Legend 40.5 Removing the Traveler

Rick D · Jan 18, 2021

Wow, the PO butchered that. I had my hood modified with a cut just in front of the solar panel in order to gain access to the deck organizers. However, they did it professionally and made a lip between the two parts of the hood and cut out and filled the core. As far as the rotten core, Rich Stidger can help out.
As far as the removal of the traveler, as I recall (poorly) from various threads (try search) on this subject, the access plates in the cabin needed removal and the nut(s) removed. Then an impact wrench for the other bolts. However, I'm sure that others who actually did it can weigh in. Have fun

Mike Oldak · Jan 20, 2021

While my 1984 H34 is a different boat, I would think that self tapping screws are NOT the way Hunter would have installed your traveler rail since I doubt that self tapping screws into fiberglass or ?? would hold. I replaced my system with a Harken system by merely unscrewing the 1/4 x 18 (?) screws that held the rail to the deck and then into a plate that is tapped and secured in the deck itself. I then placed the new rail on top of the old rail. Harken sells rails that have the same 4 inch hole spacing as the original. I put the new rail on top of the old one since the original rail sits in a valley and only needed to use longer screws.

MetricMountie · Jan 21, 2021

Sandy Frank, send me a PM and I can talk you through the whole process from seahood fix to traveller removal and re-install. I've done the whole mess, seahood is a piece of cake, traveller not so much. Karl

MetricMountie · Feb 10, 2021

Good to see that you've made some progress. Instead of WD40, try a 50/50 mix of Automatic Transmission Fluid and Acetone. Let it sit, then as I mentioned before turn the bolt out a bit then back in. When you free the remaining bolts or is they break, try and find a reverse thread die, use the die to put some threads on the broken bolt, turn on the right size nut and gently work the remained out with a back and forth turn like before. If you have to try and drill them out, get a mortising drill bit and sleeve, remove the internal spring and using a titanium drill bit drill a small pilot hole, followed up with a slightly bigger bit. The mortising rig will keep the bits centered over the damaged phillips screw head. The use an easy out to turn the bolts out from there.

Marmalade · Feb 10, 2021

If you have to drill it, order left handed drill bits from McMaster... way better to have the drill working in your favor. I prefer left-handed cobalt for drilling-out stainless fasteners. Depending on size, they are like $5 each... well worth it!

Rick D · Feb 10, 2021

Marmalade said:
If you have to drill it, order left handed drill bits from McMaster... way better to have the drill working in your favor. I prefer left-handed cobalt for drilling-out stainless fasteners. Depending on size, they are like $5 each... well worth it!

Terrific hint. I had to do that after beating myself up removing a stanchion. Got a small set of left handed drills, and it went fast and smooth.

Mike Oldak · Feb 13, 2021

I took a few screws out of my H34 travelor and found the same 1/4 20? screws ... just to see what was holding it in place using my Makita driver. To "keep the boat water tight" I put some sealant adhesive on the screws. MISTAKE. It looks like you have the same on your screws. When I later tried to remove all the screws to install the new travelor rail, even with my electric driver I buggered the heads of several of the screws. I ended up drilling out the heads in order to lift the rail with the screw shafts still in place. Locking plyers were needed to finally remove the old screws.

MetricMountie · Feb 15, 2021

Sandy Frank, try a company called Fasten All they have all those bolts you need.

MetricMountie · Feb 23, 2021

Sandy, when I tore into the bottom of the seahood, I found no less than four (4) seperate pieces of aluminum that measured about 1.5" wide and a 1/4" thick. They had been drilled and tapped to accept the traveller bolts from above. One of the bolts actually held nothing as the threads were cut into the aluminum stock right where two pieces butted up against one another. I filled that whole void with glass matt and thickened epoxy and then glassed over it with 1708 cloth. Once the rebuild was finished I drill the old holes through and through and bolted the traveller to it with a 1/4" stainless plate of the same dimensions as the original aluminum. The traveller is going no where fast.

MetricMountie · Feb 23, 2021

They special ordered the one's I got.

MetricMountie · Feb 23, 2021

Why build a mold, remove the bottom skin and recore it with foam and glass the two pieces back together.

Rick D · Feb 23, 2021

SandyFrank said:
Small update just for any future google searches.

View attachment 190324

Replacing the small bolts that go into the hood with: 1/4-20 x 3" here:
-https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/14-20-flat-socket-head-screw-316-stainless-steel-p/2010-104.htm

The large bolts that go between the traveler and the deck are very difficult to find: Flat head 5/16-18 x 7"
-I have not found them.

I think I got them through McMaster-Carr. A friend in Italy could not find them locally.

MetricMountie · Feb 26, 2021

The traveller is indeed aluminum and I don't worry much about a reaction between the two more than there has been in the past. When I did the re-install of the long bolts into the ends of the traveller and then into the plates embedded in the coach roof I coated all the threads on the bolts top to bottom with and anti-galling compound to limit the galvanic reaction that took place originally. I also now back the bolts out on an annual basis and then reseat them to further guarantee a smooth removal if needed in the future. As to the bolts that go through the traveller and into the seahood with the stainless acorn nuts now on the outside and not embedded, you can again service them when you wish. If you have to you could go to a machine shop and have the long bolts made there. They can take the old bolt, install it on a lathe and get the cup profile of the bottom of the bolt head and then turn you two bolts to the proper length and simple cut a deep slot across the top for a bladed screwdriver or better still a hexhead (Allen key ) or use a Torx head bolt with the new profile.

You and I seem to be like minded, I'm in the process of laying up a mold for the anchor locker hatch on a friends 27 Cherubini Hunter, I fixed the crack in the original and using it as a plug for the new mold. Here are pictures of the rebuild of the seahood. Two 1/4" pieces of Corecel foam laid in opposite directions to avoid any joints falling in the same line, set in place with West System Epoxy, followed by two layers of 1708 cloth then the original glass that I cut and removed from the underside set in place with thickened West System then glassed along the edge seams with two layer of 1708 cut in strips with no overlapping joints. Better than new strength wise. Sanded the non skid and replaced with Kiwi Grip.

Legend 40.5 Removing the Traveler

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments

.