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Catalina 25 Specific Forum

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Sid
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129 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/06/2004 : 12:42:43

I was out on Canyon Lake yesterday, sails up and moving along nicely. I had a new crew member on the tiller while I rigged the sails. On returning to the tiller the wind freshened and the boat heeled. As weather helm increased I noticed the tiller being less resposive and then within seconds the I had a lot of play. Of course the upper gudgeon came loose from the hull, middle of the lake, full sails, and inexperienced crew!
Needless to say I was bouncing around the boat, depowering, and bringing the rudder aboard before the lower failed. Gotta love antifouling paint all over the freshly cleaned deck (and me)

So now I have a new boat project. I've read the other topics on the gudgeon repair and had inspected mine thought it was solid. Apparently not, or the past 4 months in the slip may have caused some excess loads I'm not aware of.
What size backing plate is recommended? I am planning to use 1/2" starboard 4"x6" through a 4" deckplate and 5/16 stainless bolts backed with nylock nuts and washers on both gudgeons. Will that sufficently strengthen the area?
Also should the deckplate be centered on the aft cockpit wall or higher/lower to provide access?

Thanks,
Sid

77 C25 SK #21

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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Response Posted - 05/06/2004 : 12:47:59

I thought a threaded plate was molded into the transom? Maybe the screw(s) simply sheared?

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Sid
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Response Posted - 05/06/2004 : 13:00:24

I don't have a deck acess plate so I am assuming it is the factory job. The lower is through bolted. It does looks as if the screws/bolt sheared. I couldn't tell if a bolt broke and was plugging the hole or if it was a screw. The PO may have redid the lower and not the top due to no access. Is it necessary to add the backing plate or can I replace and locktite the screws? I was out with all adults and though inexperienced, it was easier than being out alone or with the young kids. I want to fix it properly but don't have to overkill.
Sid

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Raskal
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Response Posted - 05/06/2004 : 16:29:39

Sid, OJ is right that there should be a threaded bronze bar that the gudgeon screws were threading into. As one who did the "reinvent your boat" routine to install new gudgeons last year, let me suggest a plan of attack for the simplest type of repair:

try 1: examine the 3 holes on the transom side. If all or some appear to be plugged with a piece of broken screw, see if you can drill the pieces out (use a bit smaller than the hole so as not to ruin the threads). Spray some lube into the holes and try to clean the threads with a clean new screw of the right pitch.

The disadvantage of this method is that when you screw in new bolts or screws you won't have a way to back them with nuts as the originals were. Silicone caulk in the threads may make that unimportant.

Try 2: if the broken pieces of screw are very long try #1 but with some kind of screw remover bit. If the threads are rusted into the backing nut you may be able to reverse the drill to push them out into the liner wall.

Disadvantage: same as #1.

Try 3: go ahead and cut your access plate hole and install your access plate. Even the smallest Beckson plate will give you enough room to comfortably remove the backing nuts and remaining screw
pieces. You'll be able to see the bronze backing bar glassed into the hull.

advantage: you'll be able to back the screws with nuts as they originally were.

disadvantage: a full afternoon of work. Using that big a hole saw on your nice boat will be scary, skip around a lot, and make lots of dust (wear a mask). I settled for drilling lots of small holes around the circle and then cutting the ring out with a small round keyhole saw.

If you install the new, beefy Catalina Direct replacement gudgeons I would suggest drilling out the gudgeons and tapping the backing bars for a slightly larger bolt. Disadvantage: even more work!

Rich Kokoska

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RichardG
Admiral

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990 Posts

Response Posted - 05/06/2004 : 17:21:30

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">deck acess plate<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Most on this forum seem to use the round, plastic kind. Mine was installed by the previous owner, but it's instead a rectangular sheet of thin, brushed stainless (maybe a bit larger than the plate above it with "Catalina Yachts" and the Hull ID # engraved on it). It's simply screwed into the fiberglass at the corners, with the hole through the fiberglass just smaller than the plate itself. You can sort of see it behind the fish my daughter is holding up, just below and to port of the white cup holder.

The advantage to this is that I think it looks better than plastic (looks more "stock") and remains essentially uneffected by the elements (time and UV sunlight tends to break down plastic, making it look weathered). One downside: I once removed the screws and plate to confirm that it was indeed just an access plate for the upper gudgeon -- I had to clean and reseal the edges with BoatSeal upon putting it back, but that was not too tough. Just thought you might want an alternative.

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RichardG
Admiral

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990 Posts

Response Posted - 05/06/2004 : 17:31:33

I found a better picture in which you can see the plate more clearly. The screws securing the plate are very small, but don't need to be stronger because the plate isn't really stressed by anything.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.