What rivet type used to hold goose neck on mast

[Tallgrass Sailor]

I have a 1985 h23 on which the gooseneck has been located at varying heights during its past life. The goose neck is now mounted with what appears to be 3/16 aluminum domed blind rivets. One of these aluminum rivets looks stretched. I think could just slide a credit card between mast and the upper port corner of the goose neck flange. The rest of the flange sits flush on the mast. A fellow sailor suggested replacing all of the rivets with stainless steel. I'll try to post a picture of the GN this weekend.

Q. Is it 'unsafe ' to sail as is or should it be repaired before going out again?
Q. Should I replace this one 'stretched' rivet now or do all of them??
Q. What do you other h23 owners have on your boat's goose neck?
Q. Has anyone ever moved their goose neck or replaced the rivets because of damage or corrosion?
Q. Does anyone have stainless rivets holding their gooseneck?

Thanks in advance and happy sailing!

Brad

 

[Bill Roosa]

This is one of those strength (of SS) or corrosion issues. With SS in aluminum you get corrosion but the connection is stronger. With aluminum rivets you don't get the corrosion but the connection is weaker.
Goosenecks do get some pretty high loads on them so I'd keep an eye on it while the loads are being applied to see if it is moving against the mast. It should not move at all till failure and some other part should fail first relieving the load on the gooseneck.
I'd say it is probably safe, trust but verify.
I would replace the stretched one if you can get the gooseneck to lie flat against the mast. If it will not lie flat there is not much sense in going through the drill.
My 40.5 has stainless rivets.
I have replaced the SS rivets on another boat boom and there was significant corrosion of the aluminum. Given that doing SS rivets requires a special rivet gun I opted for aluminum ones. I've had no problems in 4 years.

 

[soling42]

If there is significant corrosion I'd drill them all out to fit a rivet one size larger and you should be good for another 25years. If it's SS rivets like mine are you could beg your local rigger to borrow his gun and a few rivets or harbor freight has a hydraulic gun for something like $50. I'm guessing you'll go with an aluminum replacement(which should be fine).

Have a safe season, Mike

 

[Deucer]

If you go with SS, you can paint the mast with zinc chromate paint to deduce the corrosion. I do that anytime I've got dissimilar metals in contact. I did that when I replace the bolt holding the solid stays on my H206 mast.

 

[RobertG-NJ]

Rivet Size

You do not specify your mast/spar brand, but for the Z spar on the H-23 the aluminum cast bracket the rivets used are definitely 1/4 - 6mm (see Rig-rite site). You can get the rivets elsewhere. Not sure if SS. They may be a special alloy. You will need a special rivet tool as the commonly available tools are only up to 3/16" .

 

[jpfx]

have a look at dwyer masts if you have the inclination. You can buy what you need but you might get some other ideas from the stuff they have on their site.
http://www.dwyermast.com/

 

[Don Guillette]

Tallgrass Sailor: Here's my opinion for what it's worth. I think I can solve most of your problems.

There are 3 ways to attach an item to a alum mast or boom and after many years of attaching Garhauer stuff to boats I rejected two of them and they are tapping the hole (you're lucky if you get 3 threads) and using pop rivets.

What I prefer is a product called a RIVNUT. Do a google search to check them out. The unit looks like a top hat that is threaded inside and if one of these items ever pulled out it would take a nice chunk of the mast or boom with it. The RivNut was developed for the aircraft industry and the automotive industry uses them to attach lights and stuff to police cars, ambulances etc where thin metal is involved.

If you decide to use them you take the same precautions as suggested when you join two dissimiliar metals.

The only fastening devise I use on my boat is RivNuts but that is one thing. The big thing is what I'd use on other folks boats where there could be big problems (for me) due to a failure. I've never heard of a RivNut failure. Once I attached it with a RivNut I knew it would never pull out. Sometimes and only at home I use pop rivets but I can't think of the last time I used a pop rivet over a RivNut other than when I was too lazy to go to my motor home to get the RivNut tools!!

 

[Don Guillette]

Tallgrass sailor: My wife just reminded me where I last used a pop rivet - it was last week on my garage screen door.

 

[Maine Sail]

Brion Toss, one of the most respected master riggers in the country would suggest stainless rivets coated with TegGel and I quote; "for anything more than a winch holder"..... Our spar is a 1979 Proctor and most every fitting is riveted with SS. Not a single issue in over 70k nm.....

 

[Graham Evans]

How about Monel metal rivets? I've used them on previous boats - they're a nickel /copper alloy to reduce corrosion. And they can be put in with an ordinary pop rivet gun - so no hassle there!