Winch hook bolt broke in half...

[13Echo70271]

you can make your own backing plate from a piece of bar stock you can pick up at HD box store if you don't have any on the shelf. it is a flat piece on the 88 v. it should be flat on most.
mine crumbled like a graham cracker when I checked it last year after being warned here about them rusting out. I cut and drilled a new one from a piece I had. Use new lock nuts, don't over-tighten. You can shape it to a v if it needs it.

[garbubba]

I used a piece of 1/4" aluminum to replace that steel, I have a rule, no steel on the boat unless it's stainless.

[Troutkiller2006]

yea, definitely need to upgrade that, not just repair it. check with any local welding, fab shops. all you need is some scrap from them. i would recomend stainless over aluminum. stronger and your hook and hardware will be stainless. dissimilar metals will corrode and weaken

[garbubba]

I'll second that stainless is better. had the AL laying around & I'll bet the aluminum will outlast me or the boat.

Looked at the 1983's bow eye yesterday & it had a long thing rusty strip of steel, added it to the list.

Thanks for the reminder, must have fixed that on my '87 15 years ago.