Boat work or boat destruction?

When we hauled the boat out, there was signs that some water was getting into a fitting on the bow where water shouldn't be getting in. Being the ever paranoid freak that I am, I decided to rip out the fitting and see what is going on inside. Because if this thing failed, the mast could fall.

Unfortunately that meant grinding out itchy fiberglass in the bow of the boat where our bed and clothes are stored. So we had to clear everything out (see the piles of stuff on the sides) and tape up a plastic barrier to contain the itchy dust.

Then inside the bow, I created a second plastic barrier to block the dust and direct it out of the boat.

After a full days worth of preparation and about 60 minutes with a grinder the piece was ground out and free from the hull. The fitting was pretty rusty but still solid. There was some slight pitting in the metal that is the beginning of bad news, so rather than risk it, we bought some metal in Managua and found a great machine shop to fabricate a replacement.

You can see the open slot in the hull where the fitting goes through. Over the last 30 years the bedding compound had failed and let water in. So now it will be new, well sealed and I'll fiberglass it in strong! Better than new. But this three week long project wasn't on the original plan and I've still got many other big things to take care of...oh well that's life in the yard.