A couple of more Nacra Inter 20 questions

I have a couple more questions to pick your guys' brains...

1) Snapped some beam bolts disassembling my boat. Interestingly enough, all the bolts snapped on the port side of the boat, and none snapped on the starboard side. How do I get them out? Probably bolt extractor, eh? Anyway, I’m going to replace all the beam bolts after torque-ing them pretty hard to remove them. I went to murrays and damn, $17 for one beam bolt? Is that at all reasonable?

2) My mast step is fairly corroded and needs to be replaced, is this the right piece http://www.murrays.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MS&Product_Code=56-6605
Or is this the right piece… http://www.murrays.com/mm5/merchant...duct_Code=56-6626&Category_Code=C-MR

3) I need to touch up the paint on my mast, any recommendations on what type of paint to use and how to go about it?

That’s all I got for now, thanks in advance.

Tim
N20, Sabotage, USA 302

Epoxy appliance paint and car touch up paint has worked for me.

$17 is a good deal. I think I paid $23 for mine.Buy a tube of Tefgel and use it on the bolts when you replace them. You should also use it on any stainless going into aluminum or carbon, anywhere. It is a good idea to replace any that were stressed in the loosening/removal. While you've got the beams loose, it'd be a good time to seat them with thickened epoxy.

They switched them over to the second one pictured(SMOD,Yeah Right.) My guess is the first one is a 6.0 base and the mast shape is different.

All of this is from experience, unfortunately. No guessing needed.

Okay, what does SMOD even mean anyway? I've seen people shift their rotator to the bottom of the mast. Is the rotator cutting through the carbon mast common? Are there any tricks to prevent that from happening in its original configuration?

Another question while I'm at it

4) I need to mount cleats on the forward beam for the spin tack and also my furling line. I'm one of those guys that hates drilling into his boat (weak, I know). As long as I have my beam bolts off anyway, I'm considering mounting the cleats for the spin tack and furling line on jib cars maybe something similar to this... http://www.murrays.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MS&Product_Code=21-0106
Thoughts? Does anyone have jib cars they took off their boat for the self tacking jib?

Sorry for all the questions,
Tim

SMOD=Single Manufacture One Design

I mounted my jib cleats to the cars ,so I could still move them around. I wouldn't mount a tack cleat to one, there's a bit of slop in them and the tack lines slip bad enough without making it any easier. You don't need to worry about drilling holes in the beam unless you're gonna use 3/4" bolts or 10 times the amount you need.They're PLENTY strong. Just think it through and put them in once.

While on subject, I have my tramp removed currently and was gonna have a grommet installed for the bottom mast rotator. Does anyone have a measurement on how far it should be back from the beam?

Southern Spars told me to get Awlgrip Matterhorn White

Or...get some red nail polish.

When people ask, "What's all that red stuff on your mast?"

You say, "Blood, my last crew was a real bleeder.."

Awlgrip is great for a complete re-coat but overkill for touch-up. It's also some wicked dangerous stuff and hard to apply.You should have a supplied air respirator. It's best left to the pros.

so I should stop huffing it?

Nah, at this point you'd probably die if you stopped. Might want to do a back chaser of MEKP though, that'll help fo sho.

as you command, master.

So are you saying to through bolt my cam cleats for the furling line and tack line into the slot for the jib track?

Tim

Tack (I don't use a furler, but used to) I went behind the slot on the beam and put a airblock in front of it for a fairlead. I tapped the holes and used machine screws instead of coarse thread self tappers and put 5200 under the cleat. For my jib cleats I used the old jib sliders and can move them inboard or outboard if needed.

I'll defer to Todd but I've always just used self tappers. If you are concerned through a little red loctite thread lock on the self tapping screws.