146 Chainplate Detachment

[algosdoc]

During a nice 15kt wind today, my 2006 Hunter 146 starboard shroud chainplate popped completely out of the deck, causing the mast to collapse bending the mastplate. On examination of the chainplate, all three screws are intact but these appear to be woodscrews and it appears the chainplate attaches only to some sort of wood underneath the plastic (not fiberglass). Seriously??? No real metal plate underneath? If indeed it is attached only to wood, no wonder it separated but is this indeed what happened? The screw holes in the wood appear to be enlarged somewhat.
Finally, is there any way to repair this without dissecting the entire boat. I love my little boat and want to keep her rather than taking her out to the middle of the lake and scuttling her.... Any ideas?

 

[BlueRunner]

VERY disturbing!!! Hope my 170 shroud chain plate is NOT attached in this manner.

 

[algosdoc]

I have yet to hear back from the company on this. Submitted a query last week.

 

[algosdoc]

Fixed it myself today using a 1/8" thick 3" wide steel plate 10" long mounted under hull and used 2" 10-24 machine screws with washers and double locking nuts. These fit through the chain plate and made a very firm attachment to the hull. The entire top of the boat would have to tear out now in order for the chain plate to detach again.
Apparently the engineer that designed this boat missed the day structural force vectors were being taught in school, and created a poorly designed and potentially dangerous chain plate attachment to the hull with three small wood screws. WTF? Anyway, I would suggest anyone owning a day sailor boat made by Hunter to contact them and ask about how the chain plate is secured. If it is not secured by a bolt system (instead of wood screws), for your own safety it may be worth cutting a hole in the hull and creating a more logical and safe solution to chain plate anchoring.

 

[BlueRunner]

Any chance of some pictures?

 

[algosdoc]

I didn't take any pics sorry..... The repair took around an hour only. I used the steel described above obtained at a local hardware store and replaced the woodscrews in the chainplate with machine screws 2" long. 1 1/2" are too short. Marked the steel plate holes by simply overlying the chainplate onto the steel plate and marking, then drill, and install. The inner hull section removed was probably too small being around 4" x 6" and I used a dremmel to do this. Works like a charm now, and I will probably do the other side soon to avoid the safety issue of a chain plate catastrophically releasing from the hull.

 

[BlueRunner]

Without cutting into the inside gunnel wall, I can't visualize how you could have fixed the problem. Maybe the 146 has access to this area. My '08 170 doesn't.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Algosdoc;

I am at boy scout camps getting b oats ready for the summer. I will be back next week. Please send me an email to davecondon@mindspring.com as I can help you with future repairs as Hunter sometimes forwards folks to me as I have repaired many. Please include your phone number If you want to check my credentilas, just ask about crazy dave condon in this forum.

crazy dave

 

[algosdoc]

The other side chain plate detached today sending the shroud line cable with attached chain plate 30 feet into the air. Examining the attachment of this chainplate, it was evident Hunter used the same inadequate engineering they did on the side that detached earlier. There are 3-1" screws through the chain plate with approximately only 3/4" into the wood or fiber below. These are wood screws, not machine screws, not metal screws. What the hell was Hunter thinking when they built this? Anyway, repaired it as before cutting through the gunnel wall to access the area under the chainplate to support it with a steel plate.
Suggestion to all 146 owners or any small boat owners that have concerns about the chainplate detaching (potentially very very dangerous to a person sitting next to the chainplate when it detaches): unscrew one of the chainplate screws, remove it, and measure it. If it is a one inch wood screw, you have a flawed design that could cause severe injury, and you should repair this by installing a steel plate or other fabricated device to avoid injury. Hunter should be ashamed of such cheap engineering. Just because these are small boats it doesn't mean they should not have the same safety features built in as do larger boats with chain plates secured with more than 3-1" wood screws.