by tc53 » Sun Aug 12, 2012 11:56 am
Racing my old (#318) DS on an upwind leg in 15-20 knots and a wild chop a few weeks back, my foredeck began to separate at the bow, lifting (with an awful cracking noise) up off both sides, the headstay coming with it. Quickly bearing off and running downwind saved the mast, but now I need to repair the damage. Someone at my club told me this sort of bow deck/hull failure is not uncommon in boats the vintage of mine. Does anyone have any suggestions, especially including photos, of a repair method? I don't know what sort of below deck reinforcement for the headstay was in place (if any), but whatever it was it appears to have failed as well.