Hello: I have my 1985 H34 in drydock right now and am adding an anchor track and roller to carry a second anchor on the bow. I want to know if I can safely remove two of the bolts from the bow deck plate temporarily in order to install the new anchor channel. We will replace the bolts with longer ones which will go through both the new anchor channel and the deck plate. One bolt is along the gunwale, and there is a nut on the underside. That one is easy. What worries me though is that we also want to replace the aft/port-side/center bolt on the plate, and we can't get to and can't see the back side of the bolt. I don't know whether it just screws into a piece of metal that is glassed into the deck or if there is a nut on the other end that will fall off and that we will not be able to replace it. Does anyone know the details of how these plates are attached to the hull? There is an access panel at the forward end of the v-berth, but this gives us the bottom of the anchor chain locker and the bottom of the plate is forward and above that locker. We've tried to stick a hand and a mirror up there to figure out what the other side looks like, but no luck. Thanks in advance for your help. Den Drown Hunter 34: "Kojos'a"
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I've removed mine.
Your challenge is to remove the screws. That takes horsepower. That means using a powerful impact driver. The screw is threaded into a aluminum plate. If the screw doesn't strip its' threads, your OK. When I took mine off, with help, I had a welder duplicate the starboard roller with another to the port side. It sounds like you might be doing the same job. P.S. In any case, don't sweat it. If you want to bolt on another roller, then the old bolt hole on the stem head fitting could be used but it is not necessary. Just drill another hole in the stem head and then drop a longer bolt into the space in front of the anchor locker. Take note of the access port I installed. That will give you access to the bolt head you will need. Have fun, a sailor should always have two rollers.
Your challenge is to remove the screws. That takes horsepower. That means using a powerful impact driver. The screw is threaded into a aluminum plate. If the screw doesn't strip its' threads, your OK. When I took mine off, with help, I had a welder duplicate the starboard roller with another to the port side. It sounds like you might be doing the same job. P.S. In any case, don't sweat it. If you want to bolt on another roller, then the old bolt hole on the stem head fitting could be used but it is not necessary. Just drill another hole in the stem head and then drop a longer bolt into the space in front of the anchor locker. Take note of the access port I installed. That will give you access to the bolt head you will need. Have fun, a sailor should always have two rollers.
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