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I will post pictures of this same project I did last year. The hardest part was cutting the interior wall to gain access. I used an old stainless tang for the backing plate. I applied 5200 to bed the backing plate bow eye. I will try to add pictures.

I am relatively new to the forum, and appreciate all the suggestions everyone has. I have a 1983 Mac 25 that has this issue caused by a end of season trailer pull-out by my reckless friend. Does anyone have more detailed photos, or am I going to have to cut an access hole in my berth? I really don't know where to attack this problem. Thanks in advance Eric.

you CAN do a straight cutout - and replace the Ubolt - there are a LOT of people with this exact problem.

I got a "drawer unit" with stretch net to put in this location - for some extra storage - as a cover - instead of a flat plate. So the repair can do more than just fix the Ubolt...

--jerry

Hi, I want to use a piece of 1/2 in HDPE high density polyethylene. A small block about 2-3 inches as the backing for my Mac 25 1983 bow eye. Any concerns about this? Thanks, Pete

Well, I suppose it's possible, but it's going to deform as you tighten the screws, and whenever there's a significant load on it. If it were me, I'd shape an aluminum block to fit the inside of the boat, with a flat back, and then drill it to suit... then use stainless washers and nyloc nuts.

serenitytek wrote: ↑Mon Apr 07, 2025 8:09 pm Hi, I want to use a piece of 1/2 in HDPE high density polyethylene. A small block about 2-3 inches as the backing for my Mac 25 1983 bow eye. Any concerns about this? Thanks, Pete

Pete,

Welcome to the forum! Glad to have you participating!

Did your bow eye pull through? What exactly are you trying to do with the HDPE? Are you planning to glass it in, or use adhesives with it? Pictures might help.

At the bottom left, just below the text entry box, there’s a little blue block with a white “P” in it and beside that it says “Add image to post”. This will allow you to add a picture(s) to your posts - which often helps knuckleheads like me understand what the issues are.

HDPE is good stuff but, as Kevin points out, it’s not always the right material for the job.

Again, welcome!

Jim

Thanks for the welcome Jim. The eye did not pull through yet. It did pull out about a quarter inch. I figure the wood is gone. I was not going to attach the HDPE with resin and glass. I was going to make a 4-5 in long by about 3/4 in wide piece remove the eye and use it to measure the holes in the HDPE. I don't have eyes on the inside of the eye. It's 16 in down from the forestay strap bolt. And the cavity is full of Styrofoam. I am planning to use an endoscope via laptop to see what I can and maybe just reach down.
Instead of putting the foam back in I was going to get a deck pipe and store chain and rope rode in there. I can find other areas to put the foam. I'm a real believer in not removing the floatation. I just bought the boat about a month ago. 1983 M25. I had a Clipper Marine 21 35:years ago. My last boat. Sailed it a dozen times in Santa Monica Bay out of Marina del Rey launch. Take care

Sounds like you’ve got quite the adventure ahead! Good luck with it. Can you tell what kind of shape your bow eye is in? I’ve see stainless corrode away to nothing where it’s buried in fiberglass. It would be good to check it if you can’t already tell from where it’s moved.

Glad you’re getting back on the water. Looking forward to hearing how it goes.

Hi All!

One thought comes to mind …. Just using chopped fiberglass fiber and epoxy resin like Bondo Blondie long fiber. Just mix it up and as a putty press it into place, smooth surface by placing plastic wrap on the exposed surface to press flat, then after it finishes curing drill the holes from the outside and install the bow eye with nylon or nitrile washers (to allow for some controlled compression relief) some 3M 4200 to seal things up.

I’ve used a similar approach for other applications where I needed to add back side compression reinforcement to fiberglass structures and this has held up over decades of constant use. It allows for easy conformity to complex surfaces and environmental conditions while eliminating any potential rot or degradation.

Just thought I’d put this out there …

Best Regards,
Over Easy

The job is, in my opinion, basically impossible without cutting the small panel at the front of the vee berth for access. If your 25 is the same as mine, the wood backing block is held in with a layer of glass, so you can’t just remove the hardware and pull it out, you have to cut it out.

Here’s what mine looked like with the panel and backing glass cut away, partially rotted block still in place