Turning block fittings loose

[little_roundtop]

On my 1995 Jeanneau 45.1 (in-mast furling) the turning blocks for the control lines are attached to short posts that appear to be bolted through the mast foot.

In the picture you can see these posts clearly. My problem is that several of them are a little loose, no more that half a turn, and it's proving impossible to tighten them. I don't know whether they've seized onto the threads but the "bolts" seem to have completely rounded heads and although I can see them through the holes at the base of the mast foot I cannot stop them rotating when I screw the post down. The one on the far right has been sprayed with WD40 several times over the last few days and it's still not possible to tighten it. It looks to me like the mast will have to come down and the foot removed from the deck to be able to tighten these posts properly (and replace the nylon washers, several of which are cracked as you can see). Clearly I don't want to do that if I can help it!

My real question is whether I should be worried about these loose posts? When the lines are under tension there is no play in the posts at all, they're pulled tight against the mast foot, and even when the mainsail is flapping the lines are so long that I don't see any real movement in these posts.

Many thanks!

 

[wklein]

Sorry to be a stickler but in might help if you need to talk to someone, these are base blocks not turning blocks, turning block are cheek blocks between the genoa car and a winch. There is nothing wrong with them turning, and it is in fact a good thing as it allows them to self align especially with lines from the boom where the angle is not constant.

As long as the nuts are not in any danger of unscrewing themselves (which from the photo looks like the case) then they are fine. I would be surprised if they were as the blocks don't move much. If you want to replace the washers (which are not particularly important, more for isolation than a mechanical function) then you may need to remove the collar by unbolting it from the deck. Personally i wouldn't bother.

 

[little_roundtop]

Thanks for the advice - and the correction. Always happy to learn!

 

[lw395]

I don't like that arrangement at all.
The threads are doomed to come loose.
The pillars will then be bending the top of a threaded section, which is likely to crack as the thread is a stress-raiser.

 

[Stu Jackson]

If they are just turning, that's OK since they are supposed to do that. What makes you think they are getting too loose?

 

[little_roundtop]

If they are just turning, that's OK since they are supposed to do that. What makes you think they are getting too loose?

I know that they need to turn but a couple of them wobble more than the others. There is about 1mm up and down play in them.

 

[Norman_E]

I know that they need to turn but a couple of them wobble more than the others. There is about 1mm up and down play in them.

My 45.2 has similar fittings but I cannot remember seeing plastic washers beneath them. The fittings should be able to turn in order to line the blocks up correctly. All mine do but are stiff to turn. (The boat is in Turkey and I cannot find any close up photos of the mast foot.)

I am wondering if your boat has plastic sleeves to isolate the stainless fittings from the aluminium mast foot casting. If so a failed sleeve (or loss of a plastic washer under the foot) will leave the fitting loose. If you cannot tighten the fittings then the only cure would be a big job, requiring you to lift the mast and remove the foot casting to fit new sleeves or change the fittings to ones that require no sleeve.

Firstly you need to find someone who knows exactly how these fittings were assembled as tightening them may not even be possible (see below).

If you cannot get the information you could try to tighten the fittings by wedging a screwdriver into the slot in the base to jam the nut then turning the fitting to screw it in. Wedge the screwdriver from the left side of the nut, so that screwing in the fitting increases the wedging force. I take no responsibilty for any damage and give no guarantee that the above will work. I do think that the nuts under the mast foot may have been put on right to the end of the thread or secured either with adhesive (loctite or similar) or riveted over, so the above may be no help, but is probably worth a try.

 

[little_roundtop]

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice. I've decided to stop worrying - well about this anyway, I still have lots of other stuff I can worry about.

I will keep a close eye on these posts this season, but you've put my mind at rest. Thank you again.