Chain plate failure/replacement/recall?

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Rich

I was told that over 500 O'Day 22's suffered a failure of the original chainplate's threaded wire "U". I then purchased two replacements, which are 5/16" rather than the original 1/4". I was wondering about this: 1) Has anyone used the original chainplates with the new sized "U's", by drilling out the holes in the plates? Or can replacement chainplates be suggested? 2) Anyone still using the original 1/4" U's? 3) Any failure stories out there? Under what conditions did your chainplate fail? Thanks... Rich.
 
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Ron Deck

chainplates

One of mine failed in light wind conditions and caused no damage. I replace them with four 5/16 forged eye bolts.
 
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Bernie

chainplates

To Rich Speaking as a building trades person and boat owner : as long as you do not structurally weaken the material by drilling the chainplates and you have at least as much bearing surface as on the originals, why not ?
 
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John Folds

What should I do about Chain Plate Failure

This talk of plate failure makes me nervous. What exactly should I do. Will drilling a hole and bolting eye bolts be a good idea?
 
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Rich

What to do? What I was told, and did...

John... the whole story: I was purchasing a new side stay from D&R Marine, and it was Rudy who told me of the "500 failures". He is the one who would know, but I was curious where and how... and also why it was not more well known. But I've heard no stories yet, nor seen any O'Day 22's in yards or marinas with the upgrade Rudy suggested. And I am, by nature, very skeptical... however, this made enough sense, so I did it... and now I'm glad I did. In fact, when I was unscrewing a nut on my old, 1/4" chainplate "U", the threaded portion sheared off... and very, very easily. 1) The problem: The factory 1/4" U, which the side stays attach to, is threaded with coarse threads. This cuts too far into the diameter. Now picture the angle at which the side stays pull on this sucker. It is not a straight pull... and supposedly, over 500 of these babies snapped off just below the deck, at the threads. Ouch. 2) The solution: Rudy sells new, 5/16" U's. They come with locknuts, but no chainplates. They are fine threaded, nicely made, and quite beefy. You do not need to change your sidestay turnbuckle hardware... the original clevis "U" slips right over the 5/16" U. They are about $20 apiece... so for $40, I don't have to think about it anymore. As for installing, you do have to drill out the old straps and the holes in the deck, slightly. Very easy. But just for jollies, I replaced the chainplates (on the port side, so far) with longer, three bolt 1/8" stainless strap... those originals are just kind of wimpy looking. But Rudy did not warn against the original strap, just those itsy-bitsy "U's". Call Rudy Nickerson at: D&R Marine P.O. Box 921 31 Mill Street Assonet, MA 02702 Telephone: 508/644-3001 FAX: 508/644-3002
 
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John Folds

Chain Plate replacement

Wouldn't it make more sense to take the upper and lower shrouds to individual plates and eyes? That way the enitier rig probably would not be lost in the event of a plate breaking.
 
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Rich

I suppose in theory...

I suppose making up two separate chainplate/attachment "u's" would be very safe, but the the new "U's" I purchased from D
 
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scott

Chainplates and boat structure

I recently purchased a 20' O'Day, with one broken chainplate, and replaced it with a beefier version from D
 
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