Repair and Modify Windlass Base ...

[reiner]

We got a 40ft Challenger with a balsa core deck. The boat and the anchor winch is from 1989. The design or the chain box and the winch position is real poor and the winch is on its way out.
The winch is a muir and it's a vertical winch with motor inside the chain box.I am planing to remove the vertical winch and fit a horizontal winch with motor and gearbox on top of the deck so I have more room in the chain box.
The new winch needs to be about 4 inches aft so I end up with lots of holes in the foredeck. Here is where i start to scratch my head. I have two ideas.
Number one is make a template for a plate to cover the area and have a new base for my new winch. That plate I could cut out of half inch aluminium and get it powder coated on both sides for the new base. The other option is marine plywood and glass that over and fit. I have the tools to cut and shape aluminium and think that might be the better way but I am open to suggestionsI'm sure some of you have done this and I would love to hear your thoughts.
Cheers
Reiner

[s/vfootloose]

I would start by removing the old winch checking the balsa in all the holes removing anything that is wet or bad and filling. Then start everything new. Drill your holes for the new winch. Take out all the balsa around the new holes at least an inch or so. Fill the holes and redrill. Make sure you have a good backing plate I would make it as large as you can fit. The top side is cosmetic whatever looks good to you. Maybe a piece of teak.