These eyebolts are a big improvement for the Catalina 25 however in our opinion they are still not adequate for the Catalina 27. This is evidenced by the fact that later in the production of the C-27, Catalina Yachts again changed the design for the lower shroud chainplate. They were superseded by the U-bole kit #H1700 found below under "May we also suggest".

As you can see in the photo at left, circular stainless plates have been added to these improved eyebolts. These plates provide a large surface area for sealant and prevent the eye from compressing into the deck.

The two screw holes provide a means to secure the eyebolt, prevent it from rotating, and thereby breaking the seal. A broken seal allows water to leak into the plywood laminate in the deck promoting dry rot.

Backing plates spread the load under a larger area of the deck.

We now also include turnbuckle lubricant. It is essential that the eyebolts be lubricated before installation to prevent galling which can cause the stainless steel parts to seize together.

We highly recommend Catalina 27 owners install the more robust U-bolt kit #H1700. Owners who sail in light wind only may find the Z2041 eyebolt kit adequate. The only advantage of the eyebolt kit over the U-bolt kit is the position of the turnbuckle's lower clevis pin. With the eyebolt kit the clevis pin remains at approximately the same height off of the deck as with the original eyebolts. The H1700 U-bolt kit raises the clevis pin about 5/8" higher off of the deck. This can be an issue if your turnbuckles are tightened completely and there is insufficient adjustment left to accommodate the U-bolt kit. But consider... if your turnbuckle adjustment is insufficient to accommodate the U-bolts, the shrouds are probably old enough that they also need to be replaced.