Replacing bow eye on 1972 19-6 Center Console

[Willhuntforfood]

Hello Everyone,

My bow eye is starting to show thread when I retrieve my boat.  It starting showing about 1/8" but now shows almost 1/2".  

How do I access the nuts or plate and is it a certain size for replacement?

Thanks,
WHFF

[Blue Agave]

If you can't reach the nuts on the back of the bow eye by reaching over the inner liner in the bow of the boat you may have to cut a hole and install an access plate.  The bow eye is standard size and you should not have any problem finding a replacement.  Your problem may be more than replacing the bow eye, the wood block may be rotten and need to be replaced as well.

[Willhuntforfood]

Thanks BA- I was hoping not to have to cut into the liner but I guess not.  There is a wood block as a backer?  I was told it was a metal plate or bar?

[Blue Agave]

Thanks BA- I was hoping not to have to cut into the liner but I guess not.  There is a wood block as a backer?  I was told it was a metal plate or bar?

The bow eye comes with a metal plate, but there is also a small block of wood that should be glassed into the bow of the boat.  If water made its way to the wood it could be rotten.  Who knows, you may get lucky and it could just be the nuts backed off of the bow eye.

[seabob4]

I'm betting the backing block is rotten.  The nuts used on bow eyes are aircraft locking nuts, they really don't back out.

[Willhuntforfood]

OK, so has anyone made this repair on this boat?  To gain access to this area and replace the block I am going to need to cut most of that liner out.  Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks for the help!

[GoneFission]

You could probably put a pie plate in to get access to that area.  Some of the early Aquasports used regular nuts and washers on the bow eye, so there is an outside chance the nuts have worked loose.  Otherwise the backing plate/support is gone and will need to be replaced.  Consider digging it out and replacing it with Tiger Hair, Dynaglass, Dynahair, or some other composite material that will bed the metal plate.  Don't use regular Bondo, but there are other fillers that have enough glass in them to be used as structural support.

[Blue Agave]

OK, so has anyone made this repair on this boat?  To gain access to this area and replace the block I am going to need to cut most of that liner out.  Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks for the help!

Don't just go cuttig out the inner, get a 6" or 8" round inspection plate and cut out the neccessary hole to accommodate the inpection plate.  After making the repair installl the inspection plate.  There are several manufactures of round inspection plates.  Check out this google search in this link;

http://www.google.com/#q=beckson+deck+p ... 66&bih=595

[TheKid]

Had the same issue on my FF. One bolt on top and one underneath.

Turns out the piece that needed to be cut out was a single triangular piece of plywood with only a few layers of poorly cured glass holding it in from the top only. I used a utility knife to cut to score as deep a cut possible then used a rubber mallet from underneath to pop it out.

I also cut a 3x6" piece of Al and cabisol'd in to reinforce the eye on installation.

Also, again, the nuts on my eye were rather rusted out. Used a 4' bolt cutter to get the eye out.

[dbiscayne]

heres a pic of a '71 from the inside, the wood block is the gray rectangle, the bow eye nuts look like little bumps towards the upper part & had some resin & paint on them, would've been a pretty tough replacement without enough access.

[Willhuntforfood]

Hey guys, thanks for all the assistance.  I will have a go at it this weekend, I hope to remove the bilge air intake and get a better look before I get down and dirty.  Thanks for the pic as well, very helpful.

I will post how I make out!

[cclovern]

I have a 22-2 FF that has the same problem , I inspected the area the bow eye was attached to and found no rot or soft spot. I suspect the bow eye hold down nuts were steel. There was very little of them left , I also checked the stern clamps and found nothing on either of them. I have replaced the nuts and washer with SS lock nuts and installed aluminum plates on all three. I guess on a 32 year old boat some things just need a little TLC !

[Group W Bench]

Orcas makes cast 316 stainless bow eyes that are welded where the eye meets the plate. On normal bow eyes, there are 2 threaded nuts where the eye meets the plate. Crevice corrosion happens in this junction causing rust streaking and eventual need for replacement. The Orcas ones cost a lot more, but they look really sharp and will last forever.

Group W Bench