Hunter 260 rudder post lower bracket

[Crazy Dave Condon]

I need some help here folks. I had an inquiry about the three stainless steel bolts holding the lower delrin rudder post bracket to the transom. If memory serves me, there is an aluminum plate embedded in the fiberglass which those three bolts are tightened into. Since the question was asked about all three bolts being loose and turning around, am I correct on what I just stated?

If so, I advised going to the next size larger bolt and retaping that aluminum plate. Anyone who has repaired an issue like this, please respond. If not the other thing would have been long bolts all the way thru secured by nylon nuts with washers.

I am sorry to ask this but my memory well for lack of terms cannot remember exactly. Old fartitis is setting in.

 

[Regular Guy]

Hi Dave,
I had a problem with getting water in the boat through one of the bracket screws and had to reseal. The screws go all the way through and can, in the case you describe, be secured by washers and nuts on the other end when the aluminium thread is damaged.
Hope the pictures are good enough. The first picture shows the outside of the upper bracket and the last picture the outside of the upper and lower rudder post brackets.
The second picture shows the screws of the upper brake ending in the gasoline cabinet. The third picture is the one you are most interested in, it shows the ends of the screws of the lower bracket, coming out under the cockpit, behind the berth wall.
Hope this helps,
Hart

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Regular guy;
Thank you my friend. I will advise the fellow who sent me a private email. It is always best to make sure before advising and the first advice from me was spot on. I suggested to him to first try using larger bolts to include tapping for them and if that did not work, then he will need to thru bolt and then use large washers with nylon nuts possibly two to keep the first one from backing off. It is just a hassel to remove the rear berth wall to get to that if he has to go the latter suggestion.

Hart, again thank you for responding.

 

[lcd60]

Regular guy;
Thank you my friend. I will advise the fellow who sent me a private email. It is always best to make sure before advising and the first advice from me was spot on. I suggested to him to first try using larger bolts to include tapping for them and if that did not work, then he will need to thru bolt and then use large washers with nylon nuts possibly two to keep the first one from backing off. It is just a hassel to remove the rear berth wall to get to that if he has to go the latter suggestion.

Hart, again thank you for responding.

Dear Crazy Dave
One of my bolts on the lower rudder post bracket is stripped , But I can't see how one would get below the bolt ( regular guy only shows how to get to the upper bolts) to put a nut on. even so just tapping and using a larger bolt would be way easier. My question is : did the fellow you advised tap the hole and use a larger bolt , and was he successful ?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

The first option is to tap for the next size bolt as there is an aluminum plate encapsulate into the fiberglasss. The second would be secure from inside as described above. Hopefully Kermit and Rgranger are going to assist when we remove that rear berth wall next month on Kermit's boat up here on the mountain top. If you still have a question or two send me a phone number with location so I call at a reasonable time to go over with you on what to do. All contact information is confidential and I generally discard it once we are done. Some do some don't but that is an individual choice. The only thing is the individual also respects me not giving out my phone on this site nor to anyone as that is left up to me for security reasons.

Kermit, leg hurting yesterday and I was like a mean old grizzly bear with the nerve endings going out the wazoo. I will talk with you later this week my friend.

 

[lcd60]

Thank you for the QUICK reply , you have given me the confidence to tap and replace bolt . I will now look for a suitable bolt and tap. Whatever happens I will report (take pictures) to help others (in the spirit of Crazy Dave).

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Thank you sir but feel free anytime to contact me

 

[lcd60]

Turned out the bolt (port side on the lower rudder post bracket) was not stripped but broken off 1/2" into the hull below the lower bracket . After taking the rudder post bracket off I used the "Alden 7017P 7pc Extractor Kit" 5/16 bit to remove the end of the bolt which was broken off right at the top of the aluminum plate embedded in the fiberglass.

 

[nwright77]

I think I might be the one Crazy Dave recommended drilling and tapping the hole... just getting around to the repair now. I’ve had difficulty locating the 1/2” replacement screw. If anyone has recommendations on where to find one would be great. Another idea I had for the repair was to drill and tap for 1/2” and use a helical re-thread insert to use the original 3/8” machine screw.

 

[Fred Villiard]

McMaster Carr