Bow Handle
- Thread starter Diddy
- Start date
Oh, no; there really should be a backing plate (wood or metal).
L&VW
Well-Known Member
Yes, there should be a backing plate, as the bow handle takes a lot of weight when lifted—especially when on land.
If you're still sailing this season, try a temporary fix using "Garlick" stainless-steel toggles. To minimize the size of the toggle's entry hole, you may have to enlarge by making an offset—not perfectly round—hole. If the backing plate is still there, this could be a permanent fix.
(And get back to us on how it worked out).
beldar boathead
Married to Primat Boathead
I'd look for instructions on installing an inspection port to put a backing block behind the handle. Installing a port is a rite of passage when owning an older boat. The toggle idea is interesting but unproven, and putting bigger holes than necessary for a proper repair is inviting trouble, but you certainly could try it.
El Mar
Member
Here is what I would try before cutting in an inspection port.......
Find a good size syringe, 50-100cc or bigger. Drill out the holes to accommodate the size of the syringe tip without the needle installed. you may need to cut away plastic threading depending on the syringe.
Mix up a batch of epoxy (slow hardener) with cabosil (colloidal silica), mix it to the point of mayonnaise consistency. you want it to slump slightly but hold most of its shape. (don't mix until everything is prepared).
With the sunfish upside down and leveled by the handle area, inject each of the screw holes with a full syringe or more of the mixture so it slumps down around the holes and creates its own backing block. If you can add milled fibers to the mixture all the better.
When you remove the syringe from the holes, tape them up with blue masking tape. If the mixture is done right, it should slump around the holes from the inside creating the backing block out of epoxy.
Once dry, drill appropriate size holes for the fasteners being used. Install with 5200.
When dry, Go sailing.
Find a good size syringe, 50-100cc or bigger. Drill out the holes to accommodate the size of the syringe tip without the needle installed. you may need to cut away plastic threading depending on the syringe.
Mix up a batch of epoxy (slow hardener) with cabosil (colloidal silica), mix it to the point of mayonnaise consistency. you want it to slump slightly but hold most of its shape. (don't mix until everything is prepared).
With the sunfish upside down and leveled by the handle area, inject each of the screw holes with a full syringe or more of the mixture so it slumps down around the holes and creates its own backing block. If you can add milled fibers to the mixture all the better.
When you remove the syringe from the holes, tape them up with blue masking tape. If the mixture is done right, it should slump around the holes from the inside creating the backing block out of epoxy.
Once dry, drill appropriate size holes for the fasteners being used. Install with 5200.
When dry, Go sailing.
L&VW
Well-Known Member
Here is what I would try before cutting in an inspection port...When you remove the syringe from the holes, tape them up with blue masking tape. If the mixture is done right, it should slump around the holes from the inside creating the backing block out of epoxy. Once dry, drill appropriate size holes for the fasteners being used. Install with 5200. When dry, Go sailing.
One of my Sunfish, except for fading, is in excellent overall condition.
'Hate to cut into it unnecessarily. 
My Sunfish #1 is for cutting and experimenting—I use it for sailing, trying new stuff, drilling holes, and repairing—at every opportunity.
Your bow handle suggestion above sounds like an excellent alternative to sawing. Kudoes!
Block missing? Not necessarily. If your boat is pre 1988 (aluminum trim boat) it should have a wood backer block about 3/4 inch thick held in place by a glob of adhesive and a strip of fiberglass. 1988 and newer usually have a threaded metal plate held in by adhesive. I you still have a bow handle, leave one screw loosely in at all times while you remove the old handle and put on the new handle. If you take out all 4 screws at the same time the block may drop into the hull if the adhesive and fiberglass have failed. If the screws have some resistance coming out, then the block is probably still there. If it is a wood block, poke around in the hole with a paper clip and see if there is wood there or drill a 1/8 inch hole to see if wood shavings come out, the drier the better. If so you can put screws back in. If the hole is enlarged, you can fill it with epoxy putty and consider offsetting new holes by 1/4 inch. If the block is gone you have options of cutting a port to put in a new block, splitting the hull, or reattaching with only screws and knowing that the handle is ornamental. We consider the handles on our aluminum trim boats to be ornamental anyway, if you just attach it with screws and no block you will eventually pull out the screws if you lift by that handle.
Here is a link to a few pictures of the guts of a Sunfish: Merci
Cheers
Kent