Loose outboard bracket on Typhoon

[Brad Fuller]

The outboard bracket on the deck of my Typhoon is loose. The bolts (or screws??) don't "bite" when tightenend. Do you have to gain access under the deck to tighten the bracket? If so, how is that accomplished?

[RIKanaka]

I believe they are bolted through on mine with nylock nuts interiorly. Access is by sending a really small person to the transom via one of the cockpit bench lockers or putting a small access port in the aft cockpit wall. Mine has a compass in the cockpit wall just behind the tiller which I can remove to access assorted aft deck interior hardware and wiring.

[sharkbait]

I am 6 feet tall and weigh 200 lbs and I can slide through the locker and reach the backing plate and nuts. But, I have to have someone pull me out when I am through. Sure could use a small assistant.

[rschlomann]

I had the same problem on my 71 Typhoon. Luckily there was an aft access hatch but it was a stretch. In the end I had to use a hacksaw blade to cut the bolts as the nuts were frozen. I ended up installing a new engine mounting bracket a little closer in.

[Dick Villamil]

I removed the bracket when refinishing the boat. Get a long box whench and a friend with long skinny arms. Remove the inspection port in the aft bulkhead behind the rudder post - take the entire port off - not just the removable plate. This allows your arm in. Then while one person puts the box wrench on the nut, the other turns the screw with a very large screw driver. I put some sticky stuff in the box wrench to hold the nut and washer as they came off - otherwise they will fall into the bilge! Gettin the nuts off was easy - next, putting them back on. Make sure that you rebed the entire bracket because if not, the balsa core will certainly get wet and rot.

[Jim Davis]

You are dealing with a weekender, the Daysailor has foam filling that area along with the bow and sides along the cockpit. Daysailors do not have self bailing cockpits and therefore were made "unsinkable'.

I'm saying this in case any Daysailor owners are following this thread. In our case an access hole has to be cut and I found my wife's electric carving knife the best tool to cut out the foam to let me get back there. Big spade bits in a drill also are handy for ripping out the foam for access. Have a shop vac on hand to suck out the space as you go.[/b]