Jeff, "Not Handy?" The guy with the boat in the slip next to mine retired this year after being a hands on general contractor for 30+ years. Last year I watched snap a tap trying to add a fitting to his boom. So you can definitely be handy and never come across the subtitles of the right way to tap a hole.
Step one is to have the right size tap drill. Too small and the tap will break and too large and the threads may strip. There are many sources for the information, here is one: http://www.newmantools.com/tapdrill.htm Step two is select lubricant. There are lots of choices, including tapping fluids sold for specific materials; however kerosene was the standard for tapping aluminum for many years. I wouldn't feel bad using WD40 as a substitute in aluminum. Step three is to drill the hole using lubricant. Drilling aluminum dry can lead to an oversize hole as chunks tear out rather than cut away. The metal should be cut not torn by the drill. Step four is to tap using lubricant and be careful to break the chip not the tap. Manual tapping is done by turning the tap in a 1/2 to 3/4 rotation and then back it out a 1/4 turn. When you back it up it will turn easy then resist and then when the chip breaks get easy again. Once the chip breaks you can turn the tap in unit it starts cutting and go another 1/2 to 3/4 rotation cutting threads. Then it's break the chip and repeat. If you don't break the chips as you go the chips may jam the tap in the hole and lead to a broken tap. The first place I would check for a replacement part is the Catalina Factory. Phil Agur s/v Wing Tip Commodore, Call Sign WCW3485 IC27/270A MMSI 366901790 www.catalina27.org Vessel Doc# 1039809 -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeffery L. Sheler Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2006 2:12 PM To: [email protected] Subject: catalina27-talk: boom connection OK, so I decided to raise the boom about 7 inches on the mast to allow more headroom in the cockpit and possibly make room for a bimini some day. (I have 10 to 12 inches leeway at the top of the mast when the mainsail is fully raised.) I disconnected the boom by pulling the pin at the gooseneck, and with some difficulty removed four bolts that fasten the bracket to the mast. In the process, I stripped one bolt and had to drill it out, which also ruined the threads on the receiving end of the bracket. (The bolts screw into the bracket and pass on through holes drilled into the mast, which also have a slight thread.) I drilled new holes into the mast at the new location 7 inches up and tried to cut new threads in the ruined hole in the bracket, but failed. (My threading tool broke off in the hole. Did I mention I'm not real handy?) Next, I ruined another hole when a second bolt got jammed and the head stripped, and I had to drill IT out. (I remained remarkably cool through all of this.) So let's summarize: I now have two working bolts out of four holding the connecting bracket to the mast at the new location. The good news is the two working bolts are the topmost and bottommost bolts. And the connection set-up consists of an outer bracket through which the bolts pass and an inner bracket with threads that sits in the sail track. When the bolts are tightened the two brackets are pressed together pinching against the lip of the sail track. The fact that the bolts pass on through both brackets into the mast itself also gives added adhesion, at least as far as vertical movement is concerned. SO MY QUESTION IS.... am I screwed having only two bolts holding the gooseneck connection brackets to the mast? Isn't most of the pressure at that point vertical pressure? If so, it seems that two bolts might be sufficient. If not, and if I need to have four bolts securing it, it seems that my options are: 1) re-drilling and re-threading the two bad holes (remember my track record on that is not good), or getting a new inner connecting bracket (the one that goes inside the track, with threads). If that's what I must do, does anyone know where I can get one? (Mine is an 89 C27 Tall Rig). Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any helpful suggestions anyone might care to offer. Jeff Sheler s/v Windsome C27TR #6594 Hampton, VA
