Outhaul repair

Court · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2008 18:33 **Posts:** 22

I took my main off for the first time a few weeks ago. I discovered my outhaul wouldn't budge, it was locked tight to the boom end fitting. Last weekend I went prepared to remove the fitting and repair whatever was wrong, thanks to the technical resource section on this site. I eventually got the screws out (well, one sheared off, but below the plane of the connection). However, the fitting is corroded to the boom and won't move, much less come off. All I've tried so far is WD-40 and beating on it with a block of wood and a hammer. Are the two aluminum alloys dissimilar enough that heat might work, or does anyone have any other ideas?

I put the boom back on and put the main back on because I don't want to loose this prime sailing weather, but I have to fix this, it took the low gear on a halyard winch to stretch the foot enough to attach the tack.

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

Heat will probably do it if you use enough. I had to use a lot of heat when I did mine. You might want to use MAP gas if you have a choice of that an propane or butane. I had to hire some of the mast fittings (I redid every fitting on the mast and boom) removed professionally and they used a LOT of acetylene (hotter than other gasses) so I would not worry about too hot as I did. I do not recall the details of the article on this website, but I had to replace everything inside the boom (a set of small blocks for maybe a 3:1 purchase) because it was metal Shaeffer blocks that were frozen and wire that was very corroded.

Court · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2008 18:33 **Posts:** 22

A machinist I consulted with suggested that acetylene would melt the boom, and that impact should do more to disturb the corrosion layer than heat. I'll try an electric heat gun and a bigger hammer this weekend.

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

You could melt the boom with acetylene if you truly overdid it, I guess. But I would be careful not to try to do everything with just the impact tool. I twisted off the heads of some fittings with the impact tool until I started using more heat--this creates a real mess to fix. I used heat and PB Blaster and WD 40 soaked over night. The fittings on my spars that I could not remove were removed by the yard with acetylene (I still would not trust myself to use it). If your machinist is advising against heat--I would suggest getting a third opinion from someone who works on aluminum spars. My machinist uses heat for everything and lots of it. More than I feel comfortable using.

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Outhaul repair

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