"Ski Eyes are broken"

[c master]

One 'leg' of both the port and starboard eyes on the transom of my 170 are broken, right at the surface of the 'glas. They must be through-bolted, but no way of getting to the nuts on the inside.  I'm sure AS mounted them prior to enclosing the hull.  And since they are outboard/behind the "indentions" in the aft gunwale, I'm not even sure a pie plate would give me access to the nuts.

I use the eyes quite a bit pulling tubes and such for the kids.  

Any ideas?   Saw them off, punch them into their holes a little, and 'glas over them?  Add new eyes somewhere else?

[flounderpounder225]

One 'leg' of both the port and starboard eyes on the transom of my 170 are broken, right at the surface of the 'glas. They must be through-bolted, but no way of getting to the nuts on the inside.  I'm sure AS mounted them prior to enclosing the hull.  And since they are outboard/behind the "indentions" in the aft gunwale, I'm not even sure a pie plate would give me access to the nuts.

I use the eyes quite a bit pulling tubes and such for the kids.  

Any ideas?   Saw them off, punch them into their holes a little, and 'glas over them?  Add new eyes somewhere else?

I don't know the layout of the 170, someone will chime in here, but I can't imagine anywhere on a boat that a small pie plate would not allow access??

[fitz73222]

One 'leg' of both the port and starboard eyes on the transom of my 170 are broken, right at the surface of the 'glas. They must be through-bolted, but no way of getting to the nuts on the inside.  I'm sure AS mounted them prior to enclosing the hull.  And since they are outboard/behind the "indentions" in the aft gunwale, I'm not even sure a pie plate would give me access to the nuts.

I use the eyes quite a bit pulling tubes and such for the kids.  

Any ideas?   Saw them off, punch them into their holes a little, and 'glas over them?  Add new eyes somewhere else?

Can you take a picture of where the mounting bolts "should be" on the inside of the transom. What year is your 170?

[c master]

I know it's hard to visualize...I'll try to take a few pictures tonite.

In the meantime, if you go to the Photo Gallery section, and open the brochure on the 1975 170, take a look at the 2nd page.  The plan view of the cockpit shows these "notches" at the very back of the inner hull.  This particular drawing showed horizontal cleats in each notch, but mine were mounted vertically.

At the bottom of the same page there is a photo of a 170 under way.  (stern view).  You can see the ski eye locations.  Unfortunately, the backsides of those ski eyes (the nuts) are inside the inner hull, between the wall of the 'notch' and the outer hull.  Hard to get to the nuts.

As it turns out, the aft end of the "box" or "liner" that forms the molded-in rod holders does not go all the way up to the underside of the gunwales.  I can't get my arm over that 'wall' but it is conceivable that a verrrrry long extension on a socket wrench, held inside the rod holder space, could reach over that barrier and to the nuts.  But it would be completely 'blind'.  I might be able to find a small pie plate and cut through the wall of the notch.

[fitz73222]

One 'leg' of both the port and starboard eyes on the transom of my 170 are broken, right at the surface of the 'glas. They must be through-bolted, but no way of getting to the nuts on the inside.  I'm sure AS mounted them prior to enclosing the hull.  And since they are outboard/behind the "indentions" in the aft gunwale, I'm not even sure a pie plate would give me access to the nuts.

I use the eyes quite a bit pulling tubes and such for the kids.  

Any ideas?   Saw them off, punch them into their holes a little, and 'glas over them?  Add new eyes somewhere else?

I just looked at catinthehats picture of his 70' 170; now I see what you are talking about! No nuts! Where to put the pie plates!? Have to ponder now.

[seabob4]

c master,
We used to use the 4" pies to get at all kinds of chit.  That's the way I'd go, think you have no other choice...