Re-bedding aft cleats and eye straps? Dilemma

[In The Pocket]

Anyone have any clever ways of reaching the nuts on the underside of the aft cleats and eye straps?  I've re-bedded everything that goes through the hull except these because I can't reach the nuts.  I think I may just BARELY be able to get the socket wrench on to get them off but there's just no way I'd have the dexterity to get the nuts back on.  I tried sending my young daughters down there with a wrench but they freaked.   

So short of having a claustrophobic episode crawling head first down the berths while someone unscrews from topside, does anyone have any suggestions? 

[crazycarl]

The eye pads for the jib sheets on our 19 aren't accessible because of glassing.  I couldn't reach them so I used Capt. Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure to reseal them.  They weren't leaking, it was precautionary, give it a try.

Several times I've gone into boat hulls and gotten stuck.  Once I was sure the fire department was going to have to cut the boat apart to get me out.    That was when I was young and thin.  No way I'd try that today.

Sorry I can't help.  Good luck. 

[In The Pocket]

Thanks for the sealer suggestion.  I'll look into that.  I see you're in Somonauk?  I'm in Downers Grove, IL.  Where do you sail?  My boat is here now for refits and repairs but is usually stored and sailed in Southern Illinois on Governor Bond Lake.  At a minimum you've fully cinched up my decision not to crawl down the berths. 

Wes

[bruce]

One thing I like to do when I know getting the nuts back on will be a bear is to use a threaded backing plate. You'll have two or more holes to work through. You could, for example, tap a backing plate for the cleat before hand. Drop a couple of light lines down two of the holes in the deck, and fish those out to where you have access. Run the lines through the respective holes in the backing plate, and tie them to something so they can't pull out. Slide the backing plate into the inaccessible area, and pull the lines up so the backing plate is in position, snug under the deck, holes roughly aligned. If necessary, remove one line and install the first fastener. If the cleat has four fasteners, even better, you've got two open holes.

You could bed the backing plate with sealant under the deck with the lines still attached, letting it set before mounting the cleat. If the plate was well-adhered, you could drill and tap from the top, and just use a couple of pilot holes for the lines.

Of course, this doesn't help with backing the nuts off in the first place.

[crazycarl]

Thanks for the sealer suggestion.  I'll look into that.  I see you're in Somonauk?  I'm in Downers Grove, IL.  Where do you sail?  My boat is here now for refits and repairs but is usually stored and sailed in Southern Illinois on Governor Bond Lake.  At a minimum you've fully cinched up my decision not to crawl down the berths. 

Wes

Downers Grove?  My wife and I both graduated from Downers North in '78.  We still have good friends who live there, but we haven't been back there for a couple years now. 

We trailer to Lakes Geneva, Delavan, Michigan, Clinton, Shelbyville, and of course, Carlyle for CLR.

[Jim in TC]

Never heard of Capt. Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure before, but it looks a bit miraculous. If I haven't chased down the last of my cabin leaks (about which today, after yesterday's inch of rain, I am cautiously optimistic) that may be the next thing to try. Looks like something good to have on hand, in any case.

[In The Pocket]

Downers Grove?  My wife and I both graduated from Downers North in '78.  We still have good friends who live there, but we haven't been back there for a couple years now. 

We trailer to Lakes Geneva, Delavan, Michigan, Clinton, Shelbyville, and of course, Carlyle for CLR.

That's crazy.  We live in DG North territory and my daughters will be going to DGN, the oldest in about 5 years. 

How about Chain O'Lakes?  I was doing some research on going there but I've heard it's pretty nuts on the weekends. 

[In The Pocket]

One thing I like to do when I know getting the nuts back on will be a bear is to use a threaded backing plate. You'll have two or more holes to work through. You could, for example, tap a backing plate for the cleat before hand. Drop a couple of light lines down two of the holes in the deck, and fish those out to where you have access. Run the lines through the respective holes in the backing plate, and tie them to something so they can't pull out. Slide the backing plate into the inaccessible area, and pull the lines up so the backing plate is in position, snug under the deck, holes roughly aligned. If necessary, remove one line and install the first fastener. If the cleat has four fasteners, even better, you've got two open holes.

You could bed the backing plate with sealant under the deck with the lines still attached, letting it set before mounting the cleat. If the plate was well-adhered, you could drill and tap from the top, and just use a couple of pilot holes for the lines.

Of course, this doesn't help with backing the nuts off in the first place.

Thanks.  I'll have to digest this a bit.  Unfortunately these are in the coaming and the backing plate would have to be real small. 

[crazycarl]

That's crazy.  We live in DG North territory and my daughters will be going to DGN, the oldest in about 5 years. 

How about Chain O'Lakes?  I was doing some research on going there but I've heard it's pretty nuts on the weekends.

I've fished the Chain O' Lakes, but never on a weekend and haven't sailed it.  Alsantini, a member here, lives and sails his Eclipse there.

[bruce]

Thanks.  I'll have to digest this a bit.  Unfortunately these are in the coaming and the backing plate would have to be real small. 

Just an idea, whatever works! I did check out photos of Salty's former 16 before I replied, but I don't know 16s and their variants.

FWIW, the backing plate wouldn't have to be any bigger than the washer layout. The coamings on our PC are about 2 3/4" on the top, the stern cleats are 1 3/4"across the base. 2" bar stock would probably work for us. Our coamings are filled with foam that would have to be dug out, that would be a pain! But, you seemed to say that you could access the nuts.

[In The Pocket]

I've fished the Chain O' Lakes, but never on a weekend and haven't sailed it.  Alsantini, a member here, lives and sails his Eclipse there.

Thanks.  I actually heard from Al on the Facebook page.  He said he avoids weekends 😅