stem fitting

Hi
Anyone with experience replacing a stem fitting on a larger sailboat. I am talking about the fitting that holds the lower end of the bob stay. I have a Westsail 42 and it needs a new one. Just wondering what you did and how it worked. I am making a new one to go on the outside of the hull as the new anchor locker prohibits me putting it on the inside.
Bob

 

Reading between the lines I assume the new chain locker bulkhead blocks access to the interior of the bow area where that fitting is normally thru bolted. In other words you can't get at the interior to install a backing plate in the valley of the stem or backing plates on both sides of that stem valley nor install nuts on the fasteners.( depending on where the fitting's fasteners are located, straight in thru the stem using possibly 2 bolts thru the fitting and thru a backing block or plate located on the stems interior or, 4 bolts (2 each side) in thru the fittings wings on either side of the stem on the exterior with backing plates and nuts again on either side of the stems interior. If the Westsail had a squared type of stem running from forefoot to bow, it would be a simple matter of fabricating a fitting to match and simply thru bolt in a transverse direction (Providing of course the glass in that area could handle the load.) However the stem on a Westsail looks rounded and with an expanding taper running aft. Thus any transverse bolting thru such would not allow the bolt head or nuts to seat properly and create undue stress on these fasteners. likewise it would not go well with seating the fitting's winged surfaces on either side of the stem. The result being a constant problem with leaks. My advise, gain access to the stems interior by cutting an access(inspection) hatch thru the new chain locker bulkhead which is normally good boat building practice in any case.

 

A power drill, a sharp chisel, and lots of epoxy and glass, makes putting a new fitting on your stem from the outside, pretty easy.

Just cut the access hole with expanding sides for that locked in 'dovetail' effect.