With 'Nerites' we found a lot of rot in the aft deck , resulting in part from the 'quarter posts' not being properly sealed, and also other silly issues... however we decided during the rebuild, on the advise of the boat yard and other carpenters talked to, not to install these posts again but to use strong cleats instead.   I have always been a fan of Sampson posts but I can see leaks and  bit of rot around these on this boat too..and know I will have to go into this area soon.  My thought is to do the same and eliminate them, switching instead to stout cleats.  Can anyway speak to removing the sampson posts and the remaining structural integrity of the bowsprit - are the three bolts to the deck sufficient?  I thought I remembered somewhere they bend sometimes?  maybe we should have another bold installed, or maybe the sampson posts must stay and just come up with a better way of sealing them?  Bud?