Hello all. I recently purchased a 1977 O'Day 25. I did this after sailing a grand total of 3 times (Hobie Cat in Plycar,MX, a Hunter 36 and a test cruse on the O'Day). I actually looked at several boats from 14 feet on up. My 25 has been well maintained. Sailing has been interesting(my biggest mistake was to take my wife and two kids out the first weekend we had the boat - nervous, mad, hot and scared were just a few of my emotions not to mention my families.) They forgave me and all is well. Before and after purchasing my boat I have read, watched dvds and done lots of research on this website. My question is about removing and inspecting underneath the chain plates. Please remember I am a "newbie" so forgive me if the questions are to basic. 1)Once you loosen the shrouds(I assume you completely detach them from the chain plate) what do you do to support the mast? I will be inspecting with the boat in the water(is this possible/advisable). 2) Is this a one man job or two. I know the bolts in the bulk head can be handled by one man but wonder about the deck plate bolts. 3)Assuming the bulkheads are OK, what type of sealant should be used when reassembling everything. If bulkheads aren't OK what epoxy should I use. What am I forgetting? I did purchase Casey's book "this old boat" but it dosn't talk about boat specific stuff. Thanks to all. Scott
Chain Plate inspection
- Thread starter Scott R21226
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Bob Edgarton
I wouldn't do it`
Hi Scott; Perhaps others will disagree with me, but I wouldn't attempt to remove chain plates whith the mast up. I'd wait until the off season when the mast is down and the boat out of the water. If you have reason to think the chain plates may fail, have the boat hauled and do what you must ASAP. I question if this is a job for a novice. I think the money would be well spent to have someone with experience perform this work for you. I'd encourage standing by to see what gets done (for your own edification), and you might even hook up with someone who would walk you through it, but I'd proceed with caution on this type of work. You don't want to compromise your water tightness, and you don't want to have your mast come down unexpectedly. Best wishes. Bob
Hi Scott; Perhaps others will disagree with me, but I wouldn't attempt to remove chain plates whith the mast up. I'd wait until the off season when the mast is down and the boat out of the water. If you have reason to think the chain plates may fail, have the boat hauled and do what you must ASAP. I question if this is a job for a novice. I think the money would be well spent to have someone with experience perform this work for you. I'd encourage standing by to see what gets done (for your own edification), and you might even hook up with someone who would walk you through it, but I'd proceed with caution on this type of work. You don't want to compromise your water tightness, and you don't want to have your mast come down unexpectedly. Best wishes. Bob
Chainplate Inspections
First of all, you are 100% correct that you should remove the chainplates to inspect the bulkheads. Casey recommends in his book to do this on older boats anually, and I agree with him. I have an O'Day 25, and I regularly "visually" inspected the chainplates, and never saw any reason for concern. Unfortunately, water had gotten in the plywood, and rotted it out completely. The strong sturdy teak veneer on top covered the damage VERY well, until the day I tacked and the chainplate pulled up through the deck, and the mast came down. All is well now, new bulkheads in place, and the mast goes up this weekend, but it's been a job. I'm not positive, but I believe all of the O'Day 25's have a deck stepped mast that can be lowered. You should do that to inspect the chainplates and bulkheads. Keep in mind that that O'Day 25 has a single set of lowers, unlike some other boats that have two sets of lowers. On top of that, the uppers and lowers both go to the same chainplate on each side. So, if you remove the starboard chainplate, there is nothing to keep the mast from falling to the port side. You COULD temporarily tie a halyard, but I think you'd be better off lowering the mast. Use that as an opportunity to inspect your anchor and steaming lights, the spreaders and spreader boots, etc. The bulkhead should be inspected inside for rot, and also for elongation of the holds. If they're oval instead of round, that's because the bulkhead is giving way too much. You can also check the chainplates for the same kind of wear. The holes on my chanplates were oval, the undamaged bulkhead also had oval holes, compressed wood and rotted interior wood - all hidden by the teak and the chainplates in position. The chainplates should be rebedded with something like 3m 4200 sealant. Follow the instructions in Casey's book.
First of all, you are 100% correct that you should remove the chainplates to inspect the bulkheads. Casey recommends in his book to do this on older boats anually, and I agree with him. I have an O'Day 25, and I regularly "visually" inspected the chainplates, and never saw any reason for concern. Unfortunately, water had gotten in the plywood, and rotted it out completely. The strong sturdy teak veneer on top covered the damage VERY well, until the day I tacked and the chainplate pulled up through the deck, and the mast came down. All is well now, new bulkheads in place, and the mast goes up this weekend, but it's been a job. I'm not positive, but I believe all of the O'Day 25's have a deck stepped mast that can be lowered. You should do that to inspect the chainplates and bulkheads. Keep in mind that that O'Day 25 has a single set of lowers, unlike some other boats that have two sets of lowers. On top of that, the uppers and lowers both go to the same chainplate on each side. So, if you remove the starboard chainplate, there is nothing to keep the mast from falling to the port side. You COULD temporarily tie a halyard, but I think you'd be better off lowering the mast. Use that as an opportunity to inspect your anchor and steaming lights, the spreaders and spreader boots, etc. The bulkhead should be inspected inside for rot, and also for elongation of the holds. If they're oval instead of round, that's because the bulkhead is giving way too much. You can also check the chainplates for the same kind of wear. The holes on my chanplates were oval, the undamaged bulkhead also had oval holes, compressed wood and rotted interior wood - all hidden by the teak and the chainplates in position. The chainplates should be rebedded with something like 3m 4200 sealant. Follow the instructions in Casey's book.
J
jeff schramm
chainplates
I agree with Bob , definetly this job should be done on the hard . If you see water or current rot in the bulkheads below the chainplate then pull the boat and do the repair . I did mine on a 1985 this past spring, and all worked out just fine . I used a product called sikaflex 292 because of the bonding capbilities to s/s fiberglass and balsa. I look every time I go on the boat to check for water and have had no recurring problem. I do differ with bob in that I believe if you are handy at all you should be able to do this repair yourself . I researched the archives on this web site ane read every thing that our felow sailos had to say. Good Luck!
I agree with Bob , definetly this job should be done on the hard . If you see water or current rot in the bulkheads below the chainplate then pull the boat and do the repair . I did mine on a 1985 this past spring, and all worked out just fine . I used a product called sikaflex 292 because of the bonding capbilities to s/s fiberglass and balsa. I look every time I go on the boat to check for water and have had no recurring problem. I do differ with bob in that I believe if you are handy at all you should be able to do this repair yourself . I researched the archives on this web site ane read every thing that our felow sailos had to say. Good Luck!
On The Hard?
I'm confused as to why this should be done on the hard? I agree the mast should be lowered, but the O'Day 25 has a mast that is reasonably easy to step. I spoke with Rudy at D&R Marine before I began pulling wood out of mine in the water, and he confirmed that the hulls do not need the support of the bulkheads, that they will not flex with the bulkheads removed. I completely gutted my boat with it in the water. I used the old bulkheads as patterns for the replacements, and they fit fine. No apparent hull flexing.
I'm confused as to why this should be done on the hard? I agree the mast should be lowered, but the O'Day 25 has a mast that is reasonably easy to step. I spoke with Rudy at D&R Marine before I began pulling wood out of mine in the water, and he confirmed that the hulls do not need the support of the bulkheads, that they will not flex with the bulkheads removed. I completely gutted my boat with it in the water. I used the old bulkheads as patterns for the replacements, and they fit fine. No apparent hull flexing.
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