Advice please

[petersto]

On my boom I have 2 brackets for attaching my kicking strap. One is the original, one an add on. The add on looked suspect and anyway is not needed so I have removed it. However I am left with 4 holes, the fixings which were rivets. I would like to put a stainless steel plate over the 4 holes but cannot rivet due to the internal profile of the boom.(which is why it was a bad job in the first place) so I would guess stainless steel self tappers. My question is what are the thoughts of those who know about these things on the possibility of corrosion between stainless and aluminium.

 

[pvb]

Use Duralac.

 

[VicS]

On my boom I have 2 brackets for attaching my kicking strap. One is the original, one an add on. The add on looked suspect and anyway is not needed so I have removed it. However I am left with 4 holes, the fixings which were rivets. I would like to put a stainless steel plate over the 4 holes but cannot rivet due to the internal profile of the boom.(which is why it was a bad job in the first place) so I would guess stainless steel self tappers. My question is what are the thoughts of those who know about these things on the possibility of corrosion between stainless and aluminium.

Use Duralac ( barium chromate paste) between the stainless steel and the aluminium or an insulating gasket and just a dab of Duralac on the screws

Use an aluminium plate rather than stainless with a dab of Duralac on the screws ???

Just put screws in the holes with a dab of Duralac ??

 

[petersto]

Thanks for that VicS I like the idea of the aluminium plate, pity they don't do aluminium screws(somebodies about to say of course they do) I am told that Duralac is about the same price as gold at the chandlers! Any ideas?

 

[petersto]

Just found sensible price. Ta

 

[Kelpie]

Why not just leave the holes? Consider it extra drainage/ventilation. You're not going to restore the original strength of the boom whatever you do, so I would just leave alone.

 

[sailorman]

Why not just leave the holes? Consider it extra drainage/ventilation. You're not going to restore the original strength of the boom whatever you do, so I would just leave alone.

you will be advocating cutting holes to save weight next

 

[LadyInBed]

If it is just 4 holes, just leave them, maybe with a dab of aluminium primer on.
If it's 4 holes with a big hole in the middle, then I would use an aluminium plate held on with chemical metal, then painted over with aluminium primer.

 

[petersto]

I totally agree Kelpie but they look awful. Not clean holes but a small amount of corrosion around each hole.

 

[Kelpie]

Oh well in that case, a wee blob of chemical metal just to tidy it all up. If the holes are very large or ragged I would have to ask whether the integrity of the boom may have been compromised?

 

[geoffatstanpit]

Duct tape?

 

[macd]

Duct tape? A perfect solution...for a boat kept indoors. Sheesh.

 

[30boat]

If it's only because of the aesthetics why not plug the holes with stainless steel self tappers?A bit of Duralac will avoid corrosion.Cut the points off the screws so they don't chafe on any internal lines.

 

[Amulet]

My take is that you can simply use stainless screws. Corrosion may weld them in place, but the only work they are doing is cosmetic. I have lots of home made aluminium bits at the top of the mast held together with stainless set screws. They have come to no harm in ten years. The staunchions my dad made for the boat are stainless tube with an aluminium plug in the top. They look fine, and the boat is 50 years old this year.

 

[alahol2]

Surely if you can put self tappers in you could put a rivet in each hole? Would look much neater I would suggest.

 

[30boat]

Surely if you can put self tappers in you could put a rivet in each hole? Would look much neater I would suggest.

Or that.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Don't riggers who patch poor areas in masts and booms, often add patches to those areas with adhesive and /or rivets/screws +

Duralac?

In that way a little extra strength IS added to the area as well as tidying it up.

My mast is original. When I bought the boat the survey threw up mast problems, around the base where a stainless strap attached

the kicker and the areas where the crosstrees attached to the mast. All were done in the above manner - stronger than when new!

S.