bkh Posted May 22, 2018 Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 So after about 20 or so ups and downs on the davits from the trailer to the water my stern lifting eyes on my 2016 pathfinder 2200 trs started to loosen from the boat. I have the factory aluminum extensions and they were essentially pulling out under load. See pic. Note I do not store the boat on the davits, literally use them for going from trailer to water and back. I called my dealer and the factory and they said to tighten the nuts, which I did. Both bolts on both sides were equally loose. Unfortunately, the port side required me to cut a hole in the second livewell. As I tightened the nuts down it seems that the foam or whatever material is used between the gel coat and the backing plate is actually being compressed. I am afraid this may occur again over time and thinking about using a much thicker backing plate. The backing plate is maybe 1/4” if that. It would seem that a thicker and larger plate would spread the load a little better. Note that the nuts are lock nuts so I can only conclude that the issue is the material between the internal backing plate and the inside fiberglass. Anyone else have this issue and have any easier solutions? I was a little annoyed that it seems that they could have used a thicker backing plate and/or better foam material. Cutting a large hole in my relatively new boat livewell was a little painful. Attached are a few pics. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEM Posted May 22, 2018 Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 The backing plate looks more like 1/16" than 1/4". I think you should start completely over, and remove everything.......not just retighten. You don't want to end up wallowing out the holes and start a leak! I would pull everything off, make some 1/4" SS backing plates that add an extra inch or so on each side to spread the load over more area (although it appears that the plate will not be completely flat against the transom). And seal the holes and everything up good with 5200. And hope for the best! I have lifted my 2200V off the trailer many, many times at marinas with a hoist. To my knowledge, everything is still tight as a tick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulligan Posted May 22, 2018 Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 Like JEM said. I would use as big as a backing plate as I could. I had the same issue with my motor starting to compress the inner foam of the transom, there was no backing plate on mine, not even washers. I used 3/8 or 1/2" aluminum plate and it has not moved at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkh Posted May 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 Thanks, guys. Will add this to my list for next time. I only use the boat when in the keys and I don’t get here near enough and want to get on the water this trip...between storms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Been a while since I ordered my boat, but I think I remember one of the options was reinforced lifting rings. Do you have that option? I don't think the standard transom eyes are designed for lifting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEM Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I would have to think the eyes are designed for lifting. I know they have an option for a “plate” on the transom which gets the eye further away from the transom....which I think he said his boat has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkh Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I do have that option. All they are is aluminum blocks that essentially extend the lifting cables out enough so they don’t come up against the rub tail. That actually may our more pressure on the eye bolt and nut due the lifting force being farther away from the transom itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkh Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Here is a pic of the optional lifting plate that I have. You can see it pulling away from the transom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradM Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 There's a few things going on here, and none of them are good. A thicker plate isn't going to distribute more weight, it just won't give as much during lifting. I would look at at least 1/4" stainless (as Jem suggested) and being that I like driving finishing nails with a sledge hammer, I would use 1/2" if it will fit. Go with as wide a piece you can fit, not necessarily longer. Bigger IS better here. Also, can you gain access to the whole assembly? Take it all off, sleeve the holes in the glass/transom with a piece of what, 1/2" O.D. round tube with an I.D. That matches the bolts/lifting eyes (are they 3/8"?), and the thickness of the transom? This will force the bolts to tighten to the tube and not compress the glass and foam coring....how MBG should have done it. Next is those extending blocks that push the eyelets out, but I suppose you need them. Lastly, ditch the Chinease hooks on the davets before they kill someone. Quick sketch....of course run as big of a fender washer that you can fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkh Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I like it and yes that is how it should have been done. I was really surprised when I saw this. The sleeves are a great idea and make a lot of sense. As far as I am concerned this is one area that can’t be over engineered. And yes I do need new hooks and cables! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEM Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 What is interesting is that in spite of the aluminum extension blocks, the SS rub rail still looks like it has gotten scratched up. You might consider using some one inch lifting straps thru the eyes instead of the Chinese hook. (My OCD flaring up!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkh Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Good idea. You are right they still make some contact even with the aluminum block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernieNC Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 And to finish off all of the above you might want to consider adding a second nut to each bolt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkh Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I’ll take that advice too! Thank you all - I have a plan now and hope this helps others if they find themselves in the same spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEM Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 16 minutes ago, bernieNC said: And to finish off all of the above you might want to consider adding a second nut to each bolt. Or at least new lock nuts! Like I said, I have lifted my boat many times with hooks like yours on a hoist at a marina. And I haven't had any issues of loosening the eye, or scratching the SS rail. (my boat does NOT have the aluminum extension block). But thinking about everything, the hoist is pulling straight up, and not at an angle (or at least, only toward the centerline of the boat). I wonder if your davits are pulling at an angle (either toward the bow or stern), which could be contributing to eye become loose????? And also causing the "Chinese" hook to scratch the SS rub rail??????? Just thinking out loud......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkh Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Definitely new lock nuts. The davits are straight up but I do have to swing the boat from the dock to the water for a brief moment or two and there is a little angling involved but it is literally seconds as I move the boat from dock to over the water and it isn’t a drastic angle at all. Yours may have different design or better/stronger foam lining the inside area. My neighbor who used to build boats was shocked that they didn’t use the highest rated foam in that area -I can actually see the plate compressing the foam on the inside. That as well as some of the other suggestions here seem like a no brainer and easy to have done at the factory so this would never happen. Cutting that access hole in my new livewell really irritated me as well as the potential safety concern with my kids loving to wash the underside of the boat while on the davits...seeing that separation was really disconcerting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEM Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Well, you do have one great thing going for you! "My kids loving to wash the underside of the boat!" You might "give" back to the forum by explaining how you do this!!!!!! LOL I agree that to see the plate compressing on the inside would be disconcerting. In my rank amateur opinion, that shouldn't be happening to an eye designed to lift the boat. UNLESS, SCFD was correct above about a lifting eye option that is beefed up for eyes that will be used to lift the boat. Maybe he was correct????? That is the question! I just can't see any builder of a trailer sized boat installing eyes that can't be safely used to lift the boat with a hoist. Maybe Skip can chime in and straighten us all out! I know that my 2007V is rock solid with the lifting eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkh Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I still have one little one who doesn’t realize that it is work to wash the boat! On the options, I have the only option they offered - just looked at my build sheet and it says “stern lifting hardware” this goes along with the bow lifting cleat option that I also have. Honestly, I think all it is is the aluminum block that simply extends the eye outward to avoid as much as possible lifting cable hitting the rub rail. My neighbor also thought that by having that extension it may actually put more stress on the eye itself, so what they should do is beef up the other pieces in addition to simply slapping a large block extension on there. I would be interested to see if someone that doesn’t have this option also has the larger but thin backing plate on the inside. Skip did email me back after my dealer gave me a curt response to just tighten the nuts. He didn’t say much more but he is aware of the issue based on my email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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