Loose Bolt in Hull

[Duncan Ford]

When re-assembling my boat last weekend after gelcoat skeg repairs in the back garden, I could hear what I assumed to be a rivet head rolling around in one hull.

I managed to work it to the stern and get it out, only to find it was a 3mm screw headed bolt 40mm long.

I am not aware that any bolt of this size is used in the construction anywhere but am concerned it might be something to do with the chain plates. I don't think it can be and certainly hope not!

The boat is sail number 1973, one of the last UK made ones delivered November 2003. (Incidentally, Bob, not 2002 as your spreadsheet under price guide suggests)

Does anyone have any idea as to where this bolt may have come from or am I safe to assume that it was dropped in or left in the hull at manufacture. Ideas and words of a comforting nature welcome!!

Duncan Ford TBYC Sail 1973

[Bob Carter]

Hi Duncan,
I think that there are only nuts inside the hulls - all the screws are inserted from the outside - but I will be interested to hear what Steve Sawford or Brian Phipps have to say.
Never mind - it got you worried.
This reminds me of a ruse that Paul Berry used to play on people on light wind days. He would have a few spare clevis pin circlips in his pocket. Then when he was sailing along next to you he would surrepticiously flick a circlip onto your tramp. You would see the circlip on your tramp and think "Oh no, my mast is about to come down" and so you would go round checking your shrouds and pins. Then when you had checked them all you would look up seeing Paul disappearing over the horizon with a big grin from ear to ear!!!
Cheers
Bob

[Brian Phipps]

Hi, not nuts, bolts or screws are fixed inside the hull, so appears you have been carring extra weight!!
Brian
Windsport.

[Bob Carter]

Hi Brian,
There are definitely nuts inside the transoms which hold the pintels on.
Cheers
Bob

[Brian Phipps]

sorry bob you are right, got a bit carried away!!! shorten that down to no bolts or screws!!
Ther may be a few rivet ends rattling around, where toe loops or other fittings that use rivets have been replaced.
Thanks
Brian

[Andrew Hannah]

I once dropped a pair of pliers into the stern hatch, momentarily forgetting it's not the same as the cocktail cabinet. I could hear the pliers rattling forward. I wondered where they were going to stop.

To recover them, I formed a loop in some old rigging that I had. It took an age to get them out.

[Duncan Ford]

Thanks Bob and Brian. Extra weight explains my poor performance! Relieved for confirmation there are no bolts or screws inside the hull, but still wonder where the hell it came from!

Bob - your story about the clevis pin circlips is a good one. I must remember to get a supply for my first attempt at the Nationals this year. We Sprint 15 cruisers need to get an advantage somehow! I'll also have to remember to ditch the anchor, warps, mooring peg, plastic gutters, flares, spare clothing etc etc which are usually aboard. Surprised the boat floats at all!

Thanks for your help.

Duncan Ford TBYC 1973

[Bob Carter]

The boat is sail number 1973, one of the last UK made ones delivered November 2003. (Incidentally, Bob, not 2002 as your spreadsheet under price guide suggests)

Duncan Ford TBYC Sail 1973

Hi Duncan,
I am bemused by your dates. Your boat is one of the Monte Carlo special edition bulk-buy deals that we (the Dart 15 Association - as it was then)organised in conjunction with the Laser Centre in 2002. We sold 12 of these and the offer closed on 30 September 2002. I still have your letter that ordered yours - it is dated 30 August 2002. These boats tended to get delivered November to February so I can believe November 2002 or early 2003, but not November 2003. The cut off for 2002 is likely to be a bit approximate because of the delivery across the year end.

Incidently the Laser Centre kept making and delivering Dart 15s for more than 18 months after yours was delivered. They refused to give us a discount for bulk buys so we stopped doing them. The last one was #1991 before production was moved to South Africa.
Cheers
Bob
PS It looks like yours is now listed as 2003 in the buyers guide so I think Martin must have change it as a result of your comment.

[Duncan Ford]

Hi Bob

I have not got any info here in the office but will check as soon as I get home. Your info is likely to be correct, especially if you have a copy of the order!

The website was changed some time ago at my instigation.

Advance humble pie may be in order, but let me check my files first. If I have got the wrong year then I am certainly losing my marbles. Perhaps I picked it up from Laser in early 2003. I will get back to you.

Duncan TBYC 1973

[Duncan Ford]

Hi again Bob. Have checked files and enormous quantities of humble pie are due, together with a glass or two of red at the Nationals! I picked the boat up in Nov 2002 as you believed.

Many apologies for getting that wrong. Sometimes I think it is only weeks before I'll be dribbling in an old peoples home.

In mitigation, I think my confusion was put in train by the Buy and Sell section of this web-site. A year or two ago I noticed my boat 1973 shown as a Barcelona made in 2002, when it is in fact a Monte Carlo, shown on the web as being made in 2003. I thought I checked at the time, but cannot have done, and pointed out that sail 1973 is a Monte Carlo and the web was changed to include it in the 2003 Monte Carlos. I knew I picked it up in the November and got it in my mind it was Nov 2003.

There is therefore a discrepancy on the web as there must be other Monte Carlo boats delivered in 2002, as well as mine. Perhaps that can be picked up?

Look forward to seeing you in August.

Duncan TBYC 1973

[Bob Carter]

No worries.
See you in August.
Cheers
Bob