toe rail on aeolus

May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
two years ago, six days before i was to go north to have the biggest sailing season of my life, kids have all left the nest, my aorta exploded. i was standing next to a vascular surgeon of great skill when she blew. i had minutes till brain dead. they gutted me in a frenzy. million to one shot, still here.

finally i am going to put aeolus in next week to sail. i think i now have the strenghth to try. whats the worst that could happen now, death? they had never seen what happened to me, so have no prognosis. doc said, you might have twenty days or twenty years , we dont know. go have fun. sailing aeolus is fun, here i go

today the yard called to say there is a 2 foot smile crack in the toe rail under the stainless track for the genoa block cars.
so. my question for you all is, the screws/ bolts ? that hold the track to the toe rail for the track and the screws/ bolts that hold the toe rail to the vessel. how are all these parts put together? screws? bolts? is the strenghth in the wood of the toe rail or is it all bolt through to underneath? i know there are bung caps to horizontal screw along the bottom of the toe rail. i have access to palmer johnson carpenters. i understand west system epoxy usage very well. but i am still in toledo for 7 more days.

can anyone explain how the toe rail is attached? and how the stainless track is secured ?

the crack is from weathering and or age. not from hitting or stressing if you will
 
May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
the inspection of the toe rail / genoa track shows that everything is through bolted verticly. there is access to the nuts and they are not corroded. love fresh water. lift track, make repair, reinstall track, go sailing. love old boats.
 

CaravelaofExe

Alden Forum Moderator
Jan 24, 2006
221
Alden Caravelle 42 / Northern European waters
... and love the fact that you're back talking to us all, Jon, after your, ahem, refit. :)
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
What a scare, Jon! Glad you're still with us. The repair you plan sounds brilliant and strong as new.