I would like to sail my boat from Key West to North Carolina to a "do it yourself" boatyard sometime in the future.

My problem is that the blocking under the cabin sole that supports the compression post is totally gone, also the compression post is hollow for a few inches where it would meet the blocking (solid as a rock above cabin sole). My boat sat for a few years in a boatyard in the keys (before I bought her exactly 1 year ago) with the bilge filled with freshwater, termites loved this problem location.

I spent $1,000 tenting and fumigating the boat 1 year ago and am termite free.

I'm not asking how to repair the damage as I have Bud's service manual and have and will do more online research when I'm ready to tackle the project (main bulkhead and deckbeam as well).

I'm actually looking for advice about whether I'm able to sail the boat up there in it's current condition, in light weather of course. If the weather kicks up I could simply use my Yanmar. As I mentioned the compression post is solid and it appears to be fastened to the bulkhead. My deck has no "dishing", but maybe just a tad on top of the mast support step, my rigging is loose. No doubt our coach roofs are tremendoussly rigid but at what sailing load levels does the post start doing it's job and at what load levels does it reach the bottom of the post because it's fastened along side the bulkhead? 

I'm also considering bolting a temporary post along side my original post and some blocking under it in the bilge. I have to admit, it would be great to sail my new to me 1 year now Westsail in the meantime before I can get the time for the boatyard. I have flown my jib and motored several times.

My boat is solid, original and in great shape except for a bit of interior wood damage.

I'm going to be a carpenter for a while.

Thanks,

Carl

Thanks very much for all you do for Westsailors.

I'll chek out the link now.

Cheers.