I am finally getting around to re-bedding my bow cleats on my catalina 27. It's a real pain in the rear because the nuts under the deck are sandwiched with just about 2 inches of room between the hull and the recessed anchor locker AND they are about about two arms lengths from where one can sit at the front of the v-berth and see them. I have one of two ways to get at them in mind. I purchased a 17" ratchet type tool with a 90 degree bend at the socket end, (it looks like a ratchet, but dosn't turn; you have to remove it each time from the nut after turning it a bit) that might work to hold the nut while someone on deck turns the screws. Or, I could cut two 4" inspection ports into each side of the anchor locker. Of course I will be using MS's world famous butyl tape to re-bed the cleats! Either way I proceed, I will be screwing the bolt into the nut, rather than screwing the nut onto the bolt which I know is not the preferred method, though it is my only option in this particular situation.
OK here's the REAL problem. Although I haven't loosened the nut from the bottom yet, one of the two screws on one cleat is not budging at all when I tried to unscrew it and the head of the screw is getting mangled. It's probably because I USED MARINE TEX EPOXY IN THE SCREW HOLE a couple of years ago when I didn't really have a clue of how to properly get access to the nut.
How the heck do I get this thing out? If I cut in the above mention access panel, I might be able to bang it out a bit, but I would thing I might end of taking most of the deck out along with the cleat. I guess that means drilling it out, but I really would hate to damage the cleat and then I would still have to epoxy the now larger hole and I just don't have any good access from underneath to do a nice clean job.
Basically, I'm hoping to get a couple of tips to make this job go as smoothly possible.
OK here's the REAL problem. Although I haven't loosened the nut from the bottom yet, one of the two screws on one cleat is not budging at all when I tried to unscrew it and the head of the screw is getting mangled. It's probably because I USED MARINE TEX EPOXY IN THE SCREW HOLE a couple of years ago when I didn't really have a clue of how to properly get access to the nut.
How the heck do I get this thing out? If I cut in the above mention access panel, I might be able to bang it out a bit, but I would thing I might end of taking most of the deck out along with the cleat. I guess that means drilling it out, but I really would hate to damage the cleat and then I would still have to epoxy the now larger hole and I just don't have any good access from underneath to do a nice clean job.
Basically, I'm hoping to get a couple of tips to make this job go as smoothly possible.
