How To: Extract a fractured iQFoil bolt from the fuselage end of the mast

What does removing a stuck bolt look like?

So after racing on iQFoil in Weymouth on Sunday Milo seemed to have one bolt missing on his windsurf foil – one of the three that screw into the end of the mast and hold the fuselage on. I couldn't screw in another one though, and this was because the bolt had actually snapped but stuck in there.

So how do you get this out?

Take the fuselage off the mast, the mast out of the board and make sure its well protected against the ground.

Stand the mast on its end.

First I tried to get a grip on the remains of the bolt using a screwdriver but it had sheared off flat. Secondly, I tried pushing the barrel out with the remains of the screw in it, no luck there either because the screw went all the way through the barrel and protruded into the mast.

Tweezers are an option but I couldn’t get a grip with them...

So last, and what eventually worked, was to drill into the remains of the bolt with about a 2.3 to 2.5mm drill – it varied because I broke a couple of drills in the process (!) you need a sharp drill and patience .

After about an hours' worth of drilling got me 4mm into the remains, I was then able to wedge a screwdriver bit into the hole I’d made and undo the remaining bit of screw. I also sprayed it with a bit of oil to help.

What else might work?

Other options I thought of were to glue something onto the screw but couldn’t find any glue I thought would work.  Solder was a complete failure.

Couldn’t find anyone with a pillar drill – that could have helped but how to hold the mast was a question. Also, as I was drilling into the broken bolt I was thinking ‘this is only pushing it in further’ so worth trying left handed drill bits as it could improve the extraction – my drill will actually go backwards so this might work.

Anyway, finally it came out!

Are you in the same situation?

Please let me know of any other experiences and ideas for the extraction you have found too. 
Call 01202 700503
Reply to the blog or email info@pooleharbour.co.uk

Chris