Posted by Skip Turpin (skipperf33@…>)
A suggestion for those of you trying to break the bond of
3M’s “5200”.
Recently I decided to build a real bow sprit for my 1982 F33
Cat/ketch. After long and hard thought and planning the day finally
came to bite the proverbial “bullet” and start getting things out of
the way. For reasons that I will not bore you with here, it became
necessary to remove a lot of deck hardware, like the old hand crank
windlass, teak bowsprit with its anchor roller, the bow pulpit and
disconnect all lifelines running forward. On the starboard side I
needed to remove several lifeline stanchions and and their basses,
along with the aluminum toe-rail back as fare as the entry gate.
Just like every other poor slob faced with removing stuff like that,
I had prayed that they were not installed with 5200. Well, I am here
to tell ya that even the Master himself want touch that one. Yes
folks it was all installed with copious amounts of the indestructible
stuff. And yes, in most places where stainless steel screws met
aluminum, a drill was usually the only viable solution to getting
those parts loose.
Removing the toe-rail was a nightmare that took three days and four
people and a trained albino monkey. Removing the bow sprit was also
incredibly interesting. But I did happen onto one good idea there!
I would have given my grandmother for a long skinny saw blade that
would span the width of that bow sprit, but alas, I knew of none.
Then it hit me! Like the wind I jumped up on the boat and scampered
down the companionway into the main salon. There I found my guitar.
I removed its largest wire wound string the low “E” string. I then
attached a 3/4" x 5" bolt to each end of the wire for handles. Back
on the dock I slid the guitar string between the teak of the bowsprit
and the deck and began to saw. This was hard work, but it worked
like a charm. The wire wound string cut and burned its way through
the 5200 quite well.
This system will also cut through gel coat and fiberglass, so be
careful with your alignment as you cut. As you can well imagine, I
never throw my old guitar strings away anymore, they now reside on
board as make shift saw blades. They will cut or burn their way
through just about anything but steel.
Those of you trying to remove a portlight or hatch, might be able to
use this idea. I you can fish the string through, with one person on
the outside and a second on the inside of the boat you might be able
to work the saw around its perimeter. Just be carful not to cut into
the metal frame or cabin wall as you slowly work your way around.
You will find that it will take a deep angle in the direction that
you want to go to get the string to cut. Needless to say all
fasteners will have to be removed or sidestepped along the way.
Oh yes, just personal preference, but I have gotten way from using
any kind of silicone products on my boat. For most of my sealing and
bedding jobs I prefer Polysulfide products like “Life Calk”! I have
had the best luck with that kind of product over the years.
Hope this is helpful folks!
Skip Turpin