O'day 28 Mainsail track rebeding

[sail cape cod]

Happy New Year this is my first post with a new/old boat. It is a 1981 28 I purchased in the early winter and have been taking it apart ever since. There is rot in the counter top below the main track so I assume it has been leaking for some time. I have removed the electrical panel and am rebuilding all the connections. The electrical box is rotted too. Any rotted wood or plywood parts are in the process of being replaced. I have cut the counter top just to the left of the sink to get to solid wood. A couple of pictures show the rot before removal.

My question is removing the track is it a washer and nut up inside the fiberglass linerl and what is the best way to get them out without losing them in the liner? I was thinking of installing stainless tubes over a longer screw so the nut would be easier to install. Has anyone done this with success?

Thanks for your help I am sure this is my first of many questions.

 

[Joe11688]

Happy New Year this is my first post with a new/old boat. It is a 1981 28 I purchased in the early winter and have been taking it apart ever since. There is rot in the counter top below the main track so I assume it has been leaking for some time. I have removed the electrical panel and am rebuilding all the connections. The electrical box is rotted too. Any rotted wood or plywood parts are in the process of being replaced. I have cut the counter top just to the left of the sink to get to solid wood. A couple of pictures show the rot before removal.

My question is removing the track is it a washer and nut up inside the fiberglass linerl and what is the best way to get them out without losing them in the liner? I was thinking of installing stainless tubes over a longer screw so the nut would be easier to install. Has anyone done this with success?

Thanks for your help I am sure this is my first of many questions.

Whereas you live on the Cape, I would take a ride down to see Rudy Nickerson in Assonet, off Rt. 24. http://www.drmarine.com/ I would call him first, though. Rudy has a store chalk full of O'Day parts, plus a lot of used parts up in the loft. Rudy worked for O'Day years back and when they went out of business, he bought all the boat molds and stock. He is very knowledgeable about these boats, having built them when he went off on his own.
Joe