MacGregorSailors.com

Ok.. air rivet tool it is..I guess... not much more $$ than a H.Freight style one in Canada.

#6 stainless steel wide head rivets.. (any suggestions as to length)
As well, I will have to raise the mast... as its all new to me, only did it once.
Will have to put it up on the hard.. and go over everything..

but first.
1) Install the mast bearing/ re rivet the boom connector
question: are #6 rivets 3/16" diameter? Looking for LARGE FLANGE types (found some with 1150 lb shear strength!)
2) Check if the bottom mast plate is not too mangled.
3) If so replace (check actual mast size..I think its a 5")
4) Double check how the solid vang goes on.. (two sliding tracks.. one on mast.. one on the boom)
5) Finish the seacock install
6) Bilge pump install
7) Dual battery relocate (did not have battery boxes, no isolator switch installed, not strapped down.)
Ministry requires all batteries to be boxed to contain any acid spills, and strapped down to withstand 45' incline)
Outboard Motor Oil change
9) Motor impeller change
10) lower unit lube change.
11) VC17M bottom paint
12) Fill gelcoat scratches, buff/polish.
13)Re wire boat, figure out why dome lights do not work.
.....
..


As you can see, the list goes on...

Again, maybe not everything is mandatory, but since I cannot sail (covid-19), I might as well dial the boat in as much as I can while I wait.

I am having lots of fun going over it.. and getting LOTS of exercise climbing up.. forgetting stuff.. climbing down.. (and over and over again) on the boat.

Jimmyt wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2020 11:02 am This one will do stainless rivets according to reviews. Pretty cheap. I may need one of these. I wish I felt safe going to HF now. Wife wouldn't let me go anyway, though so I'll have to wait... never met a tool I didn't need.

https://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-dut ... gL5L_D_BwE

I bought that HF pop riveter to use on a power window regulator. It's cheaply made but much stronger than my single handed tool.
For the price, it works very well. I don't think it would last long if you used it for your job.

The Canadian version of HF is called Princess Auto, their "similar" unit is $70. An air unit is $115 (Canadian peso's). So strongly leaning to the air tool. (have a nice compressor)

Also I see BWY has rivits for 3/16" dia. and they are the ONLY ones they sell so I assume they are the ones used for that boom bracket

AD

adudinsk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2020 1:34 pmAlso I see BWY has rivits for 3/16" dia. and they are the ONLY ones they sell so I assume they are the ones used for that boom bracket

Just make sure the grip is within the working range of the rivet. Grip is the total thickness of the materials being joined, which in this case is the mast plus the bracket.

adudinsk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2020 1:34 pm The Canadian version of HF is called Princess Auto, their "similar" unit is $70. An air unit is $115 (Canadian peso's). So strongly leaning to the air tool. (have a nice compressor)

Also I see BWY has rivits for 3/16" dia. and they are the ONLY ones they sell so I assume they are the ones used for that boom bracket

AD

I love BWY and prefer to support them.
How about Amazon





It'a a tool I rarely have need for and I'm cheap.
The air powered is probably a nice tool for your box.

Yes. I do have to measure the total thickness.. of the mast/bracket, etc. to ensure I have the correct grip range on the rivets.

Off to the boat today... will prob drill out just one.. or one on each side to see the state of the holes

Jimmyt wrote: ↑Thu Apr 02, 2020 9:48 am

adudinsk wrote: ↑Thu Apr 02, 2020 8:12 am Another issue, this bracket it VERY VERY wobbly, I assume the pop rivets are loose, and an wondering if I should use HIGH STRENGTH aluminum or stainless steel? All 4 rivets are wobbling around, about 1/2" play at least.

Mine has a stainless self tapping screw and a stainless pop-rivet. You probably need to remove the bracket and see if the holes have been damaged. If so, you may need to move the bracket up or down slightly and re-drill. I would not use an aluminum rivet there. The bracket needs to be very secure to be safe. What is going on with the hardware there? It appears to have been bent. Also, there is a bracket that I don't recognize. Mine looks like this:

I had a few accidental jibes that loosened up my rivets. Found stainless steel replacements at True Value Hardware. Nice and tight again.

adudinsk wrote: ↑Mon Mar 30, 2020 7:46 pm Wow! Thanks Much. I will put one in then!
My mast is pinned so it will not rotate.
I ordered the ball bearing upgrade, and plan on installing it and removing the pin.
From everything I hear it does not do much, but I will just make it factory.
Once the bearing is in, I can then align the hole/screw.

Thanks everyone for all the great help!

AD

I think your mast is only meant to be pinned while raising it, and then pinning the fore stay to the fore tang. Once this procedure is finished you can safely remove the rotation pin/bolt to allow free rotation. If your mast rotates while you are cranking that raising system really hard so as to connect the fore stay to the fore tang more easily, you will be so sorry.
The force will move to one side of the mast and kink/bend the mast over right there at the bail where the two baby stays and mast raising rope connects. I know this from experience I now have a bolt where you have one just to stop it from happening to me again, not to hold the mast for sailing. Don't say you weren't warned.

NO mast was set not to rotate ever.
I have to remove the bolt.. washers.. install the bearing..etc.etc.

Previous owner did not like the rotating mast, and did not get any extra out of the boat when it did rotate.. so he said its fixed.

Pin is mainly used for when the mast is down, or being raised.

Once up, remove pin

To rotate the mast under sail, just pull back on the main sheet

That will rotate the mast when the mainsail has load.

Tack, load up the main, again pull back on the main sheet and it will rotate to the other side

No bearing kit needed

G

i prefer no bearing - rotating mast better.

BWY mast bearing going on 5 years? now. Just went out today and it's still rotating nicely. Keep it lubed and it will do fine.

5 years! Wow.. I installed one.. Lithium grease... was easy... just had to adjust the bolt tightness...one would have thought there would have been a stop of some sort designed into the contraption.. so you could lock the bolt hard..

AD