@stickinthemud57 DONT USE SILICONE! Use 3M 4200 or Loctite marine sealant instead. The latter is a copy of 4200 and is about $5 for a caulk tube if I remember correctly
Supporting Hunter 170 for centerboard removal
- Thread starter stickinthemud57
- Start date
Thanks for the advice. Why do you advise against silicon? Would this apply to other locations on the boat?
Silicone fails much sooner than reputable marine sealants. They often (but not always) do not have UV inhibitors. The only time you want to use silicone on a boat is when your mounting windows. Even then you'll want to use a special silicone based product. Polycarbonate is incompatible with 4200/5200. A lot of people try to avoid 5200 because it's very difficult to remove. Bed-it, which is manufactured by a member on this board, is my preferred sealant. It's a specialized butyl rubber. If you're unfamiliar with butyl, it's simiilar to wet chewing gum but cleans up pretty easily. It's much easier to work with than sealants from a tube, less mess and it won't squeeze out when you tighten a fitting. When you tighten hardware down it will ooze out but what remains under the fitting will just become a thinner layer. One roll should last you a few years
Update! I have come up with an easier way to remove and re-install the centerboard using the board-raising-and-lowering hoist rig that typically attaches to the tabernacle. I tie a short piece of rope around the boom vang and re-rig the hoist to that. See photo.
This has made the whole process much easier.
This has made the whole process much easier.
The Clam cleat is only holding 25lbs based on the 4:1 purchase system, but us not designed to hold up like that. Its just thin alu min num. The screws are short and only bedded with luran. It can handle sideways pretty good.
Glad this worked for you
Can we talk about that mount on the mast sail slug track.
Is that a winch?
Glad this worked for you
Can we talk about that mount on the mast sail slug track.
Is that a winch?
Good point on the cleat. Now that you mention it, I can see that being pulled at an upward angle like that could pull those screws out. Would have been better to make it off to the main halyard cleat. Next time...
The mount on the mast is for a GoPro. Very simple arrangement. A flat helmet mount is screwed to a 1/2" thick piece of plastic. I took a bolt and ground the shaft area just under the head of the bolt so it would slide into the slug track. The bolt passes through the 1/2" plastic and the whole arrangement can slide up and down the slug track. Once in place, I tighten the wing nut.
You have no doubt noted the sail feed slot at the bottom of the mast. That was a mistake made by the mast fabricator, but has proven to be fairly handy in this instance.
I have also made a camera mount for the top of the mast. I'll post some links to my videos one of these days.
I did install a winch for the main halyard, which can be seen near the top of the frame. It's a true relic; something that has sat on my curio shelf for years. I can now pull the wrinkles out of the luff of my main!
The mount on the mast is for a GoPro. Very simple arrangement. A flat helmet mount is screwed to a 1/2" thick piece of plastic. I took a bolt and ground the shaft area just under the head of the bolt so it would slide into the slug track. The bolt passes through the 1/2" plastic and the whole arrangement can slide up and down the slug track. Once in place, I tighten the wing nut.
You have no doubt noted the sail feed slot at the bottom of the mast. That was a mistake made by the mast fabricator, but has proven to be fairly handy in this instance.
I have also made a camera mount for the top of the mast. I'll post some links to my videos one of these days.
I did install a winch for the main halyard, which can be seen near the top of the frame. It's a true relic; something that has sat on my curio shelf for years. I can now pull the wrinkles out of the luff of my main!