by [email protected] on Sun Feb 20, 2022 10:20 pm
One other tip: It is traditionally considered poor form to use a threaded bolt as a hinge or pivot, since the threads will tend to chew up the sides of the hole.
For the centerboard sheave, I found a SS bolt that was longer than necessary, but had a un-threaded portion almost as long as the width of the centerboard trunk.
Then I cut down the threaded portion to give the bolt the correct overall length.
For the mast pivot, I did something a bit more elaborate: I took a piece of 3/8" un-threaded SS rod, and cut threads on each end, leaving a 3 inch un-threaded
portion in the middle. In addition to being gentler on the mast and tabernacle, the rod will be less likely to bend, since the lack of threads makes it quite a bit stiffer.