E35, Handrail-cabintop connection fix

[Vispa]

Any info out there on the handrail/cabintop joint of an E35 or other? A portion of my port forward handrail popped out today, which revealed an even uglier muddy pasty balsacore problem in the cabintop. The stainless bolt held tight to the handrail but it didn't look long enough to go through any core; perhaps it just went through the outer skin. There may have been a nut but that seems to have rusted away.

How were these handrails manufactured? Were the handrails applied to the outer skin before core was mated to the outer skin?

It's too late in the season to rip off the cabintop and replace the balsa, so I'm looking for a quick fix to secure the handrail for the season for the season. I've thought of scraping around in the hole to remove the wet balsacore mush, somehow drying it out and pumping some epoxy filler in there to rebed the handrail with a bolt going all the way through the inner skin with backing plate.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[gareth harris]

I did the same task last year. Assuming your boat is a similar vintage to mine, at manufacture the handrails were screwed into small nuts embedded in the balsa. Needless to say that did not last very long, so one of my boat's previous owners had added a plethora of wood screws in an attempt to keep it down. The basic problem is that wet balsa is not strong enough to take the load, and the fibreglass around the hole cracks with time.

Here is my suggestion:
1. Take off the handrails completely (they are clearly not safe, and it will give you more work space); turning the screws will probably rip out the nuts from the deck, which is what you want.

2. Drill through the holes all the way through the cabintop and headliner, using a drill bit of appropriate size to later fit 5/16" bolts (I think that is the size I used, it may have been 1/4"). If any of the nuts are still there, they will come out on your drill bit.

3. Using a 1" hole saw, make holes in the headliner around the drill holes, to allow access to the deck from below.

4. Using anything you can find in a hardware store, or an allen wrench (very effective, but more expensive), that will fit through the 5/16" hole you drilled from the top and then turn 90 degress, take out the rotten core from around the hole for about 1/2". You can expect to destroy several of what ever you use for this.

4A. As an alternative to that step, you can drill right through the deck with a 3/4" hole saw.

5. Cover the 5/16" (of 3/4") hole on the underside of the deck with duct tape.

6. Fill the hole, from above, with epoxy mixed with hardener. Allow to cure.

7. Remove the duct tape. Dry fit the handrails, and drill through each hole, right through the deck where you have just filled it with epoxy, this time making holes for the bolts.

8. Through bolt the handrails through the deck, using appropriate sealant.

This will prevent sailing for a weekend. If the rotten core is not too extensive this may be a permanent fix, if it has gone beyond the immediate vicinity of the holes then you will need to do further deck repair in the future, but the handrails will be solid until you find the time.

I would not recommend taking short cuts on this, as simply adding extra screws into the deck, as one of my previous owners did, will not be very secure, and will just add extra water entry points making the eventual deck repair harder.

Good luck, you have my sympathy.

Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972