Hi folks,

we're back in the yard in hot and sunny Mexico and trying to finish our Westsail42 for sea trials at last!

We posted ages ago about replacing the cap rail...in the process of which we had to undo the bow rollers as they are both on the cap rail.

we got one back on but are struggling to fit the coach bolts on the other as the access up through the anchor locker and into the underside  of the cap rail (ie inside the bulwark) is so hard to reach...Jane is small boned but can't actually get a hand up to the bolt and many attempts with socket extensions have failed, not to mention the washer keeps falling off....

We've been racking our brains for different strategies to no avail...has anyone else had this problem and managed to solve it?

Here's hoping,

Ivan and Jane

SV Chantey

Thanks for the tips, Edward.

We've been trying sticking the washers to the 3/8 drive long extension using various types of grease...here in Mexico its so hot (32 degrees C) it keeps melting and slipping off lol! Wax is a good idea, and soldering, we'll try those...

Any other suggestions gratefully received. Because of the angle of the hull it is really hard to get in position...any other tricks people have used?

Jane and Ivan

I had to do a similar thing, apply a nut and washer under the boomkin, which was inaccessible.  I taped the nut and washer to the wrench with masking tape.  Worked well.