Bow guide

There’s a bronze anchor line guide at the top of the bow of my W30 that appears to be held in place by two flat head, countersunk straight slot bolts.

The heads of the bolts are about 1” in diameter. The last time I looked (or tried to look) I didn’t see the nuts. I have no screw driver even close to that size.

I want to do some serious machining on the top of this unit. Can one get a socket on the nut? I can make something to work as a screw driver.

Anybody ever remove these bolts?
What do you call it? A bow chock?

Eric - not exactly sure what to call it either. On my Willard 36, construction to hold the SS plate in place was similar with large slot head construction screws lagged into the caprail. The W36s had a channel cut into that stem to lower the anchor down some. Originally, there was a toggle across the top of mine where the forestay for mast was fitted (I had the mast removed).

Here's a picture of my stem fitting area. A heavy U-shaped plate fit into this channel, with the bow roller going across. Old bow roller has bee. Removed and an anchor davit made for a Rocna Vulcan bolted in place.

Here's a link for a socket with screw driver bit. An impact driver might be helpful. God forbid if you strip the head though.

Good luck.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CHQ...8553470562&adgroup_id=90629856470&adtype=pla&

When removing those type of screws, I've taken a piece of flat stock steel and ground it to exactly fit the entire length of the slot with a grinder and a Dremel tool. You can then either take a socket, cut a slot in it, and weld the steel into it, or just use a large adjustable wrench.

The key to removing the screw is lots of pressure to keep the driver in the screw slot. I have even used a large C clamp to keep it in place, just to break the screw loose.

Ted

An old fashioned brace with a straight blade bit that fits the head well works. You have leverage to apply torque as well as the ability to exert reasonable down force to keep it in the slot. Sharpening the square edge of the bit also helps.
There was a recent discussion about using brace & bit for bronze screws in teak decking.

OK good,
Lots to get my head around.
When I get to the turn the screw part and find it’s frozen/stuck or otherwise won’t turn ... then I’ve got a problem. But after being around for almost 40yrs ....?

But the bow chock is slightly loose. Loose to the hull .. not the bolt to the bow chock. So not quite firm against the hull flange. Assuming it’s bolted to a hull or deck flange .. or both. Not really worried about it coming off but now I want to remove it so I can cut it down. I consider the only two problems removing it will be if it’s stuck as if someone put locktight in it during assby a long time ago. Or I can’t gain access to the nut or get a wrench on it.

I should just go up the street, get a mechanic and say what would it cost to remove it? If I like what he said tell him to go for it. But I hate to do that and then find out how easy it is .. was. HaHa

Re money though what I have in mind at the machine shop may make me forget the whole thing. I want to cut it in half horizontally .. like a slice of bread at a different angle .. about 5-15 degrees different. Should rough cut first then mill flat. Then four new holes drilled and taped for new screws in a rectangular pattern. But a new bolt arrangement may not be compatible w the hull. May be nothing for two of the new bolts to fasten to.

The more I think about it I should leave the bow chock right where it is and cut a rectangular hole in the bow a few inches below the bow chock and affix the bow roller/channel to the foredeck w an additional pice of flat bar welded to the bottom of the bow roller channel. And then bolted to the deck. Basically be like Peter’s pic in post #2 but w the upper part of the hull and cap rail remaining.

What do my fine minded friends think?

I do something like ted does at work but we have a milling machines .I take a large steel chisel and cut about an inch off the shank then mill it so it is the maximum size it can be to fit in the slot .I drive it in with a hammer .a socket will fit the the chisel shank.

timb said:

I do something like ted does at work but we have a milling machines .I take a large steel chisel and cut about an inch off the shank then mill it so it is the maximum size it can be to fit in the slot .I drive it in with a hammer .a socket will fit the the chisel shank.

Click to expand...

Guess I'm just a shade tree metal butcher.

Ted

Eric - I found a better picture of my bow piece. If you zoom in you can see the screw heads. Redlines are where I had the welder cut the "ears" down to make it flush with the caprail. You can also see the cross piece for the forestay. Also, if you zoom in on the sanded picture, you can see some termite damage. That piece was replaced prior to encapsulating with glass. Mahogany.

Peter,
Did you have that big channel fabed up?
Looks very much up to the task.

But I’d prolly worry about hull flexing finding it’s way to the vertical and aft place where the aft edge of the channel meets the kick panel under the cap rail. But it looks really fine now .. better than what I’ve got planed. I’ll be lucky to get the hole cut accurately enough to please even me. May have some ragged edges.
But if the anchor works well in it’s place and stays put ...... and winds up low enough to have really good visibility re things floating in the water .. loke logs weighing several tons ... wanna miss those guys.

Eric - slot in stem is one of the design attributes of Willard 36s. They all had the beefy channel - the one shown is original circa 1970. I had the high ears cut down is all. I believe the piece was polished while it was off the boat but I can't tell for sure in the attached (wasnt on the boat when I was last there two months ago)

Like what you’ve got there Peter.

Does the lower roller swing up to pull the anchor shank up at different angles?

I’ve been busy w other things lately.