Mistral Chainplates

Feb 28, 2013
3
I'm in the process of buying a Mistral. It has the chainplate backing plate malaise discussed at length in this forum. The present owner believes that the backing plates are actually set into pockets in the topsides from the outside and then covered with fairing compound. From what I can tell, looking at the boat, this appears to be true. Most of the posts here concern Cahllengers. Does anyone have experience with Mistral chainplates?
I am trying to figure out how complex the replacement surgery is going to be. It certainly seems like it wouldn't be too bad if we don't have to grind into the actual hull.

Steve
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Hi Steve. That doesn't make sense to me but I don't know how the Mistral chain plates are set up. If in fact they fit in a pocket from outside, that would mean the lay up of the hull, is cut just below the deck. I can't imagine Alden would design that.

Can you see similar hat frames from inside the hull? If you can get to an area, can you take a few photos and post them? I hope somebody chimes in here with real experience.

I assume you're seeing rust stains on the topsides?
 
Feb 28, 2013
3
There is no visible rust but the topside gelcoat is delaminating. I haven't had a chance to open anything up. Its not my boat yet. But it is obvious that the present owner has opened things up to take a look from inside. So far I have been dealing with a broker, but the owner wrote up a description of his understanding of the structure with a drawing. The drawing seems to indicate that the layup of the hull makes the pocket; it dose not appear to be cut. The present owner is a knowledgeable guy who has should have done his homework on this. In one of the previous posts on chainplate malaise there is a rumor of a boat where Burr Brothers went after the problem from the outside. This might be consistent with that.

Where the gelcoat has delaminated it looks like fairing compound, not glass. Also, banging on it, the vibrational response changes over the chainplate, which may be a consequence of the underlying structure or the change in density at the surface, I can't tell.

I'm trying to find out if there is any definitive evidence one way or the other for Mistral's

Thanks,

Steve