Jiffy reefing and attaching things to the boom. Rivets?

[jephotog]

I have a new sail coming today I hope and trying to get a jiffy reefing setup for it. I have just recently added a new jam cleat to the boom and followed the lead of the previous mount. I drilled a hole and used a screw. I see there are some places where things are mounted with rivets. Is this a more secure method? I do have a riveter, but have only a little experience with one. Is there any considerations to riveting on a boat? I figure aluminum block to an aluminum boom, I should be good to go with an aluminum rivet. I have pulled out all the books and none of my manuals cover this. Maybe it is so basic they don't want to insult the reader, but I would like to get it right the first time.

Now onto the reefing I plan on adding an eye to one side of the boom and a cheek block on the other. Should these be placed 3-4" or more back from where the reefing clew will hit the boom to act as an outhaul?

[zz4gta]

Originally Posted by jephotog

Now onto the reefing I plan on adding an eye to one side of the boom and a cheek block on the other. Should these be placed 3-4" or more back from where the reefing clew will hit the boom to act as an outhaul?

I'd use SS rivets. Much stronger.
I'd also mount the cheek block a few inches aft of the clew. Best way to do it, just lash the reef point to the boom. One to hold it down and the other to act as an outhaul. Then check sailshape. Play w/ it until you get a good blade shape and mark the boom. Then drill and pop.

[Omatako]

Use Monel rivets. Strong and multi-material compatible, very corrosion resistant

[sailingfool]

You want the turning block located aft of the reef, at the end of the boom is fine. This location pulls the reef clea aft.The bitter end of the reefing line should be terminated around the boom. This serves to pull the reef clew dowb to the boom. Put them together and you get a good reef set.

If you carfully read this thread you will get it all:
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/learni...youve-got.html

[JimHawkins]

Won't you get galvanic corrosion with anything other than aluminum?
Well, I suppose wood would be ok. Do they make wooden rivets?

[sailingdog]

Yes, you risk corrosion with rivets made of stainless steel or monel...but if you coat them with LanoCote or TefGel, the risks of galvanic corrosion occurring is minimal. The real issue with aluminum rivets is that they are more prone to fatigue and are a lot weaker than stainless steel or Monel.

[jephotog]

I do like to make thinks as bombproof as possible. I picked up all the pieces to do it today but ran out of time, hope to get it done on Saturday. I picked up aluminum rivets though. My new sail is bigger than the old main at a massive 72 square feet. This combined with the 480lb displacement I can't imagine the forces being too demanding on the aluminum rivets even in heavy winds. The boat is a West Wight Potter 14.

At one of the stores I stopped at today they told me about rivet sleeves but were out of them. This was a little metal top hat looking thing that you insert into a drilled hole, then rivet into the sleeve. If water gets in past the rivet it just gets into the sleeve not the mast or boom. I could not find any in town though is this needed?

Thanks

[tommays]

Trust me SS rivets will be fine i removed 60 on my 30 YEAR OLD SALTWATER mast and boom when i painted them and there the ONLY hardware that came out without issues

[Valiente]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Yes, you risk corrosion with rivets made of stainless steel or monel...but if you coat them with LanoCote or TefGel, the risks of galvanic corrosion occurring is minimal. The real issue with aluminum rivets is that they are more prone to fatigue and are a lot weaker than stainless steel or Monel.

I second this. Monel is an excellent choice for strength, but you must isolate the aluminum from the "anything that isn't aluminum" (with the exception of whatever is used as a sacrificial anode for aluminum).

My wife helped to deliver an Ontario 32 in June from Bahamas to the States that went sour because the boom snapped exactly where a bolt for an SS bail went through the aluminum boom. It was clearly galvanic corrosion and the only upside was that it happened literally as they were leaving the lagoon at Clear Cut in Eleuthera instead of 75 miles underway.

I have an aluminum roof to my mild steel pilothouse and the "galvanic welding" was considerable. I am going to restore the roof with 1) a thick layer of two-part epoxy paint on the steel inward "flange"; 2) a layer of neoprene rubber in the center of this flange; 3) a strip of butyl tape on the inside of the flange and a bead of 4200 on the outside, "seaward" side; 4) nylon bushings and Tuf-lok/lanolin on the SS bolts holding the roof on.

I also recommend this book: Amazon.com: Metal Corrosion in Boats: The Prevention of Metal Corrosion in Hulls, Engines, Rigging and Fittings (9781574092370): Nigel Warren: Books



Best on the topic I've read and cleared up many of my questions. It's not just for metal boat owners, either...if you dock in a marina with stray electricity issues, you can learn how to simply and cheaply protect your boat.

[jephotog]

After some research and reading, I decided to do it up right. But no luck in finding monel rivets here in Utah. They had not even heard of it at west marine and when I asked about what to use to prevent galvanic corrosion, they tried to sell me an anti-corrosion spray.

On the plus side there is only two marine supply places in the state and one is only 2 miles from my house and when I went by to grab some SS rivets they had 30% off all sailing supplies so I bought everything needed to set up a single handing rig for my boat. I will get some of the lanolin alternative from the pharmacy and use it to mount the SS rivets, and order some Tef-gel for future use.

Thanks