Removing snapped grab rail screws from hull

[jonah77]

Some of grab rail screws (two nearest the bow on one side, one nearest the bow on other side) on my Laser appear to have snapped right at the point they leave the hull. I've removed the rail by undoing the other screws, but the remains of the two broken ones remain inside the boat. There is nothing that I can get pliers onto in order to remove them.

The rail flexes at the end when sat near it, and particularly recovering from a capsize, so I need to fix it somehow, preferably by removing the screws rather than gluing or epoxying the loose end.

I've searched the forum for fixes and I understand the screws go into plugs. I do not believe it would be a good idea to knock what remains of the screw, together with the plug, into the hull as I would then listen to them rattling for the remaining life of the hull.

Does anyone have any ideas, please?

Photos attached, although it's hard to see the screws, they are flush with the hull.

 

[cskudder]

Easiest thing is to drill a new hole maybe an inch away from the old one and put a new screw into the new hole.

To get the screw out of the original hole... I'd use a dremel tool to open up a small cavity around the old screw, enuf to grab it + turn it with pliers. That's obviously an uncertain approach- you just don't know how much material you'll have to remove, to grip the screw enuf to be able to turn it out. Once you get it out, then refill the old hole with thickened epoxy, let that set up completely, then re-drill and new screw.

 

[Rob Hair]

From the appearance of rust around those broken screws, I wonder if someone has put ordinary steel screws in place of the SS ones. If so, its going to be tuff getting the remainder out. I often use a cutter rather than pliers in such a situation to get a better grip. The one shown has worker well for me.

 

[Voodoo 158546]

Had a very similar situation with a rudder pintle last week, tried initially to do as little damage as poss by cutting a new trench for a screwdriver in the broken end but the rust farther down the thread held on longer than the trench walks which tore out.

Not in the position of being able to move things over an inch ( rudder assembly ), only thing left was to do the approach that a skudder mentions.

Initially kept the digging small but the grips couldn't hold so to accommodate bigger grips ended up taking approx an inch diameter of hull away, then patched up with carbon.

Go for it, it will be clean dry and solid once you're done

 

[suicideeddie]

the easiest way i have found to remove rusted/sheared bolts is to use a hollow diamond bit + dremel this will leave a nice round clean hole to bond in a plug or a expanding insert

 

[laserxd]

you might be able to drill it out, usually if the head sticks out a little I use a dremel/rotary tool to create a flat head, looks like it's buried a little so maybe try drilling it out

get a bit that's made to drill stainless/metal