The port bow chain plate - or bridle bow tang if you will - blew out of the hull. The starboard tang held, but started to crack or shear off. Interestingly, neither the deck nor the hull showed any sign of twisting or raking. I was concerned when I refinished the hulls about the top/bottom seams of the two hulls halves, but they seem to be holding up well after ~30 years!

The shroud chain plates seem to be OK, but an inspection is warranted. Bolstering the glass under the shroud plates and through bolting are probably as far as I will go.

However, the discussion is interesting. Keeping old plastic boats alive may go against nature. This old nacra was rescued from my Dad's backyard where it deteriorated for 15+ years. The hull gel coat was pocked and the deck delaminating in spots and the rudders previously stolen. The fact that it even sailed again was due to a couple of key points:

1) A chat I had with an enthusiastic West River, MD cat sailor who used to deal nacra. His opinion was the 5.2 was built like a brick **** house and I should definitely rebuild the boat and race with them on weeknights!
2) My own (mad?) determination to put it right again.

RE point 2: It's not like I'm hurting for a ride. I have an Olson 34 keelboat and a Catalina 16.5 dinghy as well. It's just that the nacra 5.2 is so damn fun and scary in a breeze. Otherwise it is a pain in the butt to setup and launch.

I guess I'll see how my repairs hold up and hopefully have fun until she breaks again.