If you try to lead lines back to the cockpit they will have to pass over your traveller unless you take them out at 90 degrees and then turn them another 90 degrees once past the traveller.
This will have loads that will be hard to manage.

If you put a stainless plate under that alloy mast step fitting you are going to have electrolysis problems between them. I would go with an alloy plate if you have to raise the base.

Ahhh!! So that traveller is for a club footed self tacking head or stay sail???

Mate, I would not be cutting the mast step patch out.

I do not know a lot about fibreglass, resins etc but what I do know is that if you cut the mast step patch out you will be interfering with the structural integrity of the yacht.

If the area has fracturing signs you could probably drill a few holes around it and inject resin into it somehow or other.

From what you have posted previously it looks like the mast step is only supported by the plywood bulkhead. How old is the yacht? About half your age, say 30 odd years, so it is showing it's age.

The mast step appears to span the main bulkhead.

Were I you which I am not,so take this with a grain of salt. What I would be doing is reinforcing the bulkhead with a substantial piece of timber on the fore and aft sides, through bolted, so as to create a mast compression post from the keel to the underside of the cabin top.

A piece of meranti 80 mm x 40 mm (as red as you can find from the heart of the tree) on each side should do the job without adding too much weight. Failing that you could use Aussie Hardwood 4" x 2". Which ever will add a bit of timber character to your yacht upon which you could do some carving, attach some brass ware (bell or kero lamp) and feel really chuffed about the art of your yacht which is what you are making of it.

Keep those piccys coming HG. We are keeping a close eye on you.

Keep It Simple Sailor.

So he will have to determine what is more important. The structural integrity of the yacht or access to the fwd cabin.

cisco said..
So he will have to determine what is more important. The structural integrity of the yacht or access to the fwd cabin.

Some thing to think about as in the above photo one could place a compression post and widen the opening areas on both sides of the original bulk head
thats is a door way either side of the compression post. I quiet like yachts that are open
No its would not work as the settees would be in the way
Ill motor her down to see a ship wright and get hes opinion . There plenty else to do at the moment in my B.O.A.T Cisco

Donk107 said..
Hi HG

The good thing about the layout of you boat is if you could run a couple of verticals up either side of the opening on the front side of the bulkhead and run a support across the top of them and nothing would be visable from the main cabin

At one stage you were considering having a look at how the bulkhead was constructed

Have you found anything out yet

Also in the photo's you have posted the deformation doesn't seem that bad so i am wondering if what you are looking at might be normal for a boat of that age considering it has had the weight of the rig sitting on the deck and being tensioned downwards by the standing rigging with no direct compression pust under it for support

Before the mast was removed did you notice how much tension was on the shrouds

When you have a shipwright look at it, it will be interesting to see what he has to say

Have you looked at other Walkers to see how they compare

I imagine that the carpet would hide it from the rear but in front of the bulkhead i imagine is unlined so it should be more obvious or is you deformation just behind the bulkhead

Regards Don

Hi Donk
The depression inside the cabin is only to the stern area the forward area of the mast step is fine . I would say it happened when the mizzen was taken out years ago by a yacht that lost its mooring near by and put tress on the main mast pulling it back towards the mizzen as the main mast hold up the mizzen mast