H26 traveler - again!

Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Hello fellow H26 owners.

some of you may recall that I posted a plan to build a Barton-style removable travelled. I’ve determined that the cockpit locker will prevent clearance. I’m now looking at a permanent install on the bridge deck. @Crazy Dave Condon has said in the past that you need really good backing here. So I’m thinking of using a second piece of track as the backing plate.

I need to figure something out first and I need some knowledge I don’t have.
1) is there an embedded aluminum plate in the bridge deck?
See pics
7AF08194-4604-44CF-BCAD-4A06C2D743CC.jpeg
5870E923-B754-4C98-A70D-F3F06E12EFC9.jpeg
3B007E24-C724-4D3C-A26C-1DB1B9077E54.jpeg


6B5A726F-510D-4D7C-BC26-A0F772EAF74F.jpeg

The companionway stairs bolt up and into the bridge deck just behind the the bracket seen in the first pic. When I knock along the bridge deck there is a definite change in tone.

if there is an embedded aluminum plate. I’ll need to bring a tap and dye set out to the boat to thread the plate for the middle two fasteners of the T-track.

thanks in advance:)
 

Kermit

.
Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
I can’t answer your question. But I can tell you for sure if you put the traveler on the floor you will have a tough time cleaning between the companionway and the traveler. Mine had it that way. The bolts went all the way through to the ceiling under the cockpit. It didn’t seem particularly strong but I never had any lack-strength problems.
 

Kermit

.
Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
I also recall that someone posted a diagram that of the embedded plates somewhere. Maybe a forum search could help.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Here it is

the middle two bolts are threaded into an embedded aluminum plate

the rest are through bolted

when drilling the pilot holes for the tap go one size down. The aluminum plate is very easy to thread.

here is to social distancing

DDC9C566-1055-42F6-8496-F46166451DD5.jpeg
F7192077-C59A-4E88-9B64-347716704F83.jpeg
9FEAC3C8-2D86-4E82-A24F-442B8E273FA2.jpeg
E44E0B70-2064-411D-B82E-CE77A093D6BB.jpeg
75D8E66D-27EF-4476-9CA4-76261061C4A7.jpeg
808C0CDC-2166-4253-9F9C-93C5E54ABE80.jpeg
 
Aug 5, 2005
131
- - Laurel, Ms
Can you post a picture of the underside ?
also what t-track is this ? manufacture, what size etc....
thanks
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
You have to remember there are steps going into the cabin that are secured to an aluminum plate in the ceiling/deck area just for that. To the sides generally no. If you drill thu the deck easily and then a dead air space and then thru the ceiling, then you will need to thru bolt to the deck pan, not the ceiling liner as the ceiling liner is not structural, only the deck pan
 
  • Like
Likes: rgranger
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
You have to remember there are steps going into the cabin that are secured to an aluminum plate in the ceiling/deck area just for that. To the sides generally no. If you drill thu the deck easily and then a dead air space and then thru the ceiling, then you will need to thru bolt to the deck pan, not the ceiling liner as the ceiling liner is not structural, only the deck pan
Thanks Dave