Help removing wildcat

[oscarvan]

I read in other posts where people banged the shaft down through the hull

This is what I saw a tech do for almost an hour. With a BFH. After soaking it in PB blaster for days. And a portapower below decks between the motor and the deck. And again the next day. No joy no matter what. He ended up grinding the shaft off and drilling it out.

[madhatter1]

I would just like to remind all on this thread that I will be replacing my perfectly working Galley Maid windlass hopefully soon. the Galley maid will be for sale a a reasonable price. Possibly cocktails and a bone in Filet would do the trick!

Already have the new Good Automatic Windlass sitting in a box in the garage. Bought the boat from Capt Dave Disesia. Although he did not use it he demanded that everything on the boat should work.

[whoover]

Hello Ed,

I just watched your latest video. I cannot help with the windlass but I can feel for you on the possible wet core under the pulpit. I am in the process of fixing mine. I can almost guarantee that the coring in the pulpit under the teak treads on each side has turned to mush. The screws holding the treads down were not sealed very well and allowed water to enter. My pulpit is off and coring repaired with PVC. Once you have the galley maid out drill some test holes from in side to check the core, I found about 15 square feet of bad core that will be done as soon as the weather starts to warm. You are into it this far and I hope the damage is very localized, it is an issue that cannot be left without attention.

Good luck and I look forward to future videos.

Walt Hoover

[Bob Bradley]

Almost guaranteed on the rotted core. The yards that installed these windlasses typically did a poor job. Mine had been installed completely dry - no bedding whatsoever. Guess what happened. Oh, and yes, I had to use the BFH approach to get the wildcat off (or more precisely, pound the shaft and windlass body down into the anchor rode locker). Be sure to leave the big nut on when you do, or you will damage the threads an the shaft. Here's where I am on my project:

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[Bob Bradley]

Got a good coat of resin over and into the replaced end grain then ran out of warm weather. I'll finish the job in March.

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[Looking Glass]

Got a good coat of resin over and into the replaced end grain then ran out of warm weather. I'll finish the job in March.

Attachment 46989

A buddy of mine had a similar problem and he did the core replacement from below deck. I m hoping to get away with that. Of course it might not be possible if the core is rotted when the bolts for the bow pulpit come through.

[Looking Glass]

Hello Ed,

I just watched your latest video. I cannot help with the windlass but I can feel for you on the possible wet core under the pulpit. I am in the process of fixing mine. I can almost guarantee that the coring in the pulpit under the teak treads on each side has turned to mush. The screws holding the treads down were not sealed very well and allowed water to enter. My pulpit is off and coring repaired with PVC. Once you have the galley maid out drill some test holes from in side to check the core, I found about 15 square feet of bad core that will be done as soon as the weather starts to warm. You are into it this far and I hope the damage is very localized, it is an issue that cannot be left without attention.

Good luck and I look forward to future videos.

Walt Hoover

I am hoping it is localized enough that I can do it from below deck. The weather will not be good here in Philly until April.

[oscarvan]

I am hoping it is localized enough that I can do it from below deck. The weather will not be good here in Philly until April.

It's ALWAYS more rot than you think.

I have had resin in my hair. I don't recommend it. Plus working upside down in there you are going to hate yourself after about a half hour. Don't do it. Up top will be so much easier on your -not 25 year old anymore- body. Not to mention the mess below. If you're not confident in your skills to make it look good hire someone to do the finish layers, you're not talking a lot of hours.

[Bob Bradley]

I did not want to be working overhead with resin. I had the boat shrink wrapped, and on a 40 degree sunny day, its at least 50 in there. I put a Mr Heater Big Buddy up in the V-berth and leave the anchor locker door open. I run it on high and the lower skin of the deck is fairly warm to the touch. I did mix the resin a tad hot and it went off just fine and hardened up nice. The same with the thickened stuff that I troweled in place to bed the end grain. On one slightly cooler day I put a 2nd Big Buddy up on the bow with me under the cover and after 15 minutes I had to turn it off, as it was getting uncomfortably warm. I could probably finish the job with the two heaters even in the 30 degree weather we're having now in CT, but I don't want to have to grind the fiberglass under the cover, so I'm waiting til spring to finish.

[oscarvan]

2nd Big Buddy up on the bow with me under the cover and after 15 minutes I had to turn it off, as it was getting uncomfortably warm

Watch your air supply!