Isomat NB-16 section staysail boom casting removal

[Boulter]

Hi:

I broke the tack end casting on my staysail boom. I have procured a replacement casting. Now my problem is that I cannot get the old casting off the boom. It wiggles all over the place and does everything but come off. it seems that there is some internal mechanism that locks the casting and the first boom bail in place onto the boom end. There is extra machining on the incumbent part that is not on the replacement part that perhaps provides access to whatever is in there locking everything together. I am at my wits end. I am considering removal by destructive means, but I am loath to be violent in case I am missing something important and make my life ever more miserable.

I've ground down a dental style mirror, but so far can't get enough light in there with a flashlight at the same time as lining up my eye to peer in. Next lighting step might be to buy a few feet of LED strip and get that down in there for some real illumination.

Anyone have any insight?

Thanks

Jonathan

[nuku34]

There might be hidden screws under those small bails. Can you slide them out of the way to see what's under them?