dive door problem

[intrepid2dev]

Im having an issue with my 366 cuddy’s dive door in that the bolt at the apex of the hinge that attaches the rope pole to the ladder keeps on bending and sometimes breaking whenever we use the ladder. When I purchased the boat used the rope pole was un-attached so I bolted it together with a heavy stainles steel bolt snadwiching it in the middle with a thin nylon washer on either side. What I see is that whenever you add weight to the ladder the rope support pole wants to bend the attachment bolt. Tension from the weight loaded pole (130-180 lb max. passenger) is pulling the pole twards the bow of the boat. I have changed out the bolt and nylon spacer washers many times only to have this happen again after only 3 or 4 climbs into the boat. I have looked at a few other dive doors at the Harbour Towne location to check out the method of attachment for the rope pole and they all look assembled the same way I have done it.

Any suggestions?

thanks

[Author]

Posts