Bow Rail
The bow platform was modified on Veritas and custom bow rollers were place directly on he deck. The appearance is not bad. However, they are bolted through the balsa cored deck without any backing plates. Some of the bolts show leaking. The custom hardware is strong and also heavy.Perhaps the original platform was damaged and it was trimmed off at the same time the sprit was replaced. In any case, we are considering restoring the original design. She came with a 66# Bruce as the primary anchor on 350’ of 5/16 G4 chain. The secondary anchor (on the port side) was a very expensive 120 Spade. To our surprise there was no rode on the secondary anchor. Initially the plan was to use the Spade as primary. The Bruce is just too wide and hit the bobstay.
The original platform design was best suited for a 60# CQR. To use the Spade would require hanging the roller underneath the bow platform. Although we see testing that prefers the new anchor designs (especially the Spade). We may be looking for a 60# CQR. It takes a little more care but, we did well using a 45# CQR on Skylark.
Some measurements and experimentation is in order here. At a minimum the custom hardware needs to be rebedded with new bolts and backing plates. We like to anchor. So either way it needs to be secure.
For the time being we will wait on building a new bow platform. However, working with what we have the bow rail can be made secure. Simply put it was a mess. The feet mounted on the cap rail were not properly attached and the screws used to hold the tubes into the feet were missing. Forward, the bolts attaching the feet were pulling through the teak and loose. Also the screws attaching the tubes were too small and held in place by tape. Admittedly, this is all visible in the listing photographs (now looking back).
Everything came apart easily enough. The holes on the caprail were very rough. The location of the feet conflicted with the hull/deck joint bolts. The bolt had been removed on the port side and we removed the one on the starboard side. Properly bolting down the bow rail feet with three 1/4" machine screws should compensate for any mechanical strength provided by a single 3/8" bolt on the hull to deck joint.
Everything was cleaned out by over drilling and then filled with West Systems G-Flex Epoxy.
Pads and backup washers were cut from 1/8" G-10. Note the lag screws. These were used where the previous installer where there was difficulty getting nuts and washers on the inside. New 316 SS machine screws were ordered to replace all the old 18-8 screws. Also, the hardware was cleaned up and the holes used to attach the rail tube were tapped.
Before drilling the new holes through the caprail, the bow rail was assembled with the feet. First the forward feet were bolted onto the bow platform. Using the G-10 plates distributes the load more evenly on the teak and keeps the nuts from pulling into the wood. No being compound is used here because when the wood gets wet it will drain and dry faster without it. The end result is pretty good. Having the bow rail securely attached will make us more comfortable working on the foredeck.
