Leaking Chain Plates

[Tucson Sailor]

After recent rains we had dirty brown water leaking off the starboard middle and forward chain plate bolts on our 1996 Catalina 30 MKIII. After removing the fittings I cleaned and prepped the holes for rebedding with 4200.

I also drilled a small hole aft under the side deck between the middle and aft chain plates to check for leaks. Sure enough, a small amount of water drained out which suggests the deck core is wet in the chain plate area.

The leaks are new, the deck is still hard and seems solid. I plan to get a moisture meter but I expect a positive reading. I'm sure the 4200 will seal the chain plate leaks from above. Once rebedded, shall I drill more weep holes to explore and let the deck empty and dry? Will it? Or am i looking at a major project? Although 28 years old, she's a terrific boat and we've kept her in very good condition.
Thanks,
Tim

 

[dmax]

Once you get a moisture reading you'll know what your up against - where it shows greater than 20% moisture is likely to be mush, less than that should be Ok. It's possible that you will be able to remove any damaged core through the chainplate opening using various tools - you can usually dig out 3 - 4" from the edge of the opening. If the damage is more extensive, you can replace the core from the underside (possibly) to avoid messing up your deck - there are some threads here on how to do that, The fact that the deck appears solid is a good sign. If the moisture level is < 20%, you can drilll as many holes as your comfortable with (not too many ) and let it dry out over the years. Alternaitvely, if you apply a vacuum, you can remove the moisture much quicker. - I have done this and brought the mositure level below 10% (which is dry) from about 18%.

 

[Calif. Ted]

I once heard Gerry Douglas tell a bunch of owners at a rendezvous that "You should just plan to rebed chainplates every couple of years". I use butyl tape and find it lasts 8-10 years. I only seal the top plate so leaks are evident at the edges of inside plates, and the nuts. For your existing "weep" hole, I find a length of mason's twine inserted in the hole and lead to a plastic glass makes a dandy wick that seems to encourage drainage and gives you a visual on how much has drained overnight.