Wobbly P Bracket help? Dartmouth

[Tim Good]

Ok I figured my P bracket was was quite wobbly a few weeks ago and every shipwright for miles around is busy till June it seems am I'm desperate to get out sailing. Ideally I want to try and fix it myself but I have done any glass work before.

Is there anyone out there who has fixed a p bracket before and fancies giving me hand / tutoring me. My boat is on a Harbour Mooring in Dartmouth and have a lift booked to come out onto the hard this Monday 7th April.

Just as a note this is my first boat and had it for a couple of years so learning along the way but without having had to do any bodywork repairs.

As for payment I'm happy to pay by the wy of quality wine, whiskey, port or whatever tickles your belly. I can also guarantee good humour whilst working

Got plenty of tools I can bring along and will obviously pay for all required parts.

This is probably a long shot but mighty as well give it a try!

Thanks

Tim

Boat: Beneteau first 26
Engine: Yanmar 1gm10

 

[cliff]

As always, Google is your friend

http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Pbracket.aspx

Not to mention Vyv Cox of this parish and his excellent site

 

[longjohnsilver]

Tim, if you're still in the water, how do you know it's a wobbly P bracket ie what are the symptoms and what brought you to this conclusion?

I presume you're coming ashore at Darthaven? I'm also out there for a while so if you see me around and want a hand, just shout.

 

[KAL]

Ok I figured my P bracket was was quite wobbly a few weeks ago and every shipwright for miles around is busy till June it seems am I'm desperate to get out sailing. Ideally I want to try and fix it myself but I have done any glass work before.

Is there anyone out there who has fixed a p bracket before and fancies giving me hand / tutoring me. My boat is on a Harbour Mooring in Dartmouth and have a lift booked to come out onto the hard this Monday 7th April.

Just as a note this is my first boat and had it for a couple of years so learning along the way but without having had to do any bodywork repairs.

As for payment I'm happy to pay by the wy of quality wine, whiskey, port or whatever tickles your belly. I can also guarantee good humour whilst working

Got plenty of tools I can bring along and will obviously pay for all required parts.

This is probably a long shot but mighty as well give it a try!

Thanks

Tim

Boat: Beneteau first 26
Engine: Yanmar 1gm10

Have you tried Blackness Marine, above Dittisham? Might be worth giving them a go. They are good, honest, incredibly hard-working people. They can lift you out and have people with the right skills.

 

[Tim Good]

Tim, if you're still in the water, how do you know it's a wobbly P bracket ie what are the symptoms and what brought you to this conclusion?

I presume you're coming ashore at Darthaven? I'm also out there for a while so if you see me around and want a hand, just shout.

I was on the grids anti fouling and spotted it then. Booked to come out at Noss as Darthaven can't get me get me out for a while.

I'm in Bristol so working on it in evenings isn't possible so I though prior experience will help me to learn and get it done faster.

 

[vyv_cox]

Cliff has kindly pointed you to my page so I won't go through it all again. You don't tell us the type of boat, so I can only provide general info. Many mobos and some yachts have a flanged P-bracket that bolts directly to the hull with backing pads inside. More yachts have a system similar to mine with a common design bracket passing through the hull and held with a pair of right angle brackets. In most cases there is a substantial layer of GRP uver the top of whatever is there, which must be removed. It is far less messy to do this by use of a hammer and chisel than by grinding, which creates massive amounts of nasty dust.

The likely cause of your wobble is that the filler resin has broken down between the bolted parts. To do the job properly you really need to unbolt and make everything up again. You may be able to push epoxy into any voids to stiffen up the bracket but this is only a temporary solution that will inevitably break down.

 

[onesea]

Just had mine done for me.. He let it dry drilled some hole in the top, of the fiberglass attaching the bracket, put Plasticine round the bottom to stop the resin running out and poured resin in from the top...

I have probably over simplified it but some one will come along to make it sound more difficult in a minute...

 

[vyv_cox]

Just had mine done for me.. He let it dry drilled some hole in the top, of the fiberglass attaching the bracket, put Plasticine round the bottom to stop the resin running out and poured resin in from the top...

I don't doubt that it has worked for now but inevitably it will break down again. Loading on the P-bracket can be quite substantial, not to mention vibrations, for which a proper mechanical attachment is needed. Mine failed, even though it was fully bolted, because the bolts were small and not up to the job, and had been drilled in-situ at an angle. No doubt it saved the trouble and time of doing it properly in the first place but it was a bodge.

 

[Tim Good]

You don't tell us the type of boat

Bottom of original post Thanks for the info though!

 

[Tim Good]

What do I need to consider in terms of the alignment of the prop? If the bracket is fixed in place and the prop spins well is that enough or does it need to be aligned professionally before it is set in place? Clearly ones the epoxy / new glasses goes in then that's that. No more adjusting.

 

[onesea]

I don't doubt that it has worked for now but inevitably it will break down again. Loading on the P-bracket can be quite substantial, not to mention vibrations, for which a proper mechanical attachment is needed. Mine failed, even though it was fully bolted, because the bolts were small and not up to the job, and had been drilled in-situ at an angle. No doubt it saved the trouble and time of doing it properly in the first place but it was a bodge.

Vyv I will let you know how long it lasts. Certainly to do the work you recommend, would be beyond what I would do myself. The work involved would cost quite a bit so am happy with what I have if I have to have it re-glued every few years its probably cheaper than replacing the whole lot...

 

[vyv_cox]

What do I need to consider in terms of the alignment of the prop? If the bracket is fixed in place and the prop spins well is that enough or does it need to be aligned professionally before it is set in place? Clearly ones the epoxy / new glasses goes in then that's that. No more adjusting.

Sorry, missed the boat type! When I did my P-bracket I found it remarkably easy to align it to the shaft, much easier than doing it the other way, i.e. engine to shaft. Provided the shaft spins easily it will certainly be OK at first and maybe re-align the engine when the boat is back in the water. All the info is on my web page but needs careful reading.

 

[cid]

Hi I repaired mine some years ago. Firstly the bracket came straight through the hull and protruded about 3/4 inches. There is a hole through it and a threaded bolt was fitted in it. This protrusion was all glassed in. I chiseled it bare and poured acetone down either side to clear salt out and then created a grove around it and poured resin down it. This was followed with reinforcing. If you send your email address I will try to send photos.
Regards CID