The tramp track on my Prindle 18-2 is coming loose where it is riveted(!) to the hulls. I can't tell if there is an aluminum or stainless strip on the inside of the hulls to reinforce the area, but it looks like the problem has been addressed before. I think the previous owner had just drilled the holes a little larger and then used bigger rivets. I'm planning on filling the holes and re-drilling them, but I'm looking for a way of re-enforcing them so this won't happen again. Someone suggested using a Heli-coil system HeliCoil But I'm wondering if anyone had some experience with another type of product or, if anyone knows how the hulls are designed in that area.

I know Prindle 18-2s and 19s are a little scarce these days, but I figured the set-up is very similar to the Hobie 18s and 20's and someone has HAD to fix this problem before!

Thanks in advance for any help...

Dan, come down here and with your trailer and haul off the p18 that has been sitting at sta. 12. If you are interested i can take photos

Dan,

I don't know the specifics on the 18-2 track, but if it is anything like the H17 i got from you it is rivited through the lip with backing washers on the bottom of the lip.

Just as a thought, why not get a piece of 1/8" aluminum from the hardware store, and bed it in marine adhesive caulk on the bottom side of the lip, then use new longer rivets that go through the lip and AL piece creating a clamping efffect on the lip. If the holes are a little large, use the rivet casings to shim the hole size. The only down side is the AL would not be anodized.

The H17 is looking like new, sails should be here any time.

Mike

I started to post about the washers under the rivets. The problem is he's talking about a 18-2 which has no lip. You would need access to the inside of the hull along the track to back up the rivets.

Dan when you pulled the track could you see down into the holes and see if there was any metal strip laminated into the edge?, or is it just glass?

I know this might be more than you would want to do but does Prindle sell replacement deck caps. Pull the cap and fix.

Mike

Mike,

Good to hear it is about done! You planning on sporting the new boat at any local events??

Catman Mike,
I took out the rivets and I couldn't see anything in the hull that looked like stainless or aluminum backing. I thought about takeing the decks off, but I think that might be too much work for me. I'm thinking about using the zinc fasteners that you use around the house--the type that you push the clip into the wall and screw a long screw into it. That should provide a backing and I would then just have to seal the hole with sealant. I'm just wondering what the effect of zinc would be..

Dan,

Is that why we didn't see you out there on Sunday at SF?

Uh, YEAH! THAT's why I wasn't out there! Actually, my crew decided he didn't want to be tortured by another no wind day and we had plans to go to Atlanta, anyway. Besides, he had a fatal "blow out" of his wet suit (in a very personal area) on Saturday and I couldn't stand the view any more...

now that's funny!

you didn't miss much...we got out there EARLY and scoped out the whole area to find that everything changed at the start signal and we sailed into every hole out there.

Perhaps the previous "Mr fixit" drilled out all the old rivets before replacing any, the entire backing strip may have fallen down into hull.

Or, the backing strip may just be so corroded around the rivet holes you can't see the aluminum, and can't grab it with a rivet.

In that case, you need to drill a "fresh" hole and look for aluminum backing strip. Before taking all rivets out, and taking the strip off the hull, you could put replacement rivets in between each of the old locations. Make sure they're long enough to go through tramp track, hull, and internal aluminum strip. This would then grab the aluminum strip inside, if it's still there.

I would recommend against any repair that does not result in a guarantee of a backing plate, strip or washers of some kind.

Sorry I can't give definitive answer about the 18-2.

I'd imagine it's quite nearly identical to the track on the Prindle 19. I've now done both of mine, and for what it's worth, here's what I did. For one thing, the track was tight where the jib slider track is; it was only coming loose at the front and back ends. The aft end was easy: I just drilled off the heads of all the rivets that were loose, punched the bodies thru into the hull, then ran duct tape along the hull under the track. I turned the boat upside down and reached a pot of thickened West System up thru the port hole. (I had removed the ring first, because it needed resealed anyway. On the second hull, I didn't remove it, and it worked just as well.) Anyway, after smearing the slush along the inside of the track, I took a piece of glass tape, two inches wide and long enough to reach from the front of the rear beam as far forward as I could reach. I wet it out, rolled it up, inserted it carefully thru the hole in the hull, and rolled it into place. I added a little more West epoxy (I had some left) and smeared it all in really well. When it set up, I redrilled the holes in line with the holes in the track. I used stainless rivets and 3/16" stainless washers on the inside. It has held up great.
The forward tracks were a bit greater of a problem. I cleared away the remains of the old rivets, much the same way as aft, but then I used a syringe to shoot very thick West System up into each rivet hole, putting a piece of tape over each to keep it from falling back out. After it cured, I redrilled as before but reassembled with aluminum rivets. Monel might have been a better choice, because it pulls a little harder, but definitely don't use stainless. I have most of a season on one hull, and a couple regattas on the other. They are both still tight, and I end up with much less water in the hulls than before. I had about a cup in one hull after 7 hours on the water, and maybe a quart in the other.

Hope this helps.
sail fast
AT

Mike Higgens sent this link: http://www.emhart.com/products/pop/lsh.htm

It is for rivets that actually have 'washers' (for lack of a better description) attached to the end and they offer a much larger crush area on the back side of the surface! I like the idea of flipping the boat over and filling the current holes, then redrilling and then giving these rivets a shot!

I looked a the holes again and I have the same problems--the ends are loose and the centers are nice and tight. the rear ones have screws in them, so I'm wondering happened?!