Repairing forestay tang in Anderson 22.

[Gary Fox]

I thought that Anderson 22s were made of pure unobtainium and could expect to outlast the heat death of the Universe? No to mention being able to approach light-speed if handled correctly.
For those who don't get it, there is a rather over-enthusiastic proponent of the Anderson 22 on these fora!

The legendary sailing qualities of these uniquely quick and seakindly vessels are sadly under-appreciated by the general yachting oi-polloi. Had they been around in the late Victorian era of fast tea-clippers, or the inter-war grain races, the likes of the Cutty Sark and the Moshulu would have been broken up for scrap in the face of such a quantum advance in naval architecture.
I can reveal that, to avoid embarrassment to any corporate sponsors, A22's are secretly banned from competing in modern ocean races alongside Imoca 60's etc.
I hope you are reading this Seajet!

 

[bitbaltic]

I miss Andy’s contributions and of course the ribbing is best only when he’s here to enjoy the joke himself.

I also think there were other reasons why he stopped contributing/contributes less.

The forum is also at its best when it allows newbies like the OP to immediately solve arcane problems with obsolete boats and gear in an instant and that’s something we all benefit from and contribute to. Dan has done well to fill the gap on this thread.

So if nobody’s mentioned it it’s worth pointing the OP to Home - Anderson 22 Owners Association where maybe Andy can fill in any remaining gaps.

 

[Greenheart]

That's kind of you Mr Baltic, but I reckon others here understand the best solution to the O.P.'s problem better than I do...

...I only sorted it my way aboard a different boat, and not everyone with one of those would have done it the way I did.

While I was doing the job (long sweaty days in the heat of midsummer 2019, lying on the foredeck reaching into the locker, scarcely any part of which I could see or reach) I began to notice other yachts' forestay attachment points, and I concluded that almost everyone else's was better than my own... ?

...I daresay plenty of other people have difficulties too, but I also noticed some robust and obvious solutions, like a very impressive shining stainless 'nose-cone' which covered every surface of the foremost eight inches of the bow, and which held the forestay foot (sorry I didn't photograph it); but it has occurred to me since that such a thing could be constructed with basic welding skills.

I also like the simplicity and cheapness of this Allen Bow Plate, which (I'm assuming) can just be bolted over the bow - but of course it still needs holes drilled (I've noticed from the link that it may also be badly undersized too)... Allen Bow Plate With Two Eyes A4001E | Dinghy Sailing at sailboats.co.uk

I can't see clearly from Samoddie's bow photo below, exactly how far from the point of the bow the Anderson's forestay foot should be, but it looks nearer than the Achilles' equivalent. I'm thinking that must be stronger, because it's nearer to the hull-deck joint.

 

[oldbloke]

I still feel that dancrane's and my solutions are better. The problem with samoddies proposal is as dancrane says that it doesn't matter how strong the structure is if it is not securely fastened to something sound.
dancrane's solution would be neater if he used coachbolts with the heads on the outside to attach a deckeye or similar on the inside.

 

[MandaJ]

It turns out that the 40 plus year old boat I bought has a forestay tang that is fixed to a fibreglass structure inside the anchor locker (access is not joyful). The fibreglass seems to have been formed round a piece of wood. The stainless plate that the forestay is secured to is bolted to that (by a bolt that was rusty, but secure til I ground I out). The fibreglass itself is presumably OK, but the wood it was (I think) formed round, is powdered. Forestay tang allowed water to seep into the compartment, from which there was no escape. My plan, at present is to try to build a resin replacement for the wood from the inside, while destroying as little as possible of the current structure (a fore aft orientated vertical plane seen in pic at end of the 25mm blue water pipe section. I thought then to add to the fibreglass layers, and then bolt forestay tang back in place with 10mm A4 SS bolt. What thoughts have people who actually know about boat building?

Hello - I have to do the same with mine. Perhaps we can compare notes sometime? Thank you! Amanda

 

[Stemar]

Snapdragon had a similar arrangement. It was entirely adequate as designed, as I'm sure is the arrangement on the Anderson. Both have been around for a year or two and have had plenty of time for any weakness to show up. Obviously, the powdered wood needs to be sorted out, and that won't be fun because of the access.

My approach would be to grind away the GRP to expose the wood and make a new piece out of marine ply. I'd form the bottom edges into curves, so glass cloth can follow the shape without gaps, and I'd drill the hole for the forestay tank a good bit oversize and fill it with thickened epoxy. This will ensure that the water that will eventually find its way down the hole no matter how well you seal it can't get to the wood. The last job before fitting would be to coat it with epoxy and let it all go off.

Fitting the block would involve slathering the top with thickened epoxy, pressing it into position and supporting. Shape what squeezes out into fillets, again, so glass cloth can follow the shape and support it all in place overnight. Now epoxy a few layers of glass cloth over the block overlapping as much as good sense and practicality suggests to seal it all in place.

More than you'll ever need to know about working with GRP here: User Manual & Product Guide

 

[graham]

I had the same problem on an A 22 I owned about 25 years ago. The structure was ok but I worried about the rusty single bolt rhrough the knee and the tang possibly eventually breaking from constant flexing .

I managed to get the bolt out and remove the tang which I replaced with one twice as thick as the original.

I packed it away from the knee and cut a new slot in the stemhead so the tang wasnt in the çenter of the fairlead .

I was lucky in that the wood and glass forming the knee was all sound.The bolt was badly waisted away .

The only way I could insert the bottom bolt was to drill through from the outside .A bit of filler and paint fixed that.

We had the Anderson about 10 years and did lots of miles on it .

 

[Keith 66]

@keith66 did you use glass to transfer load onto the original glass of the structure (ie central “fin”) or did you somehow otherwise transfer load to the hull?

I seem to remember making a stainless steel strap about 25 x 5mm with T piece at top that bolted through the deck & new stemhead fitting, bottom end of the strap was welded to a short length of 10mm bar that was set in glass chopped strands mix & glassed in afterwards.