H260 Mast Bolt

[Deucer]

I'm about ready to replace the bolt that runs through the mast and holds the rigging and solid stays on my 1998 H260. It's completely rusted and I'm not confident of it's ability to hold things together. It's funny, because it's obviously not stainless. So, here's my question: Should it be? Or did Hunter use a stonger bolt at the expense of corrosion resistance?

It looks to be a 7/16" bolt, 4 to 4 1/2 inches long. Any ideas or suggestions out there?

Deucer

 

[soling42]

Uhhh this one?.... save the web page for the manual. It'll answer a ton of your questions. But hey, who reads a manual anyway. Mine is stainless. When in doubt use stainless.

http://kobernus.com/hunter260/manual/target14.html

Thanks to George for saving and hosting the manuals before the previous host dropped his site. I have them on my harddrive now as every 26/260 owner might too. Kudos once again.

Mike

 

[Deucer]

Mike,

Thanks a million. I've got almost everything I can download off of George's site and thought I had this, but couldn't find it.

Deucer

 

[MikeH]

Duecer,
Thanks for posting this! I have a 1998 H260 too that was in salt water for 4 years before I brought it to Lake Erie. I haven't looked at that bolt in a while, but I will this weekend!!!
Thanks!

 

[Deucer]

Maast Bolt Replaced

Ok folks,

One for the data file. Here's what I did/found replacing the mast bolt:

1. See attached photo of "original" bolt. I've found it invaluable to take pictures of how something is assembled before taking it apart....good advice!
2. Specs call for a 3/8" bollt, but this was a 5/16"...ummmm
3. lossend the RD1 shrouds until they were slack. After several hits of break free, was able to get the old bolt out without breaking it.
4. There was some wear on the starboard side of the hole in the mast.
5. I always kept a bolt or screwdriver running through the compression sleeve to ensure it didn't fall into the mast.
6. After cleaning around the hole in the mast, I spray painted it with some zinc cromate primer (to lesson galvanic corrosion with the stainless steel bolt).
7. Assembled in accordance with page 47D (http://kobernus.com/hunter260/manual/images/descrip_47d.jpg)
8. 3/8" bolt went through every hole, EXCEPT the RD1 Tang!
9. Um...suspicious, I thought it through, took out the drill and enlarged the hole in the RD1 Tang (didn't take much, so I'm pretty confident in the integrity of the tang).
9. Found that I couldn't assemble it in this order. The RD1 Tang would not clear the strut bracket!
10. Looked at the pictures I took before disassembly, and reassembled with the RD1 Tang on the out side. Figured if the nylon washer was supposed to between the tand the strut bracket, I'd put it there in the "modified" assembly.
11. Tighten everything snug. Figure I'll have to see how much torque is required to keep everything tight, yet free to move when raising the mast. I've got a locking nut to replace the straight nut (no jokes here....), once I'm happy with the installation.

Ok...I'm not saying this is HOW to do this, but how I did it. If anybody has any kibbitzing they'd like to do, please do!

Conclusion: I was pretty sure my mast was replaced at sometime or the other, now I'm pretty sure (non-spec bolt). Plus, I don't think those are the original tangs. If they are, then the diagram must be wrong because there's no way to maintain proper shroud tension if the tangs have to change geometry realitive to the shrouds during raising/lowering the mast. The original tangs must have been longer to clear the struts. Any thoughts?

Deucer

 

[soling42]

I'm amazed you got that bolt free without a "sawzall wrench" or my favorite, the "blow torch wrench". My strut assembly is a slightly different/newer ver(see poor pic) so as far as rearranging hardware I'd say that the "factory way of the day" isn't always the right way which is what keeps a marketing dept in business. Stronger than minimums(IE: factory spec) is usually better. Looks like a fine fix(with the obvious addition of a nylock nut).

Are you sailing or doing summer maintenance? Man, it's smokin' hot down here. 107degree heat index today and unlimited lightening yesterday. Maybe you're still acclimated to the desert heat but lightening is merciless.

Good post. thanks, Mike