Riveting the traveller and beams to pylons

Ok I have the beastie back home and stripped down with the tramp off for the winter etc etc. My traveller lifts up a quarter inch so the rivets need replacing or were never put in properly as they are all the same and I know its hard to get the rivet gun tip right in there. I read on this forum that putting washers on the end helps with this. Has anyone experience of replacing the traveller rivets?? Any tips? Also the rivets that hold the frame to the pylons are broken and the boat is very floppy so I guess I am going to put shims in to stiffen it and new rivets...Any tips on this? Now back to sewing the tramp

biggest thing is get a big ass rivet gun. The type that looks like it has the handles from a set of bolt cutters. Putting rivets in with just a small hand type hurts, a lot. Stainless rivets are not the friendliest.

Ace Hardware typically has a really good selection of nuts/bolts/hardware. Poke around and see if you can't find something you can slip over the end of the rivet so the nose of the rivet gun clears the track. Doing it with washers is a giant pain in the rear. Look for an aluminum spacer, or something similar.

Safariel,
You need a "Big Daddy" rivet gun($150) and a small but fat stainless becket with a 3/16" hole, that fits down in the tract.I salvaged mine from an old block.You may have to remove the entire tract so you can use those rivet casing beneath the tract to accommodate that over sizes hole from the pulled out old rivets.If you buy that gun than your buddies can borrow it .I think those rivets are countersunk so order them from Hobie and use the right rivets.Hobie is the only source for the rivet casings that I have found.
Good luck, Bill 404 21SE

_________________
Bill 404 21SE

I bought my
at Harbor Freight for like $30. Works like a champ.

Even if I keep up my current pace of restoring a couple of old Hobies every year I figure it will last me a lifetime.

_________________
Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

Thanks guys, I had to google becket to know what that was but I think I get the idea. Not sure whats going on with the track cos it can lift up aBout 2 mil but all the way along so I suspect that it was not fitted properly rather than the rivets have pulled out, probly cos someone couldnt get the rivet gun in deep enough. Obviously never heard of a becket!!