Securing Pintles

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CreakyDecks

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The upper pintle on my Jaguar 21 is loose. It appears (not confirmed) to only be secured by large self tapping screws. I'd like to bolt it on with a backing plate but there is no access to the inside of the bolting area because of the cockpit moulding.
So far the only idea I have had is to cut a 4" circular hole in the moulding and cover it afterwards with a small inspection hatch cover. I don't know how I will cut the hole as there is no mains power where the boat is.
Any ideas for hole cutting or alternative solutions would be welcome. If I can expect to find a dirty great lump of wood or something in there it would also be nice to know!

PS. I'd also welcome any solutions to the problem of the rudder housing/tiller lifting off the pintles when I try to lift the wooden rudder blade out as that is a real pain!
 
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What you can use are Panel fasteners, or Blind fixings or Resin fixings. In each case the fixing is intended for locations where the access is from one side only.
Panel fasteners usually use a hole which is about four times larger than the bolt you are going to use and you can epoxy it into position. As you tighten up the bolt the fixing expands.
Blind fixings can have a toggle or some other plate which you pop through the hole and then tighten up.
The resing fixings , which are often used in concrete, have a capsule of resin which punctures as you tighten up and this bonds with the bolt. A blind hole is required.
I'll try to locate some in stainless steel versions.
Alternatively you can enlarge the hole for the self tapper and refill it with fiberglass and start againOR possibly glass- in a flanged nut in the process
Here are panel fixings:
http://www.zygology.com/productcart/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=83
Here are anchor bolts
http://www.fastfixdirect.co.uk/code...ners&MainCategoryID=8&ProductCategoryID=61370
 
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Thanks Shug. I've had a look at few blind fixings on tinternet this evening and I've not found any that I'd really like to be holding my rudder on!
After thinking in terms of 12V Dremels and stuff that I could maybe cut a 4" hole with I've realized that I might be better off hiring a generator for a day and doing a "proper job" with my router. I can probably make a jig for it at work.
 
CreakyDecks said:
Any ideas for hole cutting or alternative solutions would be welcome. If I can expect to find a dirty great lump of wood or something in there it would also be nice to know!

PS. I'd also welcome any solutions to the problem of the rudder housing/tiller lifting off the pintles when I try to lift the wooden rudder blade out as that is a real pain!
Click to expand...

Cutting the hole can be done by drilling lots of small holes just inside the perimeter, join them up by cutting with a padsaw (hacksaw blade in padsaw handle) and tidy up with a round backed rasp. It doesn't have to be perfect because the inspection hatch will cover it.

As to the rudder stock lifting off the pintles, there are small strip spring things that are often seen on the back of older sailing dinghies. Can't find one with Google because I don't know what they are called.
 
Rudder pintles

I have had trouble with rudder pintles on my boat also 21ft TS. It was the bottom pintles that worked loose due to huge side load when working the boat hard. (also I increased rudder depth and area)
In my case I can access the back of the transom with difficulty and full stretch lying on the quarter berth. Indeed my son did it once mid race when bottom bolts came loose. (didn't even lose any time)
Anyway some ideas. Replace the pintle base with a wider one that has more screws into the transom. You might do this anyway when you convert to through bolts.
I always had doubts about the rigidity of the transom fibreglass so I stuck a patch of carbon fibre on the outside. About 20cms square. This spreads the load of the pintle. (bottom one again)
I made my pintle base out of a piece of stainless steel plate about 3mm thick. I cut it with a hacksaw to about 20cms long about 10 cms wide. I then cut it so that there were 2 lugs in the middle 10cms wide that were bent to U shape and drilled for the pintle pin. The elngth of the plate meant that it has 4 screws to attach. You may be able to buy a similar fitting.
Anyway back to your question. Yes I would fit an inspection port. You can get small round ones or larger square ones. When open they can improve ventilation. Also you can fit a bag inside to make a dry storage area accessible from helm. As said a battery powered drill can cut a series of holes in the f/g then file smooth.
For locking the rudder box down. It really should be locked down like a dinghy. They use the little spring steel plates. However I would drill the pin and put a split pin or safety pin through (if you remove the fitting) or perhaps you can fit a bolt with nylock nut. good luck olewill
 
I would want my pinal securing screw to be very well fitted in as tight a hole as possible. The side loadings can be great any the last thing you need is your fitting starting to move in a seaway...
 
I would through bolt it with a backing plate. There can be a lot of loading on a rudder fittings.

Borrow (or rent) a cordless drill and a hole saw of the correct size for the access plate.

As far as the rudder lifting drill a small hole near the tip of the pintle and after the rudder is in use a small cotter pin to keep it from lifting.
 
Thanks all.
There is a sort of metal spring that's meant to hold the rudder stock on but it's useless because the blade is a fairly tight fit.
When I take the pintle off I will drill a hole for an R-clip. I might just use a split pin and leave the stock in place for the season!
 
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