Main block & hiking strap question

[david lapier]

The two screws that hold the hiking strap and main sheet block sheared off while I was sailing today. 

I have several questions:

1) What size are those screws?

2) Any idea of how to remove the broken ones that are a few millimeters below the surface?

I think I will just drill new holes and offset the block and hiking strap by 3/8 of an inch from the center line and not bother extracting the old ones unless someone has a good idea for question 2).

Thanks in advance,

/David 

[Chris Boome]

That’s what you get for hiking so hard!!

Heaven Is For Real

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[Al Sargent]

Dave, 

Phew, that’s brutal. Not many things harder to repair in a Laser, and that includes a fixing a sliding mast step the day before Nationals. 

Thinking about this a while, it’s hard to come up with anything better than your idea of drilling new holes.

The one idea I could come up with — and it’s a long shot — is to get thin (#6 and #4) screws that are maybe 1.5 to 2 inches long. Maybe longer. Why long? See below. 

Drill a narrow hole into your broken screws, going down maybe half an inch. Screw your thin screws into those. Once in, continue screwing clockwise so that the original screws go all the way down. Once they are, grip with vice grips, then hacksaw off the heads. They’ll fall through inside the boat. Maybe someday, they’ll come out your stern hole. Noisy but won’t affect speed or safety. 

The other idea is to email the 505 list. Their rigging makes ours look like child’s play, and may have some good ideas. LMK if you can’t locate online.

Maybe Ryan has ideas? 

But failing all that, yes, drill your new holes offset a bit as you propose. It’s no big deal if the ratchet is off by a bit, but you keep the hiking strap centered. Maybe get one or more stainless plates to hold the strap centered, even if the ratchet is off center. 

As for the screw width, my guess is a #8. But get #10s just in case. They will set you back maybe 40 cents. 

What a PITA. Honestly I’ve never heard of this happening before. How old were those screws? My hull is 1995 vintage so this could happen to me unless I replace the screws. 

Best regards,
 
Al

asar...@stanfordalumni.org | +1 650 269 2176

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[Bauman, Brian J.]

Those aren’t big screws, but I might try a small screw extractor (drill small hole in remaining screw body, thread in screw extractor which has left handed threads)…this set seems to have an extractor that is small enough (https://www.harborfreight.com/screw-extractor-and-left-hand-drill-bit-combo-set-10-piece-63987.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12126402660&campaignid=12126402660&utm_content=150898465887&adsetid=150898465887&product=63987&store=17&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwko21BhAPEiwAwfaQCC8o45S4wmwwkZ2j2lAp5CnBYEYOFlsPNJnq3q7rOLAI9uYIKkWtHBoCyw8QAvD_BwE).

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[david lapier]

thanks everyone for the good ideas.  Boatl is repaired.  I appreciate the help.

Sincerely,

Dave = 216613

[Doug Smith]

But now you have to tell us your solution!

Cheers

Doug Smith

US:    +1.415.601.8390

On Jul 26, 2024, at 10:34 AM, david lapier <deela...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[david lapier]

LOL -- 1) call West Coast Sailing and ask, "What size screws?"  (Ans: #10 1 1/2" pan head self tapping).   2) Call good friend and former pro-boat rigger Greg Paxton for spiritual guidance.  His advice:  Leave old screws in, use new screws that are one size up, drill new holes one screw head away from old ones, drill and tap.  Use 5200 putty as caulk.    Final step:  Load car and drive to Oregon!

[Doug Smith]

One observation on that is the “load car and drive to Oregon” final step is significant because 5200 has a long cure time.   Maybe better not do to this and then go sailing same day

 

Cheers

 

Doug Smith

US     +1.415.601.8390

Dsmit...@gmail.com

[david lapier]

👍

david lapier reacted via Gmail