I'm looking to replace the old and beat-up mainsheet block and cleat system that are worn and cutting into the mainsheet (teeth on the cleat are sharp, really sticky, etc. etc.), but ran into a little hiccup - the screw holes on the new harken camcleat I purchased are about a 1/4" further away than the previous model currently screwed into the centerboard trunk. I'm concerned that the new screw holes will be too close to the previous ones if I were to just pivot the base and screw it in, sacrificing structural stability.
In order to remedy that, I was thinking that I will need to remove the old base, fill the holes with epoxy, and then install the new base. Does this sound correct? Do I need to layer a little fiberglass down for extra strength when I fill the holes, or would just filling them be fine? When I remove the old base, what exactly is it screwing into there? Is there any sort of backing, or are the screws just heading into a void?
Thanks for your help!