broken shroud, damaged mast step

C J Tavener

New Member
While the boat was riding at its mooring, a shroud broke on the used Capri 14.2 I recently bought. The mast fell, twisted the tabernacle and wrenched most of the four bolts holding it through the fiberglass, ripping the wood of the mast step.

I was wondering the most sensible way to set about repair. I imagine two approaches. One is to try to smooth the wood, fill the holes, patch the fiberglass, straighten out the tabernacle and screw it down instead of bolting it down, thinking that the wood step will be working mainly in compression, and that there will not be much pull out force on the screws. This would avoid the unknowns of trying to get the covey out to be able to put nuts on the new bolts. But why does the design have bolts in the first place? I suspect there is a good reason.

The other was to cover and raise the whole area of the step with a piece of teak, presuming that I could screw and epoxy it down to the deck and to the perimeter of the original wood below the fiberglass, which I am guessing to be approximately triangular behind the weatherboards over the rear of the covey. This would also entail some custom fitting of the new shrouds and refitting the pennant at the head of the furling jib. I also don't know for certain the shape of the wood below the deck that I am hoping to screw to and don't want to drill useless holes needlessly through the fiberglass. Would this approach cause other problems down the road or upset the way the boat handles?

I would appreciate advice from someone who has been thorugh this.
 

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