Machine screws stuck in mast - how to get out?

[MissFitz]

My Sonata is currently set up so that the kite halyard cleats off on the mast. I want to bring it back to the cockpit so need to remove the mast cleat.

Yesterday I went to do this and found that it is/was attached to the mast with machine screws and nuts, with the nuts on the outside. So when I take the nuts and cleat off, I’m left with two machine screws sticking out of the mast that I can’t pull out. One is loose and would easily push into the mast (which obviously I haven’t done). The other seems to be attached to something inside the mast, which does move but won’t allow the screw to be pushed in. The hole where the halyard emerges is just above the cleat but is too small to see inside or get a finger into.

I’m baffled as to a) how the screws (and whatever one of them is attached to) got in the mast in the first place, and b) how to get them out. Any suggestions?

 

[duncan99210]

Lateral thinking here. Leave the cleat in place (always useful to have a spare one) and move the turning block at the mast foot slightly so that the halyard doesn’t get too fouled by the cleat. Otherwise I’m sure someone will be along with a way to remove the offending screws.

 

[RichardS]

Is there something fastened to the opposite side of the mast which was affixed after the bolts had been inserted and could, perhaps, be temporarily removed.

It sounds as if you might need to push the loose bolt in and either grind off the other one flush with the mast surface or drill it until it also falls in. You could then fill the holes with epoxy/rivet/self-tapper.

My choice would probably be push one in and grind flush then epoxy the other to secure it.

Richard

 

[Lodesman77]

You could put nuts on and tighten them up against the mast, then cut off the protruding threads flush with the nuts. Possibly tidy up a bit with a file. Shouldn't catch on anything and nothing rattling around, then you can relax and read as the replies here get more awkward and bizarre...

 

[awol]

I'm in the leave the cleat on the mast camp. I added a cam cleat to mine, slightly off the line to the turning block, to allow short-handed spinnaker use. Allows mast-person to hoist and release if necessary or pit can do it in the cockpit.

 

[pcatterall]

You could put nuts on and tighten them up against the mast, then cut off the protruding threads flush with the nuts. Possibly tidy up a bit with a file. Shouldn't catch on anything and nothing rattling around, then you can relax and read as the replies here get more awkward and bizarre...

+1 effective and simple !! Unless you can still use the cleat as has also been suggested.

 

[freddy1000]

Good idea.

 

[MissFitz]

I'm in the leave the cleat on the mast camp. I added a cam cleat to mine, slightly off the line to the turning block, to allow short-handed spinnaker use. Allows mast-person to hoist and release if necessary or pit can do it in the cockpit.

Would love to leave it on the mast but currently it’s only a couple of cm from where the halyard comes out so there’s no way to go round it (in fact, it seems to be very good at recleating itself during drops, which is another reason I want it gone).

Tightening up nuts and cutting off the screws sounds like a very good work-around. Will I need to put stuff in to stop corrosion?

 

[Lodesman77]

I would have thought that it depends on whether you are looking at it as a temporary thing or whether it works for you as a long term fix - personally I would put on a generous helping of loctite which would seal it and make sure it didn't work loose - but a dab of duralac/silicon sealant/bit of butyl depending on what you have to hand would be as good/better. I'm sure other suggestions will be along shortly...

 

[VicS]

You could put nuts on and tighten them up against the mast, then cut off the protruding threads flush with the nuts. Possibly tidy up a bit with a file. Shouldn't catch on anything and nothing rattling around, then you can relax and read as the replies here get more awkward and bizarre...

If you do this use half nuts.

 

[Yellow Ballad]

Or use a dome nut

 

[awol]

Make a new exit point for the spinny halyard and leave the cleat well alone?

 

[William_H]

For the keen racers the desirable spin halyard set up is to have crew haul the spin halyard up (down) at the mast. A clutch type cleat is used here. This means a crew can pull it up much faster with less friction. Important for a big spin. Once the spin is up and settled the crew pull the halyard through to a cabin top/cockpit cleat and the clutch is opened. This means the spin halyard can be dropped from the cockpit. Now it requires that the spin halyard exit the mast at a convenient height for the crew to pull and that the clutch be close to the exit. So he pulls it through the clutch. A cam cleat might be used the same way but it must be set up so halyard can be cleared from the cleat. ol'will

 

[John the kiwi]

I’m baffled as to a) how the screws (and whatever one of them is attached to) got in the mast in the first place, and b) how to get them out. Any suggestions?

I think you have asked the relevant question here. How did they get them in in the first place? This will probably give a clue as to how to get them out.
Is it possible the screws were screwed through a thin narrow strip of sheet stainless or aluminium long enough to lower into the small hole and then the maneuver so that the screws protruded through the predrilled holes? The excess length of strip metal may then have been cut or broken off. Can you get a dentists mirror into the hole to see? If i am right it may be possible to put a nut on the furtherest from the hole and push the close one through, bending the backing plate. then snag it with a wire loop, remove the bottom nut and push that one through and remove the whole thing?

 

[MissFitz]

Is it possible the screws were screwed through a thin narrow strip of sheet stainless or aluminium long enough to lower into the small hole and then the maneuver so that the screws protruded through the predrilled holes?

It's not impossible but I think it's unlikely. A friend has suggested that it may be a type of bolt with a self-opening head (??), and says it may be possible to screw them out by using a pair of pliers and maintaining outward pressure.

Either way, I've decided that I really would like to know what I'm dealing with, so have spent £20 on an iphone-compatible wifi inspection camera (with light and magnet attachment). Possibly a waste of money, but seems like it might be quite a handy thing to have on a boat anyway. Will report back!

 

[awol]

Useful for checking for diverticulae!

 

[RadiumRob]

Useful for checking for diverticulae!

Is that a polite way of saying you can stick your inspection camera where the sun doesn't shine? Either way, that was the best threaded thread drift I've seen for a while!