Check those thru bolts !
 

Just removed my deck-mounted windlass that I installed 12 years ago ( pulled out 5 years ago to replace the motor ) and found that the adhesive/silicone I used to mount and keep water out of the thru bolts - failed !

I have always been a big fan of 'potting' any and all thru-bolted or screwed in cored areas with epoxy ( if you've ever had to re-do an area due to a soggy core - you know why ).

This was one area that I did not do that to and well.. although I fixed the windlass - again, I now have some core repair to do.

The lesson(s) - never depend on any silicone for very long to keep water out, as somehow it always seems to fail - and always pot a hole into a cored area with epoxy and never worry about it again !

I already dug out the majority of the wet/ rotted core material with various size allen keys in a drill. Letting it dry for the winter and then I will repair with epoxy.