Main halyard winch

[ewack5353]

Hi all,
I have my E27 on the hard at my house here in the PNW. She came with many of the usual issues which are being addressed, including a stripped out main halyard. I’ve sailed two seasons on the Columbia Rv. and always hoisted the main by hand. I’ve decided to replace the winch, a Barlow 16, and need recommendations. I am planning to install a Selden pad (Selden WPD 140) and I’m not sure of the best way to deal with the existing holes. My first instinct is to put a pop rivet into each of the holes and seal them with butyl caulk. The Seldon block mounting holes would be/could be above or below the existing holes. Open to ideas and comments, even humorous ones …

 

[Christian Williams]

I'd probably try to cover the holes with the pad. Rivets sure, if they don't interfere with the pad seating.

I don't know how much such open holes weaken a mast. My impression is, not significantly.

 

[ewack5353]

Thanks, the Selden pad fits over the existing holes without touching them. My main concern is drilling 6 more holes in the same area. I think that rivets might stabilize the area a little, but it can’t hurt …

 

[Bolo]

Don’t have first hand experience with this sort of repair but I saw two solutions on YouTube. First was to braze the holes and the other, that looks a lot easier, was to drill the holes a little bigger (as little as possible) tap them and then partially screw in a stainless bolt but dip the threads in epoxy first. After epoxy cures cut them off as close to the mast as possible and grind what remains down the the mast surface.

 

[ewack5353]

Great idea, I think having a screw epoxied into the hole would be better than a rivet.

 

[Loren Beach]

If you just want to plug a hole and also prevent future corrosion there, slightly over drill and clean it up. Then fill it flush with gray tinted epoxy. The PO did that with some small holes near our gooseneck and in 25 years they still look "like factory" with no change or corrosion.

 

[Christian Williams]

When you drill the new holes, the rivets (or tapped fasteners) installed will restore the integrity of those holes, so you don't have to worry about that. If the Selden part is rigid, it will further strengthen the area.

 

[Kenneth K]

Once holes are drilled into a mast, boom, spar, beam, etc, inserting fasteners into those holes (rivets, screws, bolts, or otherwise) does not restore the strength lost by the drilled void. Plug the holes with fasteners or epoxy, if you wish, either for appearance sake, or to prevent another place for water to get into the mast, but unless you weld the holes closed, you won't be restoring "strength."

That said, there are several places on the mast (gooseneck and boom vang fittings) where many holes are drilled fairly close together with no apparent problematic "loss of strength." Just try to keep an inch or so (or, as much as you can) spacing between the old and new holes.

 

[ewack5353]

Thanks, good to know.

 

[Christian Williams]

I disagree. I see no reason why closing a void with another material would not restore integrity. I believe driving a self-tapping screw into a hole in a spar pretty much works fine, and our spars are full of them.

 

[ewack5353]

This makes sense, and it seems like a good alternative to patching the whole area. Hopefully some of the old holes line up with the new block.

 

[Tin Kicker]

While this is not really your issue, if the holes are not solidly filled with a material of at least the strength of the aluminum, it is silly to think a repair will be as strong as the original area. Rough rule of thumb is strength is reduced within 1.5-2 diameters of an existing hole or the edge of the metal. Further, filling the holes with a different type of metal means that the potential for corrosion is created, especially if the boat is on salt water.

If spacing prevents re-using the existing 7 holes, they are widely spaced holes so it looks like there's enough distance to put the new winch holes between them to ultimately hide the old set, or as you said, move the new winch location up or down. What I'd suggest would be:

First, clean the existing corrosion and apply some anodyne or other anti-corrosive surface treatment. If unable to re-use the holes and to create a wall on the hidden side of each hole to fully fill them, you can make a small rolled disc out of a plastic scrap (example: Pepsi bottle) for each hole, put a hole in the center of each disc, and put the thinnest possible monofilament in the holes in the discs. Push the discs thru each old bolt hole and hold the monofilament lines taut, then fill each hole with good old JBWeld to prevent leaks and future corrosion.

Place the new winch pad where you want and drill the holes, then use an epoxy paint where the pad will sit. fwiw - JB Clear also makes an effective anti-corrosion barrier paint.

 

[fixntheboat]

Don’t have first hand experience with this sort of repair but I saw two solutions on YouTube. First was to braze the holes and the other, that looks a lot easier, was to drill the holes a little bigger (as little as possible) tap them and then partially screw in a stainless bolt but dip the threads in epoxy first. After epoxy cures cut them off as close to the mast as possible and grind what remains down the the mast surface.

I have seen this done ,where they used a threaded pc. of alumin. rod . that scenario a tent stake. epoxied, cut ,and sanded smooth.

 

[Loren Beach]

This reminds me that many years ago I easily cut some 1/4X20 thread into a piece of aluminum rod. It was easy. Perhaps one could fill some small holes in a spar the way?
(It helps to have your father's old tap n die set in a little fitted wooden box...)

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Also, good old McMaster Carr. You can get aluminum (25) 1/4-20 x 3/4" threaded rod slugs for $12.80, or screws for similar prices. I'd personally want to use aluminum even with any insulation offered by epoxy.

 

[Bolo]

Also, good old McMaster Carr. You can get aluminum (25) 1/4-20 x 3/4" threaded rod slugs for $12.80, or screws for similar prices. I'd personally want to use aluminum even with any insulation offered by epoxy.

Good point using aluminum. Easier to work with when cutting or grinding.

 

[Cnieto77]

Hi all,
I have my E27 on the hard at my house here in the PNW. She came with many of the usual issues which are being addressed, including a stripped out main halyard. I’ve sailed two seasons on the Columbia Rv. and always hoisted the main by hand. I’ve decided to replace the winch, a Barlow 16, and need recommendations. I am planning to install a Selden pad (Selden WPD 140) and I’m not sure of the best way to deal with the existing holes. My first instinct is to put a pop rivet into each of the holes and seal them with butyl caulk. The Seldon block mounting holes would be/could be above or below the existing holes. Open to ideas and comments, even humorous ones …

Any way you can get me some measurements of your trailer? I am looking at one from a different sailboat manufacturer (Soling 27) and I need to know what the overall length and width is to retrofit it for an Ericson E27.

 

[Bepi]

Waterproof rivets...there are more types than these.

https://www.amazon.com/YYST-Water-Tri-Grip-Tri-Fold-Mounting/dp/B01DHLK7WE/ref=asc_df_B01DHLK7WE/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167139952559&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=307906737778487711&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1013962&hvtargid=pla-311901233433&psc=1