Strut Play?

[colemj]

So that strut wasn't anything like I was expecting.

Does Beneteau say why these loosen over time?

I don't think Delancy's boat is a Beneteau?

Mark

[Delancey]

Meh, no big deal. Webster's defines "play" as movement within prescribed limits.

Drilled holes about an inch apart around the top of the strut sized for the taper of the syringe and injected maple syrup consistency epoxy under as much pressure as I could apply. Had epoxy come out of a couple of adjacent holes.

No more clearance, no more play. Problem solved. You can shake the strut and feel the whole boat wiggle in the jack stands.

Will go back again for a second round today to make sure I didn't miss any voids as well as throw a fillet at the bottom of the strut for extra credit but would feel confident about the fix without the second pass or the fillet.

For what it's worth I believe that a "strut log" was installed during lay-up similar to a rudder log or shaft log and that the strut was then through bolted to the strut log before being glassed over. I think this strut log is what is visible on the outside. Didn't see any epoxy run out on the bottom fwit.

Yeah, coulda gone full nuclear as some suggested and incurred lost time and effort but glad I didn't. Thanks for all the input from those with experience dealing with this specific situation.

[Delancey]

So I am inside the boat installing my rudder quadrant while the boat is in the slings and the yard guys are pounding a zinc on my shaft. I can feel the whole boat shaking.

Sounds like a sledge hammer pounding on a diving bell but it was just a hammer and only pounding on my shaft.

If I did the repair over again I would drill and fill holes down low on the first pass, then at the top on the second. As it was I started up top thinking epoxy would drool out the bottom but it didn't.

Made a second pass later down low and found a decent void. Had epoxy coming out a hole on the opposite side. So glad I made the second pass.

I did also do the extra credit high density fillet with about a 3/4" radius just for extra credit. Not sure it does much for basically being at the fulcrum when compared to the initial drill and fill at the top of the lever, but I would do it again for anyway for what it is worth.

I can appreciate the mindset of the panic squad but really glad I didn't start cutting the thing apart and opted for drill and fill instead. Didn't take long and saved a lot of work when compared to cutting.

Any doubts I would have had were dispelled by the yard guys pounding. It was the end of the day and the yard guys wanted to go home. They weren't gentle.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Delancey

So I am inside the boat installing my rudder quadrant while the boat is in the slings and the yard guys are pounding a zinc on my shaft. I can feel the whole boat shaking.

Sounds like a sledge hammer pounding on a diving bell but it was just a hammer and only pounding on my shaft.

If I did the repair over again I would drill and fill holes down low on the first pass, then at the top on the second. As it was I started up top thinking epoxy would drool out the bottom but it didn't.

Made a second pass later down low and found a decent void. Had epoxy coming out a hole on the opposite side. So glad I made the second pass.

I did also do the extra credit high density fillet with about a 3/4" radius just for extra credit. Not sure it does much for basically being at the fulcrum when compared to the initial drill and fill at the top of the lever, but I would do it again for anyway for what it is worth.

I can appreciate the mindset of the panic squad but really glad I didn't start cutting the thing apart and opted for drill and fill instead. Didn't take long and saved a lot of work when compared to cutting.

Any doubts I would have had were dispelled by the yard guys pounding. It was the end of the day and the yard guys wanted to go home. They weren't gentle.

We had a similar problem with the Strut on our 1986 First 42 during the spring of 2008. We obtained repair instructions from Ward Richardson in the parts department at BeneteauUSA and followed the repair procedure pretty much as you describe doing. The repair locked down the strut, maintaining its alignment, and we have had no difficulty with it since in nearly 10K miles in fair weather and foul. Sometimes it is worth paying attention to the real experts and ignoring all the rubbish voiced by would-be, self appointed, experts that really don't know of what they speak.

Good sailing. I' sure you'll be fine.

s/v HyLyte