That damaged thwart might be beyond fixin'.  Is that removeable?  If so, were it mine, I'd be lookin' to replace that.  Maybe CLC can send you a replacement?

Reef, for pity's sake.  <;-)

.....Michael

   Glad to hear you were having fun in a blow!

I don't see the fillets for the mast step in the last photo. I do see the indentation of the mast in the grey rubber looking material. what might be glue is a long way off from the mast indentation. I don't have a EP, but seems like you need to build a much more robust mast step. And while you are at it, a more robust past partner too. I would use epoxy thickened with colioidal silica (much stronger than wood flour) and maybe some hardwood for a new mast step.  And maybe the mast partner too. If you are capable of sailing in 25+ knots, I would want my boat capable of doing it too!

I like my boats to be as capable as I am! You all on the 'other side of the pond' regularly sail in more wind than we do, mostly because we do not get 25+ that often. Certainly the goal is when the 'Small Craft Warnings' are being raised, that is a warning that it is time to get out there sailing! (not a sentiment shared by all my friends!).

Don't be shy about beefing up that boat a bit!

Joel

   The EP mast step is very similar to the step on my skerry in construction, though maybe a bit smaller.  It looks like it was not well adhered to the bottom and just popped off.  Maybe a joint with too thin a glue line from overclamping?  And the fillets look like they also must have been small and not well adhered.  Did you put a seal coat of epoxy on the inside before gluing in the step?  That might have done it if there were insufficient "tooth" for a good mechanical bond.

 On my skerry, I glued the mast step together and glued/filleted it in before coating the hull, so the glue line was between bare wood on either side.  And I have bronze screws into it from the outside.   I can't say I've had it out in 25 kts true, but I've pushed close to that in apparent wind and so far, so good.  

It has to be one of the most highly stressed parts on the boat, because of the leverage, so a stout glue joint and extra big fillets, even if they look a bit globby, are a good thing. I'd sand the step area down to wood before regluing and then recoat everything after gluing and filleting.  A doubler under the seat would also be good, and is standard on the skerry.  

That's repairable damage, so I have confidence you'll have it out on the Water again soon. (My family is from Staffordshire, oh, 300 years or so ago, and we've been back through the Midlands and East Anglia a few times now, and had fun sailing the Broads, but I haven't had a chance to boat on Rutland Water.)

after reviewing the pictures, definitely a problem in the attachment of the mast step.   

it looks like when it failed you were on port tack, the mast step let loose, and then the mast pivoted within the mast partners as it was pushed to starboard breaking the port side partner in an upward motion and the starboard parter downward..  

my assessment is that while a doubler on the rebuilt thwart/partner may bring more confidence, it is worthless if the mast step gives way.  the partners are simply meant to work in compression (mast pushing on the side) not to hold a twisting mast.  based on what i see i would replace the whole piece becuase i think it is easier and will look nicer.  you can work with what you have if you want to take the time and do some signficant epoxy, glass, and sanding work.

the cleaness of the floor area where they mast step broke is evidence of an not-properly-executed glue bond.  if done right, it would not break clean like your picture shows.....it should have been a rough break and taken some floor skin with it.....so there is signfiicant improvement opportunity to do better when you fix it.  to fix,  first the floor should be roughed up with 60 grit as should  the bottom of the mast step.   both sides then get painted with liquidy epoxy with a bit of cabosil mixed in, then before that first painting cures, a mustard consistency epoxy/cabosil mixture is slathered onto the mast step bottom and it is pushed into place on the hull....and you should see squeeze out.  then use the squeeze out and some addiitonal mustard consitency for a fillet.  (note, you can mix in a bit of woodflour for color if you want, but a cabosil infused epoxy is the stronges)  bronze screws from the other side (after the mast steps is glued in place) and epoxied after screwed in, will make it bomb proof....so if it happen again, you will go to the bottom as it will not let loose without tearing a hole in the hull.

i was an avid dinghy sailor...so my hats off to anybody who takes a small boat out in 25 knots.....thats a tricky, invigorating place to sail.   

h

"So, I'm looking for advice on how best repair. Do I simply sand away fillets and re-epoxy and re-fillet the mast step to the floor."

There is an easier way to remove epoxy, with less dust too. I use an electric heat gun to soften the epoxy and a paint scraper to remove the softened material. The trick is to find the right setting on the heat gun so as not to scorch wood, or harm nearby paint or epoxy you want to keep. I keep the heat gun moving. 

I used this to clean off dried drips, fix mistakes, etc. on my CLC Northeaster Dory build after spending hours and using up countless sheets of sandpaper.

Best of luck to you,

D

Hi all,

Thanks for your help with this. I ended up shaping a new bow thwart, replicating the mast hole and switching the floatation foam.

You were correct that some dodgy mast step gluing was behind the problem. I screwed through the hull this time and made good. Plus I moved from epoxy pump guess-work to scales.

Great news is I'm back on the water with my daughter and enjoying sailing our home build boat. A bonus was getting some experience with a jigsaw rather than relying on the kit.

Dangerous times as looking for our next project now.... considering the CLC Lighthouse tender, but also Vivier's Morbic 12 and the Scamp. Constrained by a 5m x 2.8m garage workshop.

Marc