Leaky Chainplate

[TortolaTim]

I've discovered a leak on along the port upper chainplate on my '88 C22. The forward lower side of the bulkhead is damp, but doesn't appear to be "rotten." I know I have to inspect/ reseal the plate and was wondering what everyone recommends for a sealant. I have butyl tape, and know it works well for deck fittings and such, but would it do a good job of sealing around the actual chainplate as it exits through the deck? Secondly, once the bulkhead drys do I need to worry about its structural integrity? Again, it doesnt look like it is rotten, just damp and a little mildewy.
Thanks!

 

[AaronD]

Butyl tape should be a good sealant here. As always, read @Maine Sail's advice (e.g. at http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/63554-bedding-deck-hardware-butyl-tape.html). Be sure to check for rot in the deck core when you epoxy and rebed. My starboard upper had obviously leaked at some point, but I got lucky and didn't find major rot (just a bit right around the bolt that Dremel'd out easily).

Consider replacing the chainplates with the newer design from Catalina Direct (https://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/585/chainplate-eyebolt-kit-c-22.cfm). It's hard to see in their pictures, but the newer design has a wider base / flange with 2 holes. You screw through those holes into the deck, which anchors the chainplate so it can't rotate. It's really easy to torque on the chainplate a bit with a turnbuckle (especially when stepping / unstepping the mast). Turning it (even a little) can break the seal and cause a new leak.

If you do go for the new chainplates, my advice is to overdrill the screw holes, fill with thickened epoxy, wax the screws, and screw them into the thickened epoxy while it kicks. Then dewax the screws and bed the chainplates. That seals those deck penetrations so you won't risk core rot from them.

 

[Gene Neill]

Much the same here as what Aaron just said.

I used butyl on my chainplates. But first, I taped the through-deck hole from inside, poured epoxy in, let it sit a few minutes, then pulled the tape and let it drain and cure. Now the wood core in that vulnerable spot is protected. I prepped the screw holes in the deck similarly to Aaron's method.

It's impossible to say from here if your bulkhead is still structurally sound. Even pics would not necessarily tell if the wood was still hard. Tapping with a screwdriver handle or similar tool, listen to the sound where you know the wood is good, and compare that to how it sounds around and under where the chainplate sits. It should sound the same, a sharp sound rather than a dull thud. One of my bulkheads was okay, one had to be replaced.

 

[Hardhead]

I've had the same problem on my 87', and I'm in the process right now of removing the rotten bulkeads and replacing with new 1/2 hardwood plywood. Really not a hard job overall.

I was very lucky, and surprised to see, that the factory had evidently cut out a circle around the chainplate holes in the deck core, and filled the void with some kind of epoxy, and then drilled the chainplate slits through the epoxy filler, rather than the deck core plywood. I really checked well, and the chainplates slits in the core are okay, and I attribute that to the slits being surrounded and encased in the factory epoxy, and not the normal core plywood in that area. I was expecting some degree of deck core rot, but it wasn't there.

If you ever decide to replace the bulkeads, I'd recommend only using the original bulkheads as a rough tracing outline, and allow an extra 1/4" in oversizing the new ones, and then rough fitting them back in the boat, and doing the final outline shaping with a orbital sander and 80 grit to get the final outline shape and angle - that worked well for me. Also, do not re-drill the the chainplate holes and bulkead mounting bolt holes from the old bulkead as a template, but rather re-fit the new bulkeads in the boat, and then going in and redrilling the chainplate and bulkead holes from inside the boat through the original fiberglass mounting holes and chainplates. It would be easy to find all the holes off a 1/8" from what is needed, if you used the original bulkeads as a hole drilling template I believe. Make sure when you drop the chainplates through the deck, for drilling the bulkead holes, that you get the height right, or I believe you could have problems with the shrouds not having the same tension. I believe I almost made a mistake in that area, but caught it before drilling.

My plan for finishing the bulkeads is to stain them with RIT dye and denatured alcohol, and then paint over with pentrating epoxy and spar varnish. Hopefully that ends up with a rough match of the existing wood color.

As far as the original bulkead molding - it does not appear to be glued on, but rather tacked on with some kind of internal metal brad biscuit arrangement. I had good luck tapping them off with a 2x3 being hit with a hammer, using the bulkhead as a parallel guide for the gentle blows - the molding broke in a few places, but I feel pretty good I can wood glue it back on the new bulkeads without too much trouble. Overall, it doesn't seem to be a bad job at all, just a series of simple steps and you are done.

It will feel good to have everything replaced, and hopefully good for another 30 years. Good luck if you try it.

 

[Leeward Rail]

@Hardhead @Gene Neill and @AaronD are on the money.

I have an 87.

You will likely find that the rear of the bulkhead, that sits against the fiberglass stove & sink area, has hidden rot.
You'll find out when you remove them.
As hardhead says, it's fairly easy to remove the bullnose edging, trace out the new bulkheads, and reuse the edging. Simple to glue them if they don't come off cleanly.

My refit thread has some photos of making the modified bulkheads I made, but the concept is the same and will be much easier if you are just making copies of the originals.

FWIW, my upper shroud chainplate holes were NOT lined with epoxy. I also have photos of me doing that in my refit thread.

I also used butyl to seal the upper shroud chainplates.

I plan on having a welder weld the deck plate to the chainplate, like Catalina should have done in the first place. They would end up being similar to how they made them for the 1995+ C22 mk 2 and C22 sport
By having mine welded, it eliminates the need to use different screw holes in the deck, and the risk of them not lining up to the existing holes in the bulkheads

Upper shroud Chainplates as used on the 1986 to 1995 boats:

Upper shroud chainplates as used on the 1995+ C22:



The lower shroud plates on the "new design" boats, are improved over the ones on the original C22, and are already like the ones CD sells. They are welded to a plate on the deck, and have screws that stop them from turning. No need to replace those on your 1988 model.

 

[AaronD]

Listen to @Leeward Rail and ignore me - I didn't know about the chainplate redesign in your '88. Apologies for the faulty advice.