Foot strap install suggestions

alexgrhcp

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Apr 18, 2012

Last visit: May 13, 2013

Posts: 8
Posted: Apr 29, 2013 - 04:52 PM

I took some foot straps off my windsurfer and I want to put them on my catamaran.
I have extremely thin hulls (F18HT) so I need to make sure that I add some kind of backing plate for support.

will big washer be ok? should I epoxy and fiberglass the inside ?
Can someone tell me what they did.

Thanks
Wolfman

Rank: Chief

Registered: Jun 24, 2009

Last visit: Jun 15, 2023

Posts: 1555
Posted: Apr 29, 2013 - 06:42 PM

A big stainless washer for each bolt should work. You probably don't need to epoxy it in place, just make sure you loctite the bolts so they don't work loose. If the screws are too close together for that to work epoxying a 1/8 aluminum plate as a backer inside the hull would probably work better.

--
Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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RicardOben

Rank: Mate

Registered: Jan 24, 2012

Last visit: Feb 26, 2016

Posts: 173
Posted: Apr 29, 2013 - 07:06 PM

Bolt and washer if you can behind it if not it is amazing how well the screws that come with the straps hold. JMHO, YMMV, Ricardo.

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Lake Perry KS
H-18
N-5.5 UNI +spin
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davefarmer

Rank: Mate

Registered: Oct 26, 2002

Last visit: Sep 23, 2019

Posts: 390
Posted: Apr 29, 2013 - 07:44 PM

I have a pair on my HT just aft of the rear beam, allowing the fwd two screws to attach to the beam, and the rear two screws go thru the sandwich, and thru a one inch wide pc of aluminum. I do reccomend bedding the backing plate with some thickened epoxy to evenly distribute the load to the inside skin. Goop up the plate and gently tighten the bolts, let the epoxy dry completely and then tighten them up a bit. I'm happy with this placement of the footstraps for this boat, you want the ability to have yourself(if solo) or crew that far aft for downwind in bigger air.

Dave