inboard boom end fitting

[Guest]

My inboard boom end fitting has a 12mm stainless bolt through the centre and it broke last Sunday in fairly heavy weather out off Gisborne. The bolt was frozen solid in the boom end cap. The bolt is screwed in to the part that attaches to the goosneck but looks to me as if its meant to allow the boom to rotate but I'm not sure. I'm guessing thats the reason it has just one bolt through the centre . I have managed to remove the end off the boom and drill out the bolt. I'm not sure about how to repair this so any advice very gladly received.

[PaulR 3]

Photos !! Please.

[Guest]

I've taken the bits to an engineer to have a bolt or stud made to fit. Theres two parts to it, one is an end fitting going into the boom attached by 4 screws and has a 12mm hole in the center. The other bit is attached to the goosneck and has a 12mm screw threaded in its center. The Stud that broke screws into the part attached to the goosneck which joins it to the boom end fitting which has a nut on the inside. I think, due to this stud seizing in the boom end fitting, has caused a twisting force that caused it to fail. the goosneck allows the boom to travel up or down and to port and starboard but the part concerned here allows the boom to "follow" the sail. Well thats the only logical reason to have one central bolt as far as I can see. The yacht was not sailing as well as it normally does, usually in 25 knots , hard on the wind she will do 7 knots easily but last sunday only got about 5 to 6 knots and I was wondering why. Also I had to hold the tiller which normally, if trimmed nicely, we can leave it to look after itself with one reef in the main. We did not notice the cause till we hove to to drop the sails. I'll put up a photo when I get it back from the engineer Paul.

[Guest]

Fixed, and not too much poorer...