Hi, y'all,
I know that I probably should use 461 and 462 designation, but I wanted to leave the title such that future searches could find this...
I have no idea what other models had for chocks, but our series has solid aluminum with machined rope ovals (solid top), and the ends machined out to leave a "U" which went over the teak toe rail.
Likely, these were cast, rather than machined, but, no matter, the results were the same: Over time, the dissimilar metals of the SS bolts and the general salt-on-aluminum weakened the ends, and we were concerned for their integrity. In fact, before we even set sail, I'd had to remove one of my front chocks and send it off for welding on replacement aluminum for one of the "U"s; our wreck salvage tore up that and the other front one, so off they went, as well, for welding.
Most of you know that we're in the end stages of a massive refit; I've spared you most of the gory details :{)) However, the chocks may be of interest to other M46 owners, and any other models which may have used the same item.
We had investigated getting them cast from bronze, using our best remaining chock as the mold-maker. However, it would have been $900 for the 6 of them - a bit steep for our blood.
A friend said he could get them CNC'd from aluminum at much less, he figured. Well, it was, but it's still a lot - $480 for the 6. Along the way, he beefed up the "U" so that it's very much more substantial - and, of course, it's also new material; I'm sure that these will outlast our and the next several ownerships, as it's been 34 years since they were put on!
In replacing the one we removed for our casting (becoming the model for CNC dimensions), I also lowered the base and reduced the inner remainder of the wood. So, despite 30+ years of sanding, the tops are flush (the sides aren't, as I didn't alter the dimension of the chock, for strength, but the bottoms, as it was wider as I removed material, are).
Newer 46s have only a tab, rather than the entire U, minimizing the amount of carving and chiseling needed, should someone want to replace that style. I expect that the data for ours could be modified to make those with little if no difference in cost, as I have already stood all the developmental costs.
If you would like to do as I've done, drop me a line and I'll put you in contact with my guy. You can also see what I went through in our gallery, starting here:
http://justpickone.org/skip/gallery...album=Flying+Pig+Refit+2011/Chock+Replacement
The actual finished installation isn't in the gallery yet, as I write, but will be shortly, once I process the pictures...
L8R
Skip
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery !
Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog
and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog
When a man comes to like a sea life, he is not fit to live on land.
- Dr. Samuel Johnson
I know that I probably should use 461 and 462 designation, but I wanted to leave the title such that future searches could find this...
I have no idea what other models had for chocks, but our series has solid aluminum with machined rope ovals (solid top), and the ends machined out to leave a "U" which went over the teak toe rail.
Likely, these were cast, rather than machined, but, no matter, the results were the same: Over time, the dissimilar metals of the SS bolts and the general salt-on-aluminum weakened the ends, and we were concerned for their integrity. In fact, before we even set sail, I'd had to remove one of my front chocks and send it off for welding on replacement aluminum for one of the "U"s; our wreck salvage tore up that and the other front one, so off they went, as well, for welding.
Most of you know that we're in the end stages of a massive refit; I've spared you most of the gory details :{)) However, the chocks may be of interest to other M46 owners, and any other models which may have used the same item.
We had investigated getting them cast from bronze, using our best remaining chock as the mold-maker. However, it would have been $900 for the 6 of them - a bit steep for our blood.
A friend said he could get them CNC'd from aluminum at much less, he figured. Well, it was, but it's still a lot - $480 for the 6. Along the way, he beefed up the "U" so that it's very much more substantial - and, of course, it's also new material; I'm sure that these will outlast our and the next several ownerships, as it's been 34 years since they were put on!
In replacing the one we removed for our casting (becoming the model for CNC dimensions), I also lowered the base and reduced the inner remainder of the wood. So, despite 30+ years of sanding, the tops are flush (the sides aren't, as I didn't alter the dimension of the chock, for strength, but the bottoms, as it was wider as I removed material, are).
Newer 46s have only a tab, rather than the entire U, minimizing the amount of carving and chiseling needed, should someone want to replace that style. I expect that the data for ours could be modified to make those with little if no difference in cost, as I have already stood all the developmental costs.
If you would like to do as I've done, drop me a line and I'll put you in contact with my guy. You can also see what I went through in our gallery, starting here:
http://justpickone.org/skip/gallery...album=Flying+Pig+Refit+2011/Chock+Replacement
The actual finished installation isn't in the gallery yet, as I write, but will be shortly, once I process the pictures...
L8R
Skip
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery !
Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog
and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog
When a man comes to like a sea life, he is not fit to live on land.
- Dr. Samuel Johnson