Dimension opening between bulkheads on 23IV

[brackish]

Anyone have the dimension of the doorway opening between bulkheads on a 23IV.  I have to make a repair and need to order an expanding clamp need to know what size to order.  Boat is 35 miles away.  Need to force the opening slightly to get it back where it belongs.  It is to make this repair.  Not sure what caused it, rig tension is at the lowest specification.  Happened to anyone?

[steviehs]

I am also away from the boat, but I had more or less the same issue. The span of the door should be on the top the same than on the bottom. For keeping the opening the right size while replacing these white blocks, I'd remove the mast, if possible or loosen it as much as possible and replace these white blocks with multiplex wood, which should last for much longer... you could easy saw this from small 16mm mpx board while you are at the boat....

For keeping (or even pushing) the "door" open, I used an Installation Clamp, which is reversible so it pushes outside instead of clamping:

https://www.wolfcraft.com/products/wolfcraft/en/EUR/Products/Hand-Tools/Clamps/One-Hand-Clamps/Installation-Clamp/p/P_6985

[brackish]

Yep, I'm well into the repair. The dimension turned out to be 16-3/8" plus or minus.  I've made new cleats,but used HDPE because I had it and the originals lasted 18 years before failure.  I hope to go up tomorrow and finish.  I did loosen the standing rig to sloppy and used an expanding clamp to move it back to where it belongs.

 

[steviehs]

That looks good. One of my pre-owners did change the position - I guess he did not know about the rig on the deck and the reason for those cleates (me neither at the first look) :-) now I have new screw holes for those plates :-) I have to fix that one day...

[brackish]

Well it's done, hope it holds OK.  Had to go up 1/4" on screw length to get them to hold OK.  Tuned the rig at minimum spec. but didn't have time to take it out for a test sail. 

[Bob23]

Strange. My 23 38 years old and I've seen no movement at the bulkhead.... or maybe I never noticed!
Bob23

[brackish]

You should check.  Do you have the same style cleats? look at the outboard cleats and see if they have spaces.  Also, measure the opening at the bottom and top of the passage way and see if there is a difference. 

What I find strange is my pics are loading twice for some reason and I don't know why.

[Bob23]

Gents:
   I finally got to the boat and remembered to measure. 17 1/8" 16 7/8" at the top.  What's a quarter of in inch among friends? Not bad for a 38 year boat.
Bob23

[brackish]

Gents:
   I finally got to the boat and remembered to measure. 17 1/8" 16 7/8" at the top.  What's a quarter of in inch among friends? Not bad for a 38 year boat.
Bob23

Yep, that sounds OK, mine was 3/4" difference with broken cleats when I finally noticed it.

[Bob23]

I'll take that as your blessing, Brack! A long while ago I installed a PVC pad between the deck and the mast foot as a preventative to guard against a leak into the cabintop. I never liked the mast foot resting directly on the fiberglass anyway. Maybe this helped to more evenly distribute the weight of the mast on the cabintop.
Bob23

[brackish]

I'll take that as your blessing, Brack! A long while ago I installed a PVC pad between the deck and the mast foot as a preventative to guard against a leak into the cabintop. I never liked the mast foot resting directly on the fiberglass anyway. Maybe this helped to more evenly distribute the weight of the mast on the cabintop.
Bob23

Ha, caught you, you realize the next time you race you'll have to be remeasured and have a new assigned PHRF because you have a modified, taller, mast.  Wait a minute, as you were, the next time you race is probably going to be the same time as I, never.  That is a good idea.  That is the only place Hutchins used wood.  I noticed that mine has shrunk about 1/16" below the mast. You can't see it, noticed it when hooking up the swivel base on my mast raising jib pole, the holes no longer line up perfectly for the push pins that attach it.