Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

[rfdfirecaptain]

I snapped the anchor roller off the pulpit of my boat (Crownline CR250, 1993 model) this weekend while trying to dislodge the anchor. There is no damage to the boat or the anchor roller. The holes on the deck side are also 5/16 holes, therefore a molly bolt system was definitely not used to mount the anchor roller from the deck side. I can see where the threads on the 5 inch long, 5/16 mounting bolts are stripped off the lower 1 inch of the bolt, which led me to believe that a nut had likely been stripped off them as the bolts pulled through. So, I called the boat manufacturer (Crownline) and determined that the anchor roller was mounted on the top deck using through bolts with washers and nuts at a minimum, and possibly a mounting plate for reinforcement underneath.

These are the questions I have.

1. Can I access a hollowed area in the pulpit to replace the bolts, washers, nuts etc? by removing the mirror at the front of the cabin? I know this gives access to the anchor locker, but I?m not sure if there is access into a hollowed pulpit area.

2. If I cannot remount the anchor roller by accessing a hollowed pulpit from the anchor locker I am considering another option other than a molly bolt system. Has anyone ever mounted an anchor roller using bolts that penetrate the deck side and exit on the hull side of the boat, using a stainless steel plate for reinforcement on the hull side? This suggestion was given to me by the manufacturer (Windline) of the anchor roller.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

Yup on #1 there captain. You SHOULD have access to the pulpit backers from the chain locker.

Skinny and long arms are going to be your best tools .

YD.

 

[rfdfirecaptain]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

YD... Thanks for the information. It's going to be a lot of work removing things just to get into that area, so you can understand why I want to poll this group before I even get started. Even if I get no other replies, I'll take your advice and get on this project soon. I will post an update along with photos if I can get my camera in there to snap a shot.

 

[rfdfirecaptain]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

UPDATE: Well after removing the side cabinetry, front mirror, TV ect., I was able to access the back side of the anchor chain locker. After popping open the sealed hatch I found no joy. The anchor chain locker is a separate fiberglass compartment that does not provide any access up into the pulpit even though it completely blocks access into the pulpit.
In the photo you see 4 nuts and washers. That is the underside of the cleat, on the bow of the boat, that?s used for tying off the anchor rode.
So, I am back to square one. Does anyone have any ideas how to mount an anchor roller?. With NO ACCESS into the pulpit area?

 

[wa_ssv197]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

Maybe a photo of the pulpit itself would be helpful?

 

[rfdfirecaptain]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

OK here's what I'm working with. No interior access. All remounting will have to be done from the exterior.

 

[wa_ssv197]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

Sea-Dog

I would contact Crownline and also a roller mfgr like the like I posted to see what they would suggest.
I would guess that they just did nuts and bolts through the top deck. I would also hope that there is something between the deck and hull, like blocking of some sort. Your only option might be to do a thru bolt to the underside.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

Can you give us a pic of whats Behind ( forward ) of that rope locker ? Gotta poke your head in there.

Or can you give us a pic of how that Rope locker module is mounted to the deck ? Got to be some kind of Flange ..Glassed or screwed in ??

I cant tell you how many times I have had to twist my body up and in a rope locker area to access fwd fasteners ..

Just have to show more ..

YD.

 

[Ciera2450]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

looking at the picture above....
could you perhaps reach around the side of your anchor rode locker to access the pulpit area?
It appears you might have access reaching around it...if your arms are long enough.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

The anchor locker looks to be a separate unit. Maybe the anchor locker can be unbolted and removed giving access to the pulpit (if its not glassed in place).

The other option is to cut a access hole in the bottom of the pulpit. I'm thinking of a narrow rectangle shape that will let you slip in a steel backing plate (if needed) and bolt the anchor roller back in place. Then a stainless steel plate can be made (with a slight V shape to match the bottom of the pulpit) to cover up the access hole and installed with stainless screws, and stainless T-Nuts. That would make permanent access to that area. The plate could also be made of fiberglass or aluminum and painted to match to gel coat so it wouldn't be as noticeable.

 

[rfdfirecaptain]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

Here are the answers to your questions.

1. Yes, I contacted Crownline. They wanted to help me, but they admitted they did not have any records of the construction dating back to 1993.

2. Yes, I have contacted Windline (the anchor roller manufacturer) and spoken to their head engineer. He has reviewed this thread and photos and he has offered me some good suggestions that I will consider including the one below

3. No, you cannot reach around behind the anchor chain locker. It is glassed in and as you slide your hand around it (fore) you can feel that it becomes flush mounted with the walls of the boat.

What do you folks think about drilling the bolt holes from the deck side through the hull and then putting a stainless steel plate on the hull side for reinforcement. I like that idea, but I'm just not sure that by transferring all the tension of the anchor the hull side of the pulpit is a good idea considering the fact that I have no way of knowing how well the structure is built on the hull side of the pulpit. All it might take is one good hard pull and the hull side could cave in if not properly reinforced. Right? Based on the length of the screws I would say the deck side structure of the pulpit is reinforced underneath about 2 inches thick, but without drilling the hull side, I'm just guessing at the structural reinforcement on the hull side.... unless one of you can tell me.

Yes? No? Concerns? Considerations?

Thanks!

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

Can you post some pics of that roper locker please ..

If there is NO way to get to those bolts ( could have been a Tapped alum plate on the underside of the pulpit for mounts ).

I dont like the idea of Through bolting to the underside of the pulpit form/hull ...

YD.

 

[rfdfirecaptain]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

YD? Thank you for responding.

First, the photo of the rope locker I have on this thread now is the best shot I can get. I tried other angles (port and starboard sides), but the shots were so close up they blurred. Regardless, the rope locker is glassed to the underside of the top deck and at the front along the keel. Again, no access to the pulpit without cutting the locker out and even then there is no guarantee that the pulpit is hollowed out enough to do the work.

Good point about a possible existing plate. The anchor locker manufacturer suggested that I try drilling 1/16th larger hole to inspect. If there is an existing plate they recommended I tap it an use bolts that are 1/16th larger.

Unfortunately, I?m not getting a lot of input on this one and I had planned to work on this project tomorrow. I?ll give it the rest of the night tonight, but I think I?m going to have to wing this on with what little information I?ve gathered so far.

Nope, I don?t like the hull plate either, but my options are very limited.

Thanks!

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

I am thinking of 2 possibilities..

You have and intergrated alum plate that is Tapped ..or it was through bolted before the deck was placed on the hull.

I see your problem if the roller was installed before the deck was down and now has no access ..and no alum plate to tap into.

Lets hope your next post is " I have an alum plate that I can Tap to " .

YD.

 

[rfdfirecaptain]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

YD?. again thanks for the reply.

I got the anchor roller mounted back on last night and today I swung my 200 pound frame from it? and it?s still holding in place. Here?s what I did.

1. Measured the diameter of the existing bolts. They were ? inch.
2. Used a ? inch drill bit to clean one of the holes of all the dried sealant that was stuck to the walls of the holes. I noticed after cleaning the first hole I had metal shavings on the tip of the drill bit. I cleaned the drill bit and did the same procedure three more times. I found metal shavings in all 4 holes.
3. I over-bored one hole to 5/16 inch and used a tap to thread the hole.
4. I purchased stainless steel bolts and threaded one into the new hole I had just tapped. The bolt?s shoulder bottomed out before it sank deep enough.
5. I used a 5/16 inch die to thread the stainless bolt another inch. I set the die so that the new threads on the bolt were about 1 millimeter larger than those cut by the factory. I did this to get a tighter fit in the holes I had just tapped.
6. I tried my newly threaded bolt and it fit very nicely. I performed step 5 above to the remaining 3 stainless bolts.
7. I filled the holes and all bolt threads with 7200 sealant. I laid a bead of 7200 sealant around all 4 holes, ? inch inside the perimeter of the anchor roller?s bottom plate and I laid a few beads in the area down the middle of that entire mounting plate area.
8. I bolted my anchor roller to the boat by slowly torquing each bolt to get a smooth flow of the sealant between the deck and bottom side of the anchor roller?s mounting plate.
9. I finished it off with 30 pounds of torque on each bolt head, which was a very tight fit.

At this point I know this much:
1. There is metal sandwiched in that pulpit area even though you cannot see it.
2. The new stainless bolts obviously threaded into metal otherwise they would not be biting as tight as they are and the sure wouldn?t be holding my weight.
3. This type of repair SUCKS because there is so much research to do then, trial and error. Currently, I?m at the ?praying it works? stage!


Thanks everyone for your input. I?m going to go ahead and SAY PROBLEM RESOLVED. At the worst case I?m thinking I may have to go back and over-bore again using 3/8 inch bolts. Only time will tell.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Anchor Roller / "Re-Mounting" - help, ideas requested

Cool..Im happy to hear you had an embedded alum plate that was tapped for bolts ..

YD.