Laser deck fitting installation

jegsmith

New Member
Im in the middle of replacing the turning block plate just aft of the mast step and my hiking strap on my '02 laser. I removed everything from the hull and to my surprise the turning block plate was secured to the boat using self tapping screws, while the hiking strap/mainsheet block plate was secured using a combo self tapping/machine screw. I initially thought that everything on the deck was bolted through the hull into some sort of tapped backing plate, but it seems that the fittings are just screwed into the fiberglass laminate. Does anyone know how recent vanguard models were constructed? My worry now is that i will strip out the holes when installing the new items. Should I fill the holes with epoxy and redrill the holes or just reinstall everything with 4200?
 
I would think that as long as the wood is dry and that you bedded the fasteners and hardware well the last time you changed them out (using polysulfide or silicone), you should be okay to reuse the fasteners.

If you were to overdrill and fill with epoxy, you really would need to through bolt the fasteners from inside the hull because the sheet metal/wood screws will not bite into cured epoxy very well, and there is no guarantee that the epoxy would have bonded well with the surrounding wood backing block.
 
Use the same screws and put down plenty of 5200. Not only is it going to make the area water tight, it will also give a little extra bonding power as you drive the screws through the goop...

I believe the new lasers are still constructed the same way... I could be wrong though...
 
They are still the same, I just put the hardware on my new '08 this past year. I put a ton of 5200 on the threads and in the holes, along with some on the base. I have yet to have a problem with them, and the best part is no water!
 
ive never used deck cleats. may be a stupid question but when do u use them mosty? eg light winds/heavy winds. beats, runs?
 
I often use mine to hold my cunningham/outhaul control lines out of my main sheet block, and to have them right at my side on which ever tack I'm on. I don't see how they could be used for extra purchase?
 
ive never used deck cleats. may be a stupid question but when do u use them mosty? eg light winds/heavy winds. beats, runs?

On the sail out to the race area/practice area, the sail back to the dock, between races. Reminds me that I need to sit forward in light air if I don't feel them on the back of my legs.
 
Why not just remove the deck cleats, it will make the boat lighter & theynever get used anyway, also a bit of a pain on the bum.
 
And of course, another good reason:

From http://propercourse.blogspot.com/2008/06/over-analysis.html

The RC was holding out cans of beer so I took one and drank it while we sailed in. Cleated the mainsheet. Tiller in one hand. Can of beer in the other. I was chatting to that other guy but, all of a sudden, I noticed I was sailing so much faster than him. By the time we arrived back at the beach I was 200 yards ahead of him. He wasn't drinking a beer while he sailed.
 

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