Forestay replacement help

I just purchased a used Laser II. The previous owner took me out, showed me how to rig the boat and we went for a sail. Great time, great boat!

While driving home some how the forestay wire sliped down the centerboard set, got run over by the trailer tire and the shackle at the bottem end that attaches to the bow, was ripped out. The eye of the bottom of the forestay is now an open "U" shape and not a circle. I hope I am describing this correctly.

At any rate it appears the forestay will need to be replaced. Anyone know the best way to do this? I have seen them for sale on the Vanguard website, and they do not appear to be very expensive. What concerns me is how does one attach a new forestay to the forestay strap at the top of the mast? It appears the forestay strap is rivetted into the mast. I was hoping this could be repaired in my garage and not require professional installation.

Any advise would be very much appreciated

Thanks

i think you can swage a loop to attach it, don't have experiance w/ laser II's though

Hello Borab,
Replacing rivets is fairly easy and does not require a professional to remove and install. With a cordless drill and (I'm assuming it is a 3/16" rivet) 3/16" drill you can drill out the existing rivets. Then get (beg or borrow) a rivet gun and reinstall the new rivets. You probably need to (again I'm assuming) use 3/16" SS rivets. These will require a heavy duty rivet gun to install.
Good luck,
Fishingmickey
150087/181157

Dang i hate it when that happens but if it is similar to a 420 it should be attached using a pin and a ring up at the top or it is atached using a u shaped shackle.