I just removed my traveler. A #4 Phillips on a socket is what you need. [url]http://www.sears.com/craftsman-no-4-phillips-bit-socket/p-00944373000P?s.... Try this possibly chucked unto into an hand impact wrench [url]http://www.zoro.com/g/00155822/k-G3395646?utm_source=google_shopping&utm...

Failing this, I'd try and EZ-out next. With the bolts removed, you can slip a filet knife between the bottom of the track and the base to cut the bead of 5200. As a last resort, drill out the heads, lift the track, and vice-grip the shanks. Cut as much of the 5200 as you can using the filet knife, knowing that if the bolts are still in place you'll be working against some 5200.

Makes sure you tape the sheaves into place because the through bolts hold them in. Potentially hundreds of 3/16" black plastic ball bearings rolling down your deck is not what you want.

On my boat, the six inboard bolts thread into a plate that is embedded into the traveler base. The two outer bolts are through-bolted. I'm rebedding mine today, so I'll take some pictures.

The bottom of the sheave box and the traveler base is where the butyl tape will compress in the countersink and do the most good. My plan is to silicon most of the bolt and use butyl where the compression/spreading characteristics will make a gasket. Pictures later today....

Nick, silicon on the bolt will do little, if anything. You should follow Maine Sail's How To rebed deck hardware. You seal the underside of the bolt head with butyl, too. And an extra layer of butyl tape underneath the notch in the bottom of the bar would help, too.

[url]http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/rebedding_hardware[/url]

Press Into Deck Hardware
Press Into Deck Hardware
Step 3 - Press the through bolts into deck hardware with some good pressure.

First though make sure the hardware is clean, Acetone works well, but if Silicone was previously used you'll really want abrasives as Acetone won't touch dry silicone contamination.

Gelcoat silicone contamination is a whole other subject for a whole other day. [B][COLOR="Blue"]Please avoid silicone except for certain tasks involving plastics that require its use.[/COLOR][/B]

Thanks Stu. As soon is the weather in New England improves, I'll tackle the bedding challenge. This is the only area of our boat that has slightly elevated moisture readings and I believe it represents one of the most challenging areas to bed properly. Six of the eight threaded fasteners are machine screws (meaning the head is turned to tighten) and the remaining two are bolts (meaning a nut is turned to tighten). I think butyl is like any other sealant when it comes to the head of a machine screw, i.e., the act of fastening twists out much of the sealant. But with a properly prepared hole and fastened bolt (countersunk hole and bolt head held absolutely still while the nut is turned) butyl for sure is the best choice as it compresses into a beveled o-ring.

Fair to note the traveler track does not sit directly on the traveler base. Each threaded fastener head is countersunk into the track, then passes through the track, then passes through a sheave box, then passes through a bit of the traveler base, and then engages either the nut plate or nuts. If you count 'um up, each threaded fastener gives water an ingress opportunity at five different places. That's 40 places total! The vast majority of water ingress is likely from the top and bottom of each sheave where the fasteners pass through and where butyl cannot be applied. I was originally thinking silicon here because of it's flow characteristics, but I'm rethinking this. My strategy is to butyl where the sheave box meets the countersinks I've made in the traveler base and just use silicon on the portion of the machine screws that extend down past the countersink as a last line of defense.

Any updates or thoughts on the best way to re-bed the traveler bar?  I am considering using buytal tape but am concerned that by turning the bolts I will displace the butyal.

What has everyone else ended up using and were you happy with the results?

Thanks

In the Fall 2014 Issue of Mainsheet I did a write-up on rebedding of our traveler.  Using a moisture meter every season since indicates no water ingress.