Hi, everyone.
I made it to Miami and am living the dream in Dinner Key Marina now. FINALLY got my internet connection going on the boat. Happy times :-) Now for the not-so-happy part:
Someday soon, I have to repair the fiberglass under this jib/spinnaker track. I'm trying to imagine how to remove the track. (See pic). It is thru-bolted, but I can't think of a way to get a socket wrench on the nuts beneath. No way to access them.
Thoughts?
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Ben Ethridge
Miami, FL
1984 MK1 Hull# 263
Easiest bet is to get a pair of long-nosed vise grips onto the nuts and then back the bolts out from the top. However you are about to find out how effectively those SS bolts can weld themselves to the aluminum track.
Jason V
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Have you've tried this on these particular bolts? Reason I ask is because I can't even see how to get way up in there to even get a pair of vise grips on them. I don't see any way to access many of them. Do you have a way?
Ben Ethridge
Miami, FL
1984 MK1 Hull# 263
Take a look at this - maybe it will help. It's from a Catalina brochure I found online. The C36 would have the middle construction.
Dave C
"Corvus"
Mk II #2116
On my boat I can get access to 95% of them with vice grips - they are up behind a little flange of fiberglass with a teak trim strip screwed to the front of it.
Jason V
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Or maybe this, from a 1994 brochure, I think.
[url]http://bradcrabtree.com/Site/brochures/catalina_past/36-2.pdf[/url]
Dave C
"Corvus"
Mk II #2116
Thanks (and thanks for the pics, davecask). What did you to get at the other 5%?
Ben Ethridge
Miami, FL
1984 MK1 Hull# 263
Ok. I have to assume no one has ever actually done this before. I'm calling Kent (Catalina staff engineer) this week, to see if he has any ideas.
Ben Ethridge
Miami, FL
1984 MK1 Hull# 263