Testing fasteners

[Minnesota]

My insurer is Heritage Marine, and they want a survey that includes removing sample fasteners. I have a surveyor lined up, but he won't remove and replace fasteners. One local shop is are willing to do the remove and replace work, so I can't take best bid.

What should I expect to pay the shop to remove and replace fasteners for this survey? Has anybody else had a survey performed for Heritage Marine? (Understood that it depends on the number removed and whether they are above or below the water line. The hull is african red mahogany and fasteners are reported to be brass and copper.)

Thanks much for any insights.

[pcford]

My insurer is Heritage Marine, and they want a survey that includes removing sample fasteners. I have a surveyor lined up, but he won't remove and replace fasteners. One local shop is are willing to do the remove and replace work, so I can't take best bid.

What should I expect to pay the shop to remove and replace fasteners for this survey? Has anybody else had a survey performed for Heritage Marine? (Understood that it depends on the number removed and whether they are above or below the water line. The hull is african red mahogany and fasteners are reported to be brass and copper.)

Thanks much for any insights.

It's no big deal. I was at a survey at a client's boat...the surveyor asked me to pull some fasterners. I pulled five or so. He looked at them and said ok.

You should be able to remove the fasteners yourself. It's no big deal.

African mahogany, brass and copper. Must be old and European?

[Texas Boater]

It's no big deal. I was at a survey at a client's boat...the surveyor asked me to pull some fasterners. I pulled five or so. He looked at them and said ok.

You should be able to remove the fasteners yourself. It's no big deal.

African mahogany, brass and copper. Must be old and European?

Did you get to choose which fasteners to remove? If so, what keeps you from making sure only the "best fasteners" are chosen?:confused:

I can't see the purpose of this request. A five fastener sample out of the hundreds of fasteners in a boat is meaningless. Not to mention destructive if bungs have to be removed to pull the fastener.

[Bruce Hooke]

I'd imagine the surveyor would have an opinion about where to pull fasteners. Near and below the waterline would likely be most telling. If below the waterline there should be less of a problem with touching up the finish afterwards. A few fasteners from the areas where problems are likely to develop should give a pretty good idea of the overall condition of the fasteners on the boat. If you have any woodworking skills you should be able to pull and resinstall the fasteners yourself.

[pcford]

Did you get to choose which fasteners to remove? If so, what keeps you from making sure only the "best fasteners" are chosen?:confused:

I can't see the purpose of this request. A five fastener sample out of the hundreds of fasteners in a boat is meaningless. Not to mention destructive if bungs have to be removed to pull the fastener.

You assume that there is usually a great deal of difference in the fasteners on a boat. Bad fasteners are caused by a bad alloy, "hot" marinas and just plain old extreme use and age. Fasteners may also be busted. This is common on speedboats. In any case, several fasteners will give you an idea what is going on.

You might have a case if the boat had been refastened with a mix of metals, hillbilly style. Bronze, brass, stainless, iron. In a case like this it might take a while to plumb the depths of the former owners ignorance. But I suppose an owner that would do such a thing would leave other tell-tale signs as well.

You pull the fasteners below the waterline. Certainly not in the middle of a varnished panel.

[Minnesota]

Thanks for the responses. I've been trying to arrange logistics for this...fortunately it's now lined up. The surveyor is asking for 15 - 30 fasteners pulled, not because that's the "right" number but because the insurer wants a couple fasteners from several locations. Agreed I would like to have all of them below the waterline since the hull was stripped and repainted two years ago.. Yeah, I could do this -- I've restored an 1890 farmhouse making replacement trim to match, etc. -- but I'm new to wooden boating and don't want to mess this boat up. I'll find a way to hang around the boat at a distance doing something else "useful" but keeping a keen eye on the work so I can learn. BTW, the estimate for 30 fasteners is 2 - 3 hours to remove, replace and paint, at $65/hr. Seems like a decent deal to me, esp. if I can learn a little... Any opinions?

[Jay Greer]

Since you are handy with tools, bravo for your vintage house restoration I have one too, you can most likely do the fastening removal yourself. Aside from the screw driver, I like a Yankee with the bit sides ground to clear the plug hole, a cheapo 1/4" Sears Craftsman chisel is the best tool for the job of removing the plugs.
Being made of soft metal, the cheap tool can take a lot of abuse and regrinding.
The square sides make chipping out the plugs easier than using a curved gouge. The best hammer is a split head tack hammer as it
will deliver the sharpest blow and shatter the wood and glue bond. Once the head of the fastening is exposed, a jewelers's engraver will clear out the crud in the screw slot. It can even be used to carve a new slot. The Yankee driver is put in reverse click but the shaft is kept retracted. Leaning like crazy on the driver while turning it will break the screw loose without having the bit slip out of the slot. I don't use the drive shaft for removing old fastenings as the pressure can damage the threads in the wood.
Good luck and save a buck or two by doing it yourself.
JG

[kc8pql]

I'll find a way to hang around the boat at a distance doing something else "useful" but keeping a keen eye on the work so I can learn.
I'd be standing at his shoulder watching everything. You're paying for it after all.