Where are the stanchion bolt nuts?????

[George Da Porge]

I need to repair the gunwale, starboard side, just forward of the "gate" stanchion. Yesterday I was attempting to remove the stanchion. In the cabin under this stanchion is the electrical panel. It will be extremely difficult to remove the primary stanchion nut as it is.

When I looked for the nuts for the "brace" part of the stanchion (this is the circled part in the pictures), they cannot be seen. The electrical panel box completely blocks them. With that in mind I then assumed these 2 bolts must be screws. They turned, but did not unscrew. So I am back to assuming they are bolts with nuts???

Does anyone know if these are screws or bolts? If bolts, now does one access them? Cut a hole in the vertical surface near the terminal strip (see pic 4). I realize this hole would then be an avenue for water to get to electrical wiring, and would need sealing when done.

 

[Guts1236]

turn one to see if it is a screw

 

[Capt jgw]

The hardware often is installed before the deck and hull are joined, with no thought about future repairs. You're just going to have to figure out how to get in there, then repair any damage done in the process.
Photo 4 looks like a piece of wood the nuts might be behind. Is there a way to get this off? Must be held on with screws or something, I would think removing it would be better than cutting it
.

 

[Stu Jackson]

In a recent Mainsheet magazine, Gerry Douglas noted that Catalina has been using embedded plates in the deck on newer models. It appears your boat may be a C30MkII. Older boats were thru bolted with limited but "doable" access. Most every Catalina that I've heard of, and the three I've owned, have excellent to at least good access to everything.

The hardware often is installed before the deck and hull are joined, with no thought about future repairs.
.

This is incorrect at least as far as Catalina is concerned. That base is on the toe rail/gunwale and should be screwed into a plate.

 

[caguy]

Try calling and ask them. They are very helpful. There is a skeleton screw in Woodland Hills as of a couple of years ago. They have all the blue prints in Woodland Hills.

Catalina Yachts • 21200 Victory Boulevard • Woodland Hills, California 91367 • Phone 818 884-7700
Catalina Yachts Florida • 7200 Bryan Dairy Rd • Largo, FL 33777 • Phone 727-544-6681

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I'm with Stu on the embedded plates.

My 1999 Hunter uses 3/8" aluminum plates on all stanchions and a few other things where you might expect to find nuts on the other sides. They're great ................ until you want to remove the machine screws. I've removed two and both were galled in place. With these, I was able to drill out the chewed up hole and use nuts on the new machine screws. Pure luck in that case.

Something you'll want to do a lot of navel gazing on before diving into the project.

 

[Stu Jackson]

An impact driver might be a good tool to have for those bolts/machine screws. I'd try slathering them with PB Blaster a day ahead of time, too.

 

[Ixg19]

I did the port side, gate stantion yesterday. You are correct about the bolt location. If you look at the port side you'll see that all 5 bolts are accessible, but very tight. The setup will be the same, just behind that box. They are difficult but doable. Getting it all back together was much easier than taking it down. It helped to remove the uppermost wood trim of the galley shelving to give yourself a bit more access. Obviously things are a little different starboard, but the bolts are tucked up in the fiberglass lip about an inch and a half in from the outer hull. There are no plates. Washer, locking washer and nut.

 

[George Da Porge]

I did the port side, gate stantion yesterday. You are correct about the bolt location. If you look at the port side you'll see that all 5 bolts are accessible, but very tight. The setup will be the same, just behind that box. They are difficult but doable. Getting it all back together was much easier than taking it down. It helped to remove the uppermost wood trim of the galley shelving to give yourself a bit more access. Obviously things are a little different starboard, but the bolts are tucked up in the fiberglass lip about an inch and a half in from the outer hull. There are no plates. Washer, locking washer and nut.

I am assuming the electrical box is glued/epoxied in place. Any knowledge about that? All of the other stanchion bolts are accessible, like you note regarding those on the port side.

 

[Hayden Watson]

I rebedded my starboard gate stanchions last year and there is NO access. I have a 7mm scope that I inserted into the 2" x 2" space and found that there are nuts and washers on the bolts for the gate brace about 18" into the hole.: cussing: You can remove them but it is not possible to put the nuts and washers back on.

What I did was remove the bolts with a LOOONNNGG 7/16" wrench using my scope to get the box end on the nuts. They fell somewhere and remain in the great abyss. I then drilled the holes oversized and epoxied brass barrel bolts into the oversized holes. Now I do not need nuts because they are cast into the deck. :dance:

The 1/2"ø bolts in the end of the stanchion are another matter. For them I was able to use a "cats paw" wrench to tighten them. The work is done in the blind and slow because you can only tighten 1/6 of a turn each time. I also needed to use a spacer to hold the stanchion up so that only a little of the bolt came through the deck because if it protruded fully, the nut was on the deck flange and could not be turned.

No problem, it only took a couple of days with fiberglass skinned knuckles.

 

[George Da Porge]

Thanks Hayden! Confirms my suspicions. Regarding the primary upright nut and 2 bolts, I am considering cutting an oblong hole in the piece of fiberglass that the trim is attached, to make the access easier. Maybe 1/2" high x 2-1/2" long. My concern with that is this vertical piece of fiberglass is providing some deck stiffness. Thoughts?

 

[Stu Jackson]

George,

I'm truly sorry I got it wrong.

FYI, the Spring 2015 issue of Mainsheet magazine has an article in the C320 Tech section which essentially describes exactly what Hayden did. You both have the same construction detail/dilemma/challenge.

I always suggest Catalina owners join their respective Associations and read the entire magazine.

Good luck.