I don't have a photo of it but I have a 300mm square stainless plate 8mm thick to fit under the original mast step which is 150mm wide from memory. I am going to add some sort of brackets so if I every want ropes to the cockpit I can, I was thinking of making a horse shoe shape bracket and weld it to the Stainless steel plate so I can pick up the halyard ropes with blocks. Looking for suggestions.
The other question is what should I do to make a bed for the stainless steel plate to mount on. Grind whats there back and epoxy a support bed in place ?
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.
Select to expand quotecisco said..
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.
I will insulate it Cisco for some reason I don't feel comfortable using aluminum plate.
The traveler in the photo is forward of the mast the stern of the boat is starboard side of the photo . The walkers Ive seen with halyards to the cockpit appear to be around 45 degrees
Select to expand quotecisco said..
Ahhh!! So that traveller is for a club footed self tacking head or stay sail???
Yes Cisco
I had a think about what you said and my reply is this instead of the stainless steel plate supporting the mast Cisco What if I cut the top of the deck and removed the foam core say 300m square and replaced it with 300mm 18 mm ply coated with resin and then vacuumed it back in
This photo is the vent cut out I did last week.
So if the top fiberglass layer was removed an also the foam leaving the bottom later and built it up from there using a 18 mm marine ply as a base and laminate over it for the mast step to sit on
I just wonder what sort of de-lamination has occurred under the mast step
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.
Hi Cisco
I think that the problem that HG has with making a compression post is that if it was directly under the mast it would be in the centre of the access to the fore cabin
Regards Don
So he will have to determine what is more important. The structural integrity of the yacht or access to the fwd cabin.
This photo is about the last of the breed of walkers. finished in the early nineties with a off set bulkhead I don't want to go there . Ill get most of the interior done and motor over for an assessment from a good shipwright boat builder for an opinion. Before I paint the deck.
I am tempted to replace the bow spirt with a cutter bow spirt I am going to replace the bob stay on the bow spirt. Its an old solid bob stay and I would like to change it to wire. As the rigging is going to be replaced it would be aw good time. The bow spirt wood is a little tired not to bad though
Bowsprit Projection Past Stem Head
Component Measurement
Ketch 0.60 m
Cutter Headed ketch 1.06 m
It would make sail reduction quick ,although Id say to go about you would have to furl in the Genoa
Sail Area
Ketch
Sail Area Luff Leach Foot LP
Main 16.45 sqm 8.85 9.20 3.54
Mizzen 7.3 sqm 5.90 6.25 2.36
No. 1 27.5 sqm 10.38 10.03 5.66 5.31
No. 2 * 21.1 sqm 9.08 9.09 4.82 4.65
No. 3 * 17.7 sqm 8.39 8.09 4.48 4.38
No. 4 10.54 sqm 7.79 7.08 3.07 2.71
Cutter Headed Ketch
Sail Area Luff Leach Foot LP
Yankee 12.40 sqm 9.09 6.67 4.24 2.74
Staysail 7.3 sqm 6.97 6.36 2.56 2.32
Drifter (No. 1) 25.7 sqm 9.09 9.39 5.76 5.30
Select to expand quotecisco 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
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
Select to expand quoteDonk107 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
