Identify this piece of hardware

[ERTF]

Anybody know the purpose of the wood block in my pics?

I asked the best captain I know and the oldest salt in my anchorage and neither knew.

I have 2 guesses, but neither makes 100% logical sense.

A) Footstep? But why? And why the extreme bolts just to hold half a human?

B) Mounting for an auxillary bow roller? But why isn't one attached (no old holes either)?

C)???

 

[Comodave]

King of the World step???

 

[BruceK]

Something to do with supporting or controlling or directing line coming off the port side of the windlass.
Either that or it`s like the sign on a post, erected at a remote Ireland location, which reads "Do Not Lean Bicycles Against This Sign".

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

That's where you will set your can of varnish when you finally redo your bright work... Sorry, couldn't help myself...

 

[ERTF]

Actually it can't possibly be a footstep. I never noticed before, but that metal bracket the wood block is mounted on actually extends thru the pulpit under the windlass.

 

[ERTF]

Something to do with supporting or controlling or directing line coming off the port side of the windlass.

I wondered about that, but the way the metal bracket is shaped underneath, the line deinitely couldnt be directed under.

 

[rgano]

Since the slab of metal passes underneath the windlass and out the other side, can it perhaps be slid out allowing it to be reversed?

 

[ERTF]

Since the slab of metal passes underneath the windlass and out the other side, can it perhaps be slid out allowing it to be reversed?

It doesn't come out the other side of the pulpit. But the windlass bolts definitely go thru it.

 

[High Wire]

It looks like it pre-dates the current windlass. Maybe a mount some type of chock or cleat no longer needed.

 

[BruceK]

Somewhere well supported, to stand and be well balanced, while attending the windlass.

 

[ERTF]

It looks like it pre-dates the current windlass. Maybe a mount some type of chock or cleat no longer needed.

Except there are no holes in it from a removed piece of hardware.

 

[Peter B]

Whatever it was for before, (and it'd be of great interest if you could track down the PO and find out), it would now be a good spot to cut up smelly bait when fishing. Nice rugged and handy size, and you could hose it down along with anchor retrieval to avoid smells wafting into the boat.

 

[menzies]

Is it a stop for that hatch?

Maybe previously there was a latch or hook to hold the hatch onto it?

 

[Bacchus]

It doesn't come out the other side of the pulpit. But the windlass bolts definitely go thru it.

Also looks like other bolts around current windless are aligned / close to the hole location in the piece in question.
Maybe they were the mounting for a larger windlass footprint?
Wood might have been replaced when windlass was leaving no trace?

 

[ERTF]

Somewhere well supported, to stand and be well balanced, while attending the windlass.

Except the windlass controls are down on the deck.

 

[ERTF]

Is it a stop for that hatch?

Maybe previously there was a latch or hook to hold the hatch onto it?

There's no possible way that'd require that kind of hardware & connection to super structure to hold a lattice lid open with a hook.

 

[ERTF]

If the windlass isnt original, then maybe the metal bracket is a mounting plate that came with the new windlass? And its normally supposed to be mounted lengthwise on the pulpit. But in this case they had to mount it horizontally for some reason? And so they just mounted a slab of wood on it for aesthetic reasons??

 

[Spweber]

Obviously a GoPro mount.

 

[menzies]

Could they have had a cleat on there for rode? Holes are now filled in with years of varnish? Maybe scrape a bit and see.

 

[hollywood8118]

That's where you will set your can of varnish when you finally redo your bright work... Sorry, couldn't help myself...

Oh Snap!


The best one yet!
HOLLYWOOD

 

[ERTF]

If the windlass isnt original, then maybe the metal bracket is a mounting plate that came with the new windlass? And its normally supposed to be mounted lengthwise on the pulpit. But in this case they had to mount it horizontally for some reason? And so they just mounted a slab of wood on it for aesthetic reasons??

Looked a little closer this AM, the metal bracket is def the windlass backing plate. So either my above hypothesis is the answer, or else this backing plate is orientated the intended way and it came with a wood block to mount a big cleat too (and prev owners just never did).

 

[Wayne.B]

Anybody know the purpose of the wood block in my pics?

I asked the best captain I know and the oldest salt in my anchorage and neither knew.

===

My best guess: There was a previous windlass which was wider and had mounting bolts in that location. Or possibly there were windlass switches mounted there. In either case those holes are now invisible because a top board was fitted as a cover up. If you remove the 4 fasteners holding that top board in place, I suspect you'll find the evidence underneath.

 

[ERTF]

Nope, no old holes in the metal bracket under the wood block

 

[IronZebra]

Perhaps something was mounted to the metal plate below. Then when it was removed you had an unsightly and somewhat sharp metal plate.

To make it the remaining plate less unsightly and more safe the wood block was added.

 

[Hawkeye]

Two purposes? First, as a step for checking out anchor retrieval and second, the metal bracket also serving as a backing plate to the through bolts under the windlass. These bolts have been known to pull through under very heavy strain.

 

[Maryboo]

I think it may be some sort of stop to keep the grate from hitting the windlass.

 

[Gulf Comanche]

Seagull perch.

 

[ben2go]

It holds a second anchor.

 

[FormerSailor]

Clearly a mount for the Flux Capacitor!

 

[Mikala]

Sacrificial Teak-node?