I was trying to take the coaming out of the boat so I could clean underneath it (and maybe do something about the cracks on the piece). Do you know those threaded rivets (rivet nuts?) you can insert on a sheet of aluminum? That is what they use here. Well, I was able to remove all but two of them; the nuts are spinning on the fiberglass. How can I take them out?
Spinning rivet nuts
- Thread starter raubvogel
- Start date
Porpoise2
New Member
Re: Un-Spinning rivet nuts (Easy-Peasy)...
Now that I've enlarged the photo, I see you have regular slotted fasteners there.
If they're nickel-plated brass—or even if they're made of tough stainless steel—you can drill out the centers.
I'd start by:
1) Using a tiny Dremel® grinder to remove metal from the center of the fastener.
2) Put a wedge under the splash shield (the part that is loose already) to tension the inboard fastener. (In order to remove that one first).
3) Then, beginning with a small drill bit, drill out the center: use progressively larger bits until the fastener breaks apart. (Then you're "home-free"!)
In some difficult cases (like drilling stainless, which is murder on drill bits), a new drill bit with a left-hand twist may come in handy: while you're drilling (in reverse, hopefully
). The fastener may just unscrew itself! 
As for restoring that splash shield itself, it appears to be the real repair I'll leave to the experts here.
Now that I've enlarged the photo, I see you have regular slotted fasteners there.
If they're nickel-plated brass—or even if they're made of tough stainless steel—you can drill out the centers.
I'd start by:
1) Using a tiny Dremel® grinder to remove metal from the center of the fastener.
2) Put a wedge under the splash shield (the part that is loose already) to tension the inboard fastener. (In order to remove that one first).
3) Then, beginning with a small drill bit, drill out the center: use progressively larger bits until the fastener breaks apart. (Then you're "home-free"!)
In some difficult cases (like drilling stainless, which is murder on drill bits), a new drill bit with a left-hand twist may come in handy: while you're drilling (in reverse, hopefully
). The fastener may just unscrew itself! As for restoring that splash shield itself, it appears to be the real repair I'll leave to the experts here.
Here is an update: after doing some fighting, I removed the outer screw. The inner one required a bit more loving. In fact, it took a friend holding the screwdriver pressing onto the rivet nut while I unscrewed it. We managed to get it out.
Now the question is what to do next.
Also, what is underneath those nuts? The hull itself, so if water goes around the nuts (it is pouring right now and I did not have the sense to put the boat upside down) it will collect inside the hull?
Now the question is what to do next.
Also, what is underneath those nuts? The hull itself, so if water goes around the nuts (it is pouring right now and I did not have the sense to put the boat upside down) it will collect inside the hull?
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Wayne
Member Emeritus
Right, nothing but the hull cavity behind the deck in that location, with the exception of a little buoyancy block overlap at the outer two screws.
And yes, water is probably leaking in..., but from the looks of things it was most likely doing that even before you did your disassembly.
A water-tight method of re-installation ... where the coaming can still be easily removed for repairs ... follows the same method as installing an inspection (ventilation) port.
In the menu bar at the top of this page click on Sunfish KB & FAQ and follow this path to get an overview:
Knowledge Base
[*]Repairs and Upgrades[*]Inspection Ports [PDF]