Drilling Holes in my beloved Typhoon Weekender

[Sea Hunt]

I am getting ready to start two projects. In my mind they are large projects, although I know that for 95% of you these are simple, quick and easy jobs.

I again apologize in advance for what to many on this board must seem like some of the silliest and dumbest questions ever asked. If there was an award for dumbness, I would get it

I want to install a bronze cleat on the aft deck port side to match the factory installed bronze cleat that is on the aft deck starboard side. I plan to drill 4 holes for the cleat and use Starboard or similar as a backing plate.

Question 1: Is the aft deck balsa cored I think the answer is "yes" but want to be sure before I start drilling. Assuming it is balsa cored, my plan (unless dissuaded by responses from this board) is to follow the advise in Don Casey's book Hull and Deck Repair for "preparing a cored deck for new hardware" at page 14.

Question 2: I measured the size of the bronze cleat on the starboard side and came up with 6 1/2" tip of horn to tip of horn. I went to Spartan's website and could find 6" and 7" cleats but no bronze cleat that is 6 1/2". Does anyone know the correct part number for this cleat to match the cleat on the starboard side

Question 3: I am going to replace the winch handle holder that is presently screwed into the exterior port side bulkhead. Is this bulkhead also balsa cored or is it pure fiberglass In tapping around the area it "sounds" like it is all fiberglass, but again, before I start drilling new holes (the new holder's screw holes are positioned differently than on the old holder ) I would prefer to know what I will drilling into.

Thanks in advance for all of your continuing assistance and support and again, my apologies for continuing to ask so many unquestionably dumb, silly questions.

BTW, tried to go sailing today using the large Genoa for the first time. Although it looked like rain, I decided to go anyways. As I was getting ready to hank on the Genoa while still on the mooring, there were two huge lightning bolts followed very shortly by loud thunder. I decided to surrender to Mother Nature and staged a timely "tactical retreat" to the safety of the sailing clubhouse. A driving and blinding rain came across the Bay moments later. There was also rumor of a water spout but not sure of its accuracy.

[Gary H]

The aft deck is definitely balsa cored. Won't the new cleat be awfully close to your motor mount?

[Rollergirl]

At least mine was.
When I cut a hole out of 696's bulkhead for a compass, I cut a spot that had half a foam-cored section and what looked to be a hollow half. It was a decade ago; I can't remember which half (top or bottom) was hollow. The compass hole was about 2/3rds of the way to the top from the seat level and near the companionway. Sold the boat and kept the core sample - it's somewhere on my "workbench" (read boating compost heap).

Bill

[Sea Hunt]

Gary and Bill, thanks.

Gary, that's a good point about the motor bracket. In my defense, I believe I started this post with the observation that I am dumber than a rock (or words to that effect).

I had hoped to go sailing today. However, at present we are forecast for 60% - 80% rain in the area. I am still not comfortable enough single handing to intentionally venture out in expected adverse conditions.

Whether today or tomorrow, I will take more exact measurements and try to determine if a horn cleat will interfere with the motor mount, etc.

My primary purpose for installing a port side cleat is for hurricane preparation and to have an additional tie down point for either a heavy anchor and chain/rode or for a 1/2" line to run into the mangroves or around a dock piling. There are just not enough cleats, tie down points, etc. on a Ty Weekender.

I had previously thought of just installing a very large s/s U bolt. However, I want to try to keep her as close to traditional as possible and a large U bolt just would not look right - at least not to me A bronze cleat at least looks like it belongs there.

Additional thoughts, observations and suggestions will be much appreciated and much needed
Thanks

[Chris & Dale Schnell]

I know there are some differences between our 1969 Alberg Typhoon and your 1977 Typhoon Weekender, but take a look at the picture of ours by going to Cape Dorys, Specs, Typhoon, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Typhoon Daysailer brochure, and then scroll past the 1 page brochure to a picture of Miss Dale from the stern. It gives a clear picture of the layout of the mounting bracket (which may be different from yours) and the location of the cleats port & starboard. I actually have an open area under the aft deck where my tiller comes out (as opposed to the cockpit deck) and can easily reach the backside of the cleats which do have backing plates. Hope that helps.

[Sea Hunt]

Chris and Dale:

Thanks Great picture. Beautiful Typhoon

It looks like your deck hardware is very similar to my Typhoon Weekender, except my Ty does not presently have a port side cleat on the stern deck.

In looking at your photo it occurs to me I would probably also need to install a chock on the starboard side. Otherwise, the anchor/dock line will be rubbing the beautiful toe/rub rail installed by the prior owner.

Again, many thanks

[wingreen]

The aft deck is balsa core, SeaHunt. It is also prone to rot from water seeping in from the mainsheet blocks. I just repaired mine this summer - a very tedious task since it involves drilling holes to allow the deck to dry out, and then filling-sealing-rebedding. If and when you drill the holes, you should get a good idea about the condition of the balsa core.

My bulkhead is hollow - two thin fiberglass molds w/ about 1-1/2" of air between them. The cabin-top is balsa core, as is the fore deck and the deck along the rails.

[Gary M]

Hey Sea Hunt,

IMHO the first most important part of your project is finding the right cleat. The wrong cleat will take just as long to install right. Get one that matches the rest of your cleats if you can.

Once you have the cleat, you are on your way, just take your time and think the project out.

Spend all the time you can marking the holes and laying things out. No mistakes are to made at this step.

Drill your bolt holes, and if you run into balsa core, don't drill all the way through. Instead use a bent nail on a drill motor to clear out some of that wood, vacume it out of the hole, and fill your hole up with epoxy. Redrill through the epoxy tomorrow.

What you have now is a donut of epoxy guarding your balsa core form any moisture.

You don't have to have marine plywood for the backing plate but what ever you have, coat it in epoxy and then paint it to protect the epoxy. (not on the side being epoxied to the under side of the deck.)

Carefully use green or blue masting tape to tape off both the cleat and the deck, then mount the cleat using white Boat Life "Live Seal" as a sealer / bedding compound.

Snug the bolts but do not tighten them.

Come back tomorrow and tighten the bolts down and go sailing.

Want to cover more bases? Use a solder gun or wood burning kit to inscribe a prayer to your God, or "The Hurricane God" on your backing plate.

You could make one up, or consult John Vigor.

If the cleat pulls out during a hurricane, you didn't write the prayer right!

Good Luck
Gary

[Voodoo Child]

Hi,
I have a 1978 Typhoon (new owner). I too would like to install a starboard cleat. Did you find a source for the bronze cleat and chock? Thanks. Hank

[Dick Villamil]

I too had moisture and rot in the aft deck of my 76 Ty - After removing the hardware (take a photo first) I tapped the deck to find the extent then drilled holes with a 3/8" drill through the top layer only. The balsa was rotten and as I worked away from the center of the damage it got wet then I found where it was dry. The holes swere drilled about 3/4" apart in all directions. Let the sun and wind or a heat lamp (not too close or hot) and a fan dry out the balsa. The really wet areas and roted ares I took a finish nail and bent he end over at right angles then put the straight end in the drill chuck (cut the head off the nail first). After inserting the nail into the hole I turned on the drill and the bent (1/2") part worked the rotted and wet core out. Lots of time with tweezers and alcohol helped the remaining balsa dry out. Some alcohol was for energy for the worker (me) and to dull the sense of destruction to my boat. After countersinking the holes I mixed up filler and resin and use d hypo syringe to inject it into tone hole so it came out of the others. The rest is just filling and fairing then refinishing the aft deck. It looks pretty good after 3 years however you cn still see where the holes were when viewed at a shar angle on a sunny day. Someday I will refinish it again to remove the telltale signs.Check out the website for the ROT DOCTOR for another slant on doing this repair.