Restoring a Jack Holt 'Vagabond' - 2

[Hawk]

Well obviously my progress on this restoration hasn't been often enough for this forum, as it wouldn't let me add to my original thread. :( So this is the continuation of my origial thread where I ask questions related to my restoration. The progress of the project has been maintained in my Blog.

OK, I've updated the blog with the latest progress. It's been slow and sporadic, but progress no the less.

I'm now starting to put the fitting back on the bits, and am considering what fasteners to use. Where possible, I'll be re-using the existing fasteners if they're OK, but in some instances, I need to replace them.

So...next question. What type of screws to use to attach aluminium fittings to timber?

Brass?

Stainless steel?

I know that you're supposed to use monel rivets when attaching to aluminium, but can you get monel screws?

This is for attaching the aluminium rubbing strips along the keel, and the aluminium tracks to the hull and mast.

Thanks.

[PAR]

Stainless steel is the choice. 304 would be the minimum grade, with 316 or 316L preferred.

[Boatmik]

Use one of the expensive anti corrosion pastes like Duralac. Basically a tube of green paste.

It is never cheap - but I spent three years doing small boat rigging and it keeps parts in perfect condition. Boats that didn't use it has corrosion appearing quite quickly which made repair, reassembly and re-use difficult.

Essential for aluminium against stainless.

Brass is almost never used for fastenings as if the boat ever makes it into seawater or brackish water the zinc gets dissolved as it undergoes galvanic action against the copper. Which leaves a weak porous copper matrix - which looks in perfect condition until the moment it snaps off.

MIK