[Public-List] Is the mast beam glued in place?

[Glenn]

Jeff, mine was glassed to the cabin sides at the ends and through bolted to the bulkhead.  Not glued in otherwise.  I had to take a disk grinder to cut out the FG tabing at the ends of the beam to get it out.  Bit of a hard job due to cramped space in the head.  Bigger pain putting the new beam back in as the forward cabin edge, behind the beam is curved.  So had to shape the squared edge and ends down to get a flush fit up under the cabin top- many cuts and fits to put it in!  BTW, I also squirted a tube of 5200 into the small gap between the top of my new beam and the cabin top.  This made a nice bearing surface to distribute compression forces between the beam and cabin, in places where it isnt quite a tight fit.

Also I bolted the deck plate through the cabin top with 4 bolts and backingplates. Also two bolts,through the beam. 

NOTE: make sure you drill the two beam holes as perpendicular as possible - with the beam bolted inplace to the bulkhead.  One of my bolt holes was a it canted to one side and I had never ending trouble tightening the nut inside the countersunk hole in my beam.  I went with oversized 4 x 6 beam dimensions so needed to recess the nuts.  Maybe wont be such a big deal if you  stay with original size beam.  Nevertheless this was my big gottcha on the project.


also,  The original setup had the deckplate screwed into the fiberglass with machine screws. Very inadequate as the threads in the FG were worn and loose.  When I reinstalled, the bolts leaked, so pulled them and reset and recalked liberally a second time with dolphinite.  Havent had any water intrusion in 5 years know.  

Btw i used individual two part blue seas plastic  deck mounts - the kind with rubber seal in the center- to run my wiring below. One for each wire, except one fitting takes two wires, wrapped in electrical tape.  Wouldnt put the two wires together again if I was doing it over.  To hard to stop leaks with two wires. Also I would use round wire again, not the cheaper flat stuff.  Install is quick and permanent with round wire.  I made an excessively long tail to run wiring down into the cabinet behind the head and connect to a bus bar for mast removal.  The first time I rewired, the tail wasnt long enuf and i had never ending trouble trying to stretch short ends to connect.  Finally pulled new longer wire last spring. What a relief!  

Glenn
Dolce 318

Glenn



Sent from my iPad

On Aug 30, 2013, at 12:53 AM, Jeffrey <fongemie at gmail.com> wrote:

> Anyone remove the laminated mast beam in a pre-liner boat? Is it glued to
> the bulkhead and/or the fiberglass skin of the cabin top?
> 
> Just looking to see what kind of battle I'm in for!
> 
> -jeff
> 
> 
> Seagrass #116
> Boothbay Harbor Maine
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-List mailing list
> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org

 1377839224.0