Help please! What size rivets to use?

Turtled

Member
Hi all.
I'm finally getting around to doing all the boat maintenance tasks I've been meaning to do all winter... One job I have to do is to remove, re-seal, and replace the mast plugs on the upper mast section (as previously advised on this forum - to stop it filling with water when submerged...).

My question is this:
What diameter & length of rivets should I be using in order to do the best job? I've looked at what I've got, and they all look pretty short, but I'd rather find out in advance of drilling them all out rather than after!!!

On the same topic, what rivet should I be using for the fabric band on the boom?

Any top tips?

Many thanks in advance. :confused:
 
Not sure of the dimensions but make sure you dip the rivet in anti-corrosion paste, something Laser Performance have never heard of!:mad:
Maybe not so important for the plugs but vital for kicker tang fittings etc. 'Slap it on all over' as we say in GBRland, but wear gloves its nasty stuff unless they now sell some fairy health and safety equivalent since I last purchased the stuff.
 
Turtled - Use a 3/16" x 1/4" deep rivet. Aluminum is fine on the mast plugs.


Note:
3/16" is width of the rivet head itself, not the post you pull on
1/4" is the depth of the body of the rivet itself.
 
Hi all.

On the same topic, what rivet should I be using for the fabric band on the boom?

:confused:

I would use aluminum rivets there, since they're under very little stress, and it reduces the potential for galvanic corrosion. I'd still use a corrosion inhibitor, though.
 
Turtled - Use a 3/16" x 1/4" deep rivet. Aluminum is fine on the mast plugs.


Note:
3/16" is width of the rivet head itself, not the post you pull on
1/4" is the depth of the body of the rivet itself.

In metric that would be 5 mm diameter and 6 mm grip. I'm pretty sure my boom, which was made in the UK was done with 5 mm rivets, but 3/16" (actually 4.76 mm) was close enough, and all I could get here in the US given that most of the rivets I used were stainless. For the outhaul fairlead, you need one rivet with a long grip to make it through the fairlead, boom and end cap. For the end caps, I believe you can use screws, though (check the rules) and that's not a bad idea, because sometimes the plastic of the boom cap isn't strong enough to pop the mandrel and it gets pulled through until it hits the inside of the boom.
 
Thanks for the help. All ready to put back together.... just as soon as a replacement top plug arrives - I managed to break it when taking it out!
 
In metric that would be 5 mm diameter and 6 mm grip. I'm pretty sure my boom, which was made in the UK was done with 5 mm rivets, but 3/16" (actually 4.76 mm) was close enough, and all I could get here in the US given that most of the rivets I used were stainless. For the outhaul fairlead, you need one rivet with a long grip to make it through the fairlead, boom and end cap. For the end caps, I believe you can use screws, though (check the rules) and that's not a bad idea, because sometimes the plastic of the boom cap isn't strong enough to pop the mandrel and it gets pulled through until it hits the inside of the boom.

I think the metric equivalent is a 4.8mm rivet (in 12mm and 20mm lengths fitted into a 5mm hole ?). I used Telgel as an anti-corrosion paste - because it's supplied in a syringe with a tiny applicator brush, it's very easy to apply without getting it plastered all over the boat. It's quite expensive but a small syringe lasts a very long time as there's very little wastage,

hope that helps,

Nigel
 
I need to replace the rivets on the kicker tang on the mast, let loose in the last race of last year.

Does anyone know the size for those rivets...aluminum or SS?

Thanks
 

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