fiberglass and mast boot question? please.

[outdoorsman37]

Hello. i bought a 1979 pearson 32 and it has a damaged bow. the anchor roller seemed to hit something and tore up the bow deck fiberglass. i can post a picture later but basically it looks like a triangular section of the bow deck has been ripped upward. if you have any recommendations on how to fix it I would really appreciate it. it looks like there is a wood core to the deck.

also, the mast where it goes through the deck is held in place by wood shims (trangular). is this supposed to be that way? if there is a part that i am missing please tell me and i will buy it? the area is covered with a rubber cover but the wood shims seem rigged. any comments would be greatly appreciated thanks!

Rob

[deniseO30]

The shims are wood wedges and yes they are used to center the mast in the partner. (hole) many have a pin that goes through the boot collar and through the mast also. without pictures of the bow most of us can't offer suggestions but most likely you will need to remove all hardware. getting the hull and bow dry may be the most difficult part.

[JimsCAL]

Look at Epoxy by the Leading Epoxy Manufacturer | WEST SYSTEM Epoxy. Lots of good info in the projects section on boat repair.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by outdoorsman37

Hello. i bought a 1979 pearson 32 and it has a damaged bow. the anchor roller seemed to hit something and tore up the bow deck fiberglass. i can post a picture later but basically it looks like a triangular section of the bow deck has been ripped upward. if you have any recommendations on how to fix it I would really appreciate it. it looks like there is a wood core to the deck.

Without photos or seeing the actual damage, there's little we can say about repairing it. The bow is usually a fairly critical area, since the forestay chainplate is attached there. Most decks are cored, and the Pearson is probably balsa cored.

I hope you got a really good price on the boat, since it sounds as if it has some relatively serious issues. I also hope you were wise enough to get the boat surveyed. If you did get the boat surveyed, I would be curious to hear what issues the surveyor found on it. If you didn't get the boat surveyed, it might be a wise idea to do so, so you can at least get an idea of what you need to do to make the boat seaworthy.

also, the mast where it goes through the deck is held in place by wood shims (trangular). is this supposed to be that way? if there is a part that i am missing please tell me and i will buy it? the area is covered with a rubber cover but the wood shims seem rigged. any comments would be greatly appreciated thanks!

Rob

Yes, it is supposed to be that way, as Denise said.

[outdoorsman37]

Thanks! I have attached some pictures. Please give me some advice based on these. Thanks again!

[deniseO30]

Hmmm, not as bad as it looks! It looks like.Anchor roller was ripped down.

Disassemble/ remove, everything you can from the bow.

Remove the toe rail or lift it well away from the deck and hull about 2ft behind the anchor locker on both sides. (the aluminum angle with holes in it)

Remove the head stay and chain plate. (you will need to have good strong lines keeping the mast from being lost backwards)
remove all the deck forward of the anchor locker. Is that space accessible from below?

You will want to put something between the hull and across the front of the anchor locker so it will keep the hull from spreading apart there. (even though may not) you will need to inspect fill the chain plate bolt holes with epoxy and re-drill. Then maybe install a plate inside the vee of the bow for the chain plate bolt heads. Make sure the chain plate will work. leave it off until you get the plywood cut for the new deck template.

You will essentially be building what is called a "breasthook" in older terms. It would be the triangle piece of lumber that holds the top of the vee together. even though it was all deck at one time it still does the same thing. A new deck of cloth, epoxy, and plywood should be easy to cut and fit. all wood needs to be epoxy coated and sealed also. Or you could use a new type of composite fiberglass instead of plywood for the deck.

I'd call this part one.

[sailingdog]

That bow is going to need to be completely re-built. You'll need to remove the toe rails, at least for a couple feet, the bow roller, forestay chainplate, and layup a new foredeck. It also looks like there's some damage to the starboard side of the hull in the last photo and some to the port side that was roughly repaired on the port side.

As for the mast wedges... those don't look like proper mast wedges to me. Looks like a half-assed attempt at wedging the mast—certainly not a properly done job. Also, the wedges are in pretty rotten shape. You can get synthetic wedges that work pretty well and are less prone to rotting or splintering.

[sailingdog]

Also, how is the babystay on this boat. I see you have a track for the babystay to attach too in the first photo but I don't see the babystay anywhere.

The starboard stanchions look bent inwards as well in the first photo.

[deniseO30]

It also looks like the damage has been exposed to the weather for a long time. the core in the hull is most likely very wet for a more then a few feet down and back. I really hope the inside is accessible from above.