Pearson Boats - Common Systems > Standing & Running Rigging and Fitting/Tuning

Chain plate removal and inspection

<< < (2/2)

Rusty Pelican:
What year is your P323?

selene:
Not sure who the question was directed to...mine is 1980 (#212).

Alma:
We sail every weekend in the ocean 7 months for 25 years now in our 323.

We still have the original chainplates (and all standing rigging) and I'm confident they are as good or better than what is available today. The key is keeping the water out of the transition from the chainplate into the hull. If you have had water intrusion you can usually see rust trails from the chainplates when viewed in the head behind the vanity sink in the compartment where the chainplates are attached to the hull's knees. It is little effort to inspect all the shrouds behind the deco covers in the salon as well. The backstay is accessed through the round plate behind the helm.

If you want to be safe and save money you'll need to learn to be better than a so-called 'marine surveyor'.

It would be foolish and dangerous to tell someone to ignore a 'surveyor's' advice to inspect or replace chainplates. Yet-

Most surveyors are just watchdogs for the insurance industry and when I got my pricy survey required to insure ALMA 25 years ago- I was little surprised to see in my multi-page report that ALMA's DIESEL Generator was in "tip top" shape...

ALMA has a gasoline powered Atomic Four and no DIESEL anything on board-

That glaring mistake is typical of surveys. A little tap-tap on the hull and a cursory look at the pumps and you write a check and get false security.

So realize chainplates can last a very long time when kept completely D R Y !!!

I did this by cleaning up the original aluminum plates the chainplates travel through into the deck and the chainplates with a Dremel tool and then applied BOX-STORE clear silicone to the joint fairing the silicone to follow the chainplate up 3/8" so water will fall away and not pool around the joint. This also makes the silicone bedding stronger since it wraps around the chainplate and transitions onto the aluminum plate.

Be sure to clean everything with acetone before applying the silicone and do not disturb until it sets up.

23 years and counting...

Always check the pins that attach the shrouds and stays to the chainplates- that is the wear point and must be inspected every couple of years. The pins can wear invisibly and also develop stress riser cracks that can ruin a weekend...

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page