Holes in boom for interlocking bolt are pulling out from the end of boom

Ticktack

Member
I was wondering how to repair the hole in boom that the interlocking bolt fits through, the bolt is elongating the hole & pulling out of the end of boom.
A Sunfish at our club failed like this & mine looks like it is close to failing.
 

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The only problem with turning the booms around is the allignment of the mainsheet blocks on the bottom of the boom. When you turn the booms end for end, the blocks may not line up with the proper attachment points on the deck of your boat. An easier solution might be to remove the interlocking eye bolts, remove the plastic end caps and carefully hacksaw off about 1/4" from the end of each boom to expose undamaged metal, file smooth, reinsert the end caps, drill new bolt holes, reinstall the eyebolts and go sailing. Removing a small amount of the end of each boom will not affect the sailing performance of the boat at all. If you are careful you will not even have to remove the sail when making this fix. Note that if you race this boat in sanctioned regattas, altering the boom length may be illegal, but I sense thay is not an issue. Do make some fix as you do not want one or more of the bolts to pull out when you are on the water.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Done a bunch.

Mark the position of the holes just front to rear.

Use a pipe cutter to cut just behind the holes. Save the piece.

File the inside edge to take the edge off.

Use the piece to locate the hole position front to rear. Just put the one face even with the new face of the tube. Then mark.

Drill the 2 holes.

Put back together.

It is a 10 min repair. Likely take more time to dig up all the tools.

Please note that the factory holes are not always centered on the tube. So you want to transfer the hole positions rearward.
 

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