was he'd worked on.

Long story short, even though I've done some digging around in the forepeak from above and from below, I have definitely not ever noticed the eye bolt ends sticking through. I used to have pics of this stuff I'm trying to describe, but they got lost in a computer crash. If I were in your shoes, I think I might give Catalina Yachts a call first, and maybe they can save you some time and effort. They were very helpful the one time I called them. I for one would also love to know the answer, so please update us if you find it out.

 

[Jaidee]

Jaidee, I've been meaning to respond to this for a couple days, but I wanted to take another good long look at my boat first so I could be sure I was giving accurate info. Unfortunately, I still haven't had time to do that, so you're just getting the "best of my recollection". First off, that access cover did come off easily for me, no trick to it ... once I got done scraping off all the silicone crap some genius had slopped all over it. But, if I recall, you can't access the back of the bow eye down in there. And to make matters worse, it may be very difficult to access it from inside the cabin, too. Behind the teak panel in the forepeak, there is a fiberglass "skirt" piece that Catalina designed for some reason as if they wanted to keep people out. Some other genius PO of my boat (or maybe the same one) used a drill, and drilled about a hundred holes in what roughly resembled a square, to cut an opening in that skirt, to access what I THINK was the bow eye. Then he slopped fiberglass resin (or something) all over whatever it was he'd worked on. Long story short, even though I've done some digging around in the forepeak from above and from below, I have definitely not ever noticed the eye bolt ends sticking through. I used to have pics of this stuff I'm trying to describe, but they got lost in a computer crash. If I were in your shoes, I think I might give Catalina Yachts a call first, and maybe they can save you some time and effort. They were very helpful the one time I called them. I for one would also love to know the answer, so please update us if you find it out.

Thanks dixiedawg, I appreciate the response and insight. Yeah, I should have mentioned in my initial post that I took off the plywood cover on the inside of the cabin, and ran into the same "skirt". That is weird.
I will definitely give Catalina a call, and report back what I learn. I guess I was assuming (hoping) that there is a backing plate behind that eye, especially considering the load that can be put on it from trailering. And that little access port was there in order to be able to get at it. Hmmmmmm.

 

[Gene Neill]

Thanks Jaidee. My eye was also getting loose, and I was easily able to tighten it up from the outside, but that of course that may do little or nothing to improve the seal. At some point I would like to reinforce the eye to the point where you could just about pick the entire boat up by it and dangle it in the air. My understanding is that it is relatively weak from the factory.

My plan is to cleanly cut out the entire middle of the skirt, leaving only enough around the outside to provide support for the teak panel. I have a leak up in that area somewhere, too, which I'd like to find and eliminate. So having easy access would be nice.

 

[Doug4bass]

Did this exact fix on my buddies 86 22 a couple of months ago. Had to cut a 4" access hole as low as you can in the anchor locker. No access is available through the fwd berth. Catalina direct has an excellent bow eye fix kit online (if its in stock. ). Includes new eye, backing plate, glass and resin, etc. We covered the hole with an access plate cover. Ps....whats happens is that the original hardwood backing rots. It was mush when we finally got to it.

 

[Jaidee]

Did this exact fix on my buddies 86 22 a couple of months ago. Had to cut a 4" access hole as low as you can in the anchor locker. No access is available through the fwd berth. Catalina direct has an excellent bow eye fix kit online (if its in stock. ). Includes new eye, backing plate, glass and resin, etc. We covered the hole with an access plate cover. Ps....whats happens is that the original hardwood backing rots. It was mush when we finally got to it.

Thanks Doug4bass. That makes sense. I have some moisture and gunk inside, in the area below the anchor locker, which would correspond to rotting wood backing. I will check out the fix kit from Catalina Direct.

 

[KeyOfSea]

My Catalina 22 needs a new bow eye and accessing the area has been a problem, so this thread has been very useful. Thanks. I'll be using an electric jig saw with a fine blade to cut the hole, starting from a drilled hole. If anyone has a better method, please let me know.

 

[Slartibartfass]

When I enlarged the access hole to the bow in my CAPRI 22 I used a Fein oscillating cutter (actually the Festool version) to cut. No danger in cutting any hanging electrical wires on the opposite side. Don't forget breathing protection.....

 

[Gene Neill]

My Catalina 22 needs a new bow eye and accessing the area has been a problem, so this thread has been very useful. Thanks. I'll be using an electric jig saw with a fine blade to cut the hole, starting from a drilled hole. If anyone has a better method, please let me know.

Good luck with the project! By all means, take pics and let us know how it goes. This thread was worth resurrecting.