Holes in mast & boom

Capt jgw · Apr 19, 2016

A lot of folks just put a screw back in the hole. An aluminum pop rivet would work too.

Brian S · Apr 19, 2016

My Grandfather would have filled with grey Marine Tex. I'd rather have that then a SS fastener in the AL mast. If you do go with the fastener route, use Ultra Tef-gel or Lanocote to reduce the chance of galvanic corrosion.

BudGates · Apr 19, 2016

You can do whichever method you like. Removing the hardware won't cause any damage. All you really need to do is deburr the holes. If you don't want to see the holes you can fill them or, as jgw suggested, just replace the crews in the holes.

Ron20324 · Apr 19, 2016

There ARE aluminum screws.

BudGates · Apr 19, 2016

Ron20324 said:
There ARE aluminum screws.

Yes. You just have to look a bit harder for them.

Another option would be nylon screws. They're a bit easier to find than aluminum but not as common as SS.

centerline · Apr 19, 2016

I agree with with the previous replies, that it doesnt really matter what you put in the holes, or if you leave them open, BUT...I would leave the padeyes, cheekblocks and hardware installed until you know what they were used for.... you might want the jiffy reefing system, or the lazyjack system, or the spin pole padeye on a track.... or whatever the hardware was installed for.

a lot of stuff on a boat looks like clutter until we know what its for and how its used, then it begins to look like "money" that someone has attached there...

Anonymous 121765 · Apr 19, 2016

Stan,

Some pics would give the guys a better idea of what you have. On a Cat. mast, it's the curved sections that has the most support. If having too many holes on the lower flat sides, (size & location from each other) might make a difference in keeping structural integrity.

Take some size & location measurements to give us a better idea of your concerns. The guys here are pretty knowledgeable pal.

CR

Brian D · Apr 19, 2016

My choice is Aluminum Putty. However, there is a YouTube video of a guy repairing his mast with tapped aluminum stock.

seadaddler · Apr 19, 2016

As you can see it would be a lot of work to remove them and maybe if not
really bad maybe leave until you know for sure but not my boat and am not seeing.
Nick

Gunni · Apr 19, 2016

Consider any internal halyards and the potential that they may abrade on exposed screw threads and rivet stubs. Not sure what you have on a Catalina25, but I have A LOT of line running inside my spars (some wire conduit too).

Brian S · Apr 21, 2016

Stan Linado said:
OK, so I decided to remove some of the fixtures from the mast. The aluminum cleats fastened with ss screws and no gel are welded to the mast. What is the best way to free up the screws without creating a disaster?

Leave well enough alone?

First choice: Impact driver. I bought a Ryobi impact driver/drill set for $130 at Home Depot, just to get a stubborn fastener out. It was like MAGIC. That, and my old Craftsman NiMH batteries are dying, so I had an excuse to upgrade to the Lithium Ryobi. Because LIME GREEN! Honestly, the impact driver worked so well on that stuck fastener, I was like, "Oh beautiful impact driver: Where have you been all my life? We make such sweet, sweet music together!"

Second choice: A soldering gun tip to the head of the fastener may induce enough heat/cool cycles to loosen up the corrosion enough to remove.

Ron20324 · Apr 21, 2016

You can buy a hammer-driven impact-drive hand tool.

chrisings · Apr 21, 2016

I'll echo some of the above, if they are that corroded just leave well enough alone. If that is not an option then heat is your friend when dealing with stuck fasteners, I would consider carefully using a propane torch to heat the area around the fastener (the mast). Impact drivers are wonderful and I keep on my boat at all times. Lastly, a good penetrating oil such as PB Buster is essential. I was a master certified Porsche and Audi technician in the '70s and early '80s. When you work on Porsche 914s corroded is a way of life!