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Snapped bow eye

PostPosted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:46 pm
by dpatrick
Yep,
I snapped the bow eye off the other day launching the boat. Does anyone know whats in the closed off bow area? I'm picturing it filled with foam, but maybe not. Has anyone had top replace the bow eye? I'll put an access port I suppose to gain entry, but another option if it is screwed in would be to tap it and try and back it out.

Re: Snapped bow eye

PostPosted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 11:03 pm
by GreenLake
Bow eyes are commonly through bolted, and often glassed over as well, so simply backing out the bolt may not work.

Having a DS1, I was lucky to have the top half of the forward space not enclosed (it's not really accessible, but it is possible to wedge in to replace an bow eye. With mine, I didn't have to remove any glass, but I think there was a bit of backing plate glassed in, but nothing that had threads (or didn't have threads any longer - the bow eye could have been factory original, but it could have been replaced at some point - impossible to tell).

There's quite a bit of discussion of bow eye replacement among the older posts. For starters, you might look here and here.

Some people are partial to using the stainless U-shape bolt with two nuts, I ended up using the single bolt chrome plated bow eye and it's worked for so many season and so many times of loading the boat (the number is well in the hundreds by now) that my conclusion would be that it's not a reckless replacement.

Re: Snapped bow eye

PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 11:46 am
by MookaCB
The bow area in my bow was filled with some foam chunks.

I put the access port on the deck because I didn't want to work in the cuddy cabin.

If I remember right, just behind the fiberglass was a chunk of wood. Buy some big washers to help spread the load and then add some sealer to the hole to prevent leaks.

Re: Snapped bow eye

PostPosted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:22 pm
by dpatrick
I dug in and replaced it today. Took some pictures for any future sailer looking for visuals.
I decided to go with a stainless u-bolt. Not a big deal but a little hot and sweaty in there. I saw no reason to cut a hole in the deck, though I'm not a big person! New white oak backing plate, pretty sure that's what the original was.

Re: Snapped bow eye

PostPosted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:23 pm
by dpatrick
and some more pictures