Chain plate covers: opinions wanted

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higgs

higgs

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Aug 24, 2005
3,736
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
My boat has spacers welded to the chainplate tang at the point where the standing rigging attaches to the tang. I am guessing this was done to accomodate the rather wide toggle at the end of each stay/shroud. Problem is that the chain plate cover has slots that are too narrow to clear this spacer. In order to rebed my covers, I have to remove the entire tang in order to be able to clean out and rebed the cover. This setup means that my cover has to be in place before the tang is inserted into the slot on deck and it leaves less than a quarter inch clearance between the spacers and the cover's seat. This means I cannot push caulking into the slot because the cover is in the way for me to see and reach the deck's tang slot.

My question is, what is the function of the covers? What if they were left off all together? I am really not considering leaving them off, just making major modifications to them so I can remove them to rebed the plate w/o removing the tangs. This will mean leaving a significant amount of bedding material exposed to the elements.
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
A picture would help. Yours sound similar to mine. I have to take the shroud off the chainplate to get the cover high enough. I am not sure I understand the "tang on the chainplate". My cover compresses the silicone sealant and I have no leaks. Without the cover it might still seal, not sure. As I post this picture I see that you are probably talking about the turnbuckle connector. That is in fact a tang.
 

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higgs

higgs

.
Aug 24, 2005
3,736
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
I know a pic would help, but I don't have one right now. Mine is different from yours and probably everyone elses.

The tang is the actual piece that the stay/shroud attaches to. The tang passes through a slot in the deck and is securley bolted below decks to either the side of the hull (my case) or to a tabbed in piece of wood usually perpendicular to the hull. When people speak of rotted chainplates it is the piece of tabbed in wood below decks.
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Where I live the chainplate is the heavy stainless bar that the shroud attaches to. My chainplate is seen in the picture going through the cover, the deck, and then bolted to a heavy wooden knee glassed to the hull. So you are right, I probably won't understand.
 
CalebD

CalebD

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Jun 27, 2006
1,479
Tartan 27' 1967 Nyack, NY
The deck cover plate is a pretty lame attempt to cover the joint from moisture. I've got them on my boat.
The next time I re-bed these it will probably be with Butyl tape rather than 4200.
 
M

mitiempo

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Sep 28, 2008
922
Canadian Sailcraft CS27 Victoria B.C.
The cover's purpose is to compress the sealant into the gap around the chainplate as it emerges through the deck as well as to protect it from uv and the elements.

As I understand your chainplate is thicker where the turnbuckle attaches than it is at the deck level while most chainplates are the same thickness for their whole length.

The solution, without modifying or replacing the chainplate, is to remove the entire chainplate and cover and renew the sealant as it is placed into position and before the bolts are in place below.
 
Daydreamer

Daydreamer

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Oct 19, 2009
97
oday 22 Lake New Melones
Chainplate cover

If the cover is not structural, you could remove it and cut it in half. Then it could be removed anytime later to facilitate rebedding.
You would probably have to add a couple extra screws to get it to pull down tightly to compress the sealant.
Also I would use butyl tape rather than silicon, as silicon can not be reliably cleaned away to rebed. Once it is cured, nothing sticks to silicon including fresh silicon.
 
RON20406

RON20406

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Jan 22, 2008
280
Hunter 25_73-83 NORTH POINT MARINA/WINTHROP HA IL
mitiempo said:
The cover's purpose is to compress the sealant into the gap around the chainplate as it emerges through the deck as well as to protect it from uv and the elements.

As I understand your chainplate is thicker where the turnbuckle attaches than it is at the deck level while most chainplates are the same thickness for their whole length.

The solution, without modifying or replacing the chainplate, is to remove the entire chainplate and cover and renew the sealant as it is placed into position and before the bolts are in place below.
Click to expand

This is the correct way to rebed your chainplates. Do not, as suggested by another respondent, cut the cover in half. Best, Ron
 
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