[quote=Edchris177][quote]I'm not sure how the old 5.7 is constructed with regard to bulkheads. I suspect there is one just in front of the rear crossbeam. Anyone know?[/quote]
There is a bulkhead at both the rear & front beam. I attempted to use a 1/2" tube snaked into the lowest part of the hull, then utilize a small hand pump,(used for pumping out floats on a seaplane) to remove water from my 5.7 hulls, as you know they have to tipped quite far up to drain. I couldn't get it through the drain hole in the bulkhead.
I can't remember how far exactly from the tern it is, just poke a coathanger wire in through the drain hole til you hit it, then measure.
As for a port, no matter where you put it, you will end up sitting on it, you move around quite a bit depending on the wind, & number of people on the boat. They mount pretty flush, sitting on one isn't an issue. DON'T put one in front of the front beam, there is nothing to see up there anyway. If you do put a port in, be cognizant of the cross braces on top of the hull. Closely observe your hulls as the weather gets colder, with a light frost, (probably even with heavy dew), it should be readily apparent the structure under the deck lid-look again at the photos in the album. When you see it, mark it with a pencil, or waterproof felt pen, so you know where to cut. You probably want to be in the middle, so you can reach fore/aft with washers.
I would NOT use 1/4" rivets, something else will give before an AL washer on the back of the standard rivet will let loose. I mean the thing has held together for 30 odd years with NO backing. The other bomb proof option is a strip of AL. Drill & rivet one end, then one in the middle, then far end, as you hold the strip up tight. Then drill & pull the remaining rivets.
I was going to do that, but prefer sailing to theorizing, (I have 45 days on the H18 this season, plus a few on the N5.0), so i just pulled rivets & went back out that afternoon. If it eventually does blow up, I'll take another boat off the rack & go.,
Expoxy with some microfibres is stronger than you may think. Look inside your hulls, there is lots of "runs" from the factory in places that flex, in both Nacras & the H18. It's still there 34 years later. I used slightly thickened expoxy for bottom wear strips on the H18, & Mystere 6.0XL, it's still there, despite being banged on the beaches & beams of the boat lift.
If the end of your rivet puller is to big to get into a tight spot, do as Pete Begle has pointed out, just drop some small nuts onto the mandrel of the rivet, & pull it.[/quote]
