Stripped Mast Step Screws

[QCI]

The mast step on a 1987 15 foot American Sail Racer have stripped out. I was going to drill out the holes and fill with a paste of fiber glass resin and fibers. If there are others that recommend a better solution, please let me know.
Thanks. Photos attached

 

[alexco38]

Conditions: (1) you are handy, (2) it is hollow inside, if they are you are in luck:

(1) Make two SS plate about 1" width, a little longer that the 3 holes in a row, at least 3/16" thick.
(2) Drill and Tap the holes exactly the same as the mast step. Use 1/4" or at least #10 bolts. Better yet use the mast step as template.
(3) Drill a 1" hole in the middle between the 2 rows of existing holes.
(4) The existing holes need to be enlarged to accomodate the new bolts.
(5) Feed a wire thru the small hole out the big 1" hole. Use the wire to fish the SS plate thru the big hole inside the cavity. Use a bit of picture mounting reusable glue to hold the plate in place.
(6) Now mount the mast step using new bolts. In my opinion, screws has no place on fibre glass.
(7) Optionally you can cover the big hole with fibre glass again, but not necessary. You can use Butyl tape to seal the mast step.

Don't use wood screws on the mast step. They will be pulled out.

Good luck.

 

[Joe]

I think you idea would work... filling the holes and redrilling that is.

 

[alexco38]

Think why the original screws pulled out and you'll have the answer and solution.

 

[QCI]

Thank you for the help.

Thank you for the help. The screw holes, about 2.5" deep, don't go through the deck into hull opening. I fished a pocket camera into the hull to check it out and tried to try to get a pic on the spot directly under the mast step. Couldn’t see, just guessed at the location. There is more bare wood then I thought there would be inside.
Photos attached.

The distance Between the access hole and the mast step is too wide to reach by hand.
I think there is a piece of wood under the surface that the screws attach to. That’s why I was going to try the the fiberglass filler after drilling out the holes.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

 

[Allan12210]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002WC8TSE

I found these stainless steel thread inserts on Amazon. They might prevent future stripping out of the wood.

 

[RocketDogs]

Because of the access issue, but need to spread out the stress, I'm thinking some heavy 304 stainless toggle-wing bolts would do the trick.
Example:
http://www.fmwfasteners.com/products/Toggle-Wings-Spring-Wings-Hollow-Wall-Anchors/Toggle-Wings-Zinc

 

[QCI]

Thank you all for taking the time to post the suggestions, info and links. I really appreciate the help.

 

[QCI]

Did the repair

I put on a new mast step, used the old one for backing. Fastened it with SS Bolts, nylon nuts, lock washers and 3M 4000'd the holes, bolts & underside of new mast step.

Because could not reach the underside of deck with hand to hold the backing, I fished bailing wire into the old holes and attached the back plate (old mast step) and pulled it back into place. Again, because I could not reach the location by hand, I had to JB Weld the Nuts to the backing plate a few days before.

Thanks again for the help. Pics attached