Thinking of buying, need tech advice

[Unregistered]

Hey folks. We currently own a 16 ft Hobie cat, but my better half wants something she can sail by herself as my weekends have become taken up with a dirt track car. Sooooo .... she is thinking of buying a 1988 Catalina 14.2 from another clubmember. The problem is, the last time that this boat was sailed, one of the sidestays broke, and the mast fell. When it did, it damaged the "mast wedge" in the hull. Now, I'm not sure that this is the correct term for this piece, as there isn't much info available online. It's the piece that the base of the mast is supported by.

My questions are:

1 -- Does anyone know a ballpark figure on a price for this part?

2 -- Is this replacement something that a fair-to-midland mechanic could accomplish?

3 -- Besides the obvious stay, "wedge", and splashguard repairs, are there any other signs of damage that I should look for?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Ed Jones]

Damage

First, get new shrouds from Catalina (818-884-7700). Costs about $46 a set.

It may be possible to bend your mast step back into a usable shape. If not, you can order a new one from Catalina. I don't know the price. You probably had the screws that hold it down ripped out. They're supposed to, in order to minimize the damage. They go through the plywood underneath. Whatever you do to repair that damage, make sure you end up with something equally "break-away."