Mast step bolts

[Art]

I have a 84 C-22. When I bought the boat i noticed that the rear of the two mast step bolts sits about 1/4 inch amove the mast plate. It seems tight but won't screw down anymore. The front one seems loose. Has any one had this problem. I know that I can drill out both holes and fill with epoxy but what worries me is how it got that way. I suspect that some one in the past did not support the mast durring stepping or un stepping. Can any one recomend a good strong fix other than drilling out and filling type of repair?ThanksArt

 

[Dick of Sylvan]

Fill and Drill

Remove bolts, fill holes with epoxy, drill when hard, caulk and re-bolt sounds good to me. My 75 C22 came to me with loose bolts about 5 years ago, and I did as above and it has worked great ever since. Dick

 

[Bayard Gross]

Possibly thru-bolt the forward screw

The front mast step screw on my 82 C-22 is through bolted. I do not know if it came that way from Catalina or if the PO did that himself which I suspect.This could possibly be an alternative to filling and redrilling. However, it will depend upon just how your interior liner is set up below the mast step and where that screw will come through.