Maineiac wrote:
When I got my '79 T37 a few months ago, it came with a receipt for over $4,000.00 in work done at a pricey yard. The area you photographed was completely re-glassed. Very nice work. Substantial. My focus is has been (on the hard since I bought it, and it's too damn cold in the shed to work on it) on things I can do like portlight removal and prep. I don't recall that bilge space, but I'll look when I get a chance. The backing plate for the fairing nuts on mine was steel, possibly low grade stainless and quite rotted. I just had it all redone, bolts welded all the way around, pin welded all the way around, and nylocs put on. There weren't even lock washers on those bolts, and they came off remarkably easy when dropping the rudder. Your backing plate looks like fiberglass. I originally thought the glasswork had to do with a sloppy rudderpost, but everything was tight and new and I looked no further. I'll try to have a look this week, but traveling Thursday back to the V.I. from the from the frozen tundra.
THanks. I'm having the mast pulled tomorrow to get the standing rigging replaced, and then hauled out on Tuesday. I'm planning on having the yard inspect these areas, but wanted to get some opinions from the forum.