:: The fiberglass beneath my mast step has a few cracks and
:: maybe even a bit of compression from it's normal
:: thickness.
::
:: Anybody else noticed this on their boats? What can be
:: done about it?

Our boat repair guru in Detroit, Tim Sarns, told me that he has repaired several boats (not E27s) with compression under the mast step by removing the step and the deck skin under it; removing the bad core under it and epoxying a thick aluminum plate under the mast step plate. The aluminum plate should be a fair amount wider and longer than the mast step plate in order to spread the compression load. Once the aluminum plate is in place the area above it can be filled and faired and a new fiberglass cloth epoxied in on top of the aluminum plate and faired. Then the deck plate can be re-installed. As already mentioned, any problems below with the bulkheads or the wood cross beam or ash A-frame mast support should be addressed also.