Stemhead fitting overload
From the Owner of 47/019 For two years now I have a 90 120 squ metre FFR (Fully furling reacher). It is a great sail short handed, easy to get out and in and covers a big arc of sail. ( 60-160). I started with a standard (Parasail) Bompresso, and changed to a much larger one working off the bow piece which also supports the forestay. Recently we discovered that the bowfitting had lifted on the side of the Bompresso and indeed cracked. Clearly there was too much force on the bow piece with the FFR. We are working on reinforcing the bowfitting and changine the bompresso fitting. I will let you know, but many are using Code zero or FFR and it is a great cruising combination, easy to get out and in and to control. But a huge force at the bow.

Dear Jonathan
Guess you expect proposals for repair.
The stemhead plate has moved upwards along the stem, and the recommendation is to force it back down, and check if the laminate behind it has been crushed, this shows as an air gap behind the plate. If there is a gap the laminate needs to be repaired.
The movement also means that the bolt holes in the stemhead laminate have elongated. It would be advisable to drill bigger holes with their centers in the original positions and a diameter covering the elongated holes, and put sleeves around the bolts. Their load carrying ability is then increased.
If you can inform how many bolts there are in the stemhead plate, their spacing, and how thick the laminate is, a recommendation for sleeve diameters and number of bolts can be given considering the increased loads.
Where is the tack of the FFR attached?
Kind regards
Lars