Loose Fixings with No access to the rear

Bigplumbs

Bigplumbs

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On my Sealine S24 I have a few items fixed to the boat where the fixings are loose and I have no access to the nut at the rear so it just keeps turning.

Others must have had this issue so was wondering what those that have have done

Thanks
 
Can you make/drill a small hole and inject an epoxy and leave it to set? Apart from cutting it open to gain access, that’s the only solution I can think of.
 
Unless the nuts are captive nuts of some kind, whoever installed the equipment must have had access to the nuts to hold or turn them whilst tightening the fastening.

You are going to have to regain that access by removing whatever was installed afterwards and is blocking it or create a new means of access using the least possible amount of butchery.

Suppose, for example, you were forced to cut a hole in a panel to get your hand or a spanner in. You could make it the size of a small ventilator or loudspeaker and disguise it like that.

Some photos would help.
 
Some Pics

Snap-Davit.jpg


Flag-Pole.jpg
 
Time to get creative, you only have a couple of options, long extensions, deep sockets, crows foot spanners to fit your extensions bars or cut holes in inconspicuous areas, under seats, at the back of lockers etc and fit small inspection hatches when finished.
I’ve had to to this many times on different boats.
 
two thoughts...
jam a screwdriver under the head of the fastening and twist to apply tension and hopefully jam the nut against the inside surface hard enough to allow you to unscrew it against friction.
or
Mask off the surrounding area and carefully grind/cut off the head with an angle grinder, then push the fastener into the void .

Replace with a rivnut or similar
 
tico said:
two thoughts...
jam a screwdriver under the head of the fastening and twist to apply tension and hopefully jam the nut against the inside surface hard enough to allow you to unscrew it against friction.
or
Mask off the surrounding area and carefully grind/cut off the head with an angle grinder, then push the fastener into the void .

Replace with a rivnut or similar
Click to expand...

I tried the old Jamming in the Screwdriver thing but no dice.

So my solution is going to be:

Mask around the object. Tap in small wedges to take up slack. Fill gap with CT1 and smooth off.

Not idea I know but it will be ok for me
 
Bigplumbs said:
I tried the old Jamming in the Screwdriver thing but no dice.

So my solution is going to be:

Mask around the object. Tap in small wedges to take up slack. Fill gap with CT1 and smooth off.

Not idea I know but it will be ok for me
Click to expand...
Looking at those fixings that sounds like a good idea to me. Other wise you will end up taking the boat apart for what appears to be a cosmetic issue.
 
kashurst said:
Looking at those fixings that sounds like a good idea to me. Other wise you will end up taking the boat apart for what appears to be a cosmetic issue.
Click to expand...

Yes indeed...… I suspect for those who get a little afflicted with OCD that would not do but it will do for me :)
 
I would imagine that, on both of those fixing pictured, it would be possible to get behind them. The snap davit almost certainly would have been installed post build. You may need a small child to get into the gaps though :)
 
CLB said:
I would imagine that, on both of those fixing pictured, it would be possible to get behind them. The snap davit almost certainly would have been installed post build. You may need a small child to get into the gaps though :)
Click to expand...

You have an excellent imagination and perhaps a small child :) that could come in useful but If only it were that easy. I was hoping that there would be some sort of clever thing like a plasterboard fixing in SS but no one seems to have suggested that.

The Joys of boating.

I just completed what should have been a 10 min Job on a little rib. To replace a broken bolt that holds the lift bracket on a 15 hp Outboard. I have a lot of tools and loads of spares and fixings. The truth was

It took 2 hours to get the old bolt out. I then found it was M7 (Who the heck uses M7). I went to a very useful fixings shop (Closed for Lunch) waited 40 mins and you guessed it no M7 in SS in stock.

Came home spent another 1 - 2 hours filing the hole to M8 (could not get a drill in) and the job is now done.... Total time all in about 5 hrs....... So a bill might have been 5 @£60 Plus material £5.00 plus VAT = £366.00... Now who would have wanted to pay that...... But that is the reality

Dennis
 
What you need is a racing snake with 3 elbows. I fitted davits to my boat. To gain access to the swim platform interior I had to dismantle to engines to the short block and remove all rear cockpit seating. Five hours for your dingy? Sounds about right. My davits had 8 bolts and the job took about 40 hours to complete. Cost me a shedload of beer and goodwill. (2 guys @two and a half days)
 
Having owned a S24 ( great boat) I‘ve been trying to think how the bracket was fitted and I guess it was before the rear seat back was sikaflexed in.
Bit extreme but if all ease fails you could tyre leaver the seat back off to expose the nut.
when I say tyre leaver I mean pull a little cut the sika, pull a little more etc
 
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