The attached pics show the forestay attach point at the head of my mast. The mast is presumably the original which makes it 34 years old. I have owned the boat for 11 years and this is the first time I have taken it out of the boat.
It is in pretty good shape and I am preparing it for re-painting. The 5/8 inch holes are for a short pin that holds the forestay clevis fitting (it has a 90 twist, can't think of the proper name). Two 1/4 thick plates take the load of the forestay and the jib via this pin and fitting. The starboard plate is egged about 1/16 and the other shows a mark where the pin slipped part-way out of the hole. The plates are covered by a stainless plate that is bent to cover the outsides of both plates, thus hiding the damage and the slipped pin. The pin is about a sixteenth too short, IMHO. It has passed two rig inspections in the past 10 years by riggers.
We have not decided on a repair yet, but I am thinking the holes can be cleaned up and welded to fill in the damaged area and then filed back out to 5/8. I am talking to a rigger about that.
I am also thinking about having the yard cut back the steel cover so that the attachment holes and pin are visible for inspection. The remainder of the plate would be kept because it provides a guard for the sheaves for the two standby jib halyards, so they don't rub against the aluminum plates. The too-short 5/8 pin currently is captured between the plates and has no head or cotter pin. I would change to an appropriate pin if we cut back the cover.
Has anyone dealt with this before and have any ideas or comments? This is a Kenyon spar, I'm pretty sure. I am getting new standing rigging and am considering a backstay adjuster some day.
Thanks!