Since purchasing our C36 numerous years ago, we've used the cockpit table with a broken leaf support. I went to order a replacement from Catalina Direct. They clearly note that because of a poor design, purchase at your risk: no returns allowed. So, perhaps with too much time on my hands, I repaired the broken support.

The support is made from two aluminum tubes. Each has a plastic end cap with a flange that attaches to a mount and is held in place by a press fit pin/rivet. Each tube contains a compression spring. A nylon chord passes through the spring and is tied off to a round metal disc. The disc compresses the spring when the chord is pulled and allows the tubes to snap together. Two common issues: The chord wears out and breaks. This requires you to duck beneath the table to manually line things up to connect the tube support. The other is the plastic end piece on the tube snaps off from the under table mount.

Here's the fix. It's not as complicated as it looks.

-Note the original length of the tubes when they are attached to each other.(rivet/sleeve hole to rivet sleeve hole)
-Remove the tube and mount from the table (4 little screws hold each mount)
-Drill out the rivet sleeve pins on the mounts so the tube can be separated. Later, replace the sleeve pins with small bolts and nuts.
-Cut off the broken plastic end cap.
-Drill out the remaining end cap piece from the tube. This will allow the removal of the compression spring and chord. 
-Cut a 3 inch length of 1/2 inch copper pipe.
-Insert into the copper pipe a bolt. Leave about 3/4" of an inch of open pipe (Don't extend the bolt all the way to the pipe end) and place the copper pipe end in a vice.
-Crimp the pipe end so that it is flat for about a 3/4"length and remove the bolt. The bolt supports the copper pipe from being crushed over a longer length.
-Drill a hole in the flattened pipe and round the corners so it can rotate when it's placed in the mount.
-Insert the aluminum table support tube into the copper pipe and secure with epoxy. Make sure the length of the two assembled aluminum support tubes matches the original length of the overall support. Slide the copper pipe (before the epoxy sets) to adjust the length.
-Paint the copper white. (If desired)
-Drill a side hole in the copper pipe near the crimp..
-Drill a side hole about half of the length on the undamaged aluminum support tube. This will clear the remaining compression spring in that tube. Angle the drill so it will make it easier to thread a bungee chord through the holes..
-Enlarge the hole in male brass fitting to make it easier for threading a bungee chord.. 
-With the two tubes assembled, thread a small diameter bungee chord through them and out both of the drilled holes.
-Stretch the bungee chord and tie a knot to secure the end from sliding back into the tubes when tension is released.
-When the bungee wears out, or looses it's stretch, it can readily be replaced.  

It's time consuming to attach a photo with my old PC but will do so later.