This may be a really dumb question, but I am trying to keep my wife happy. She was wondering if it was at all possible to move the chainplates to the outside of the hull so she could walk by them better. If possible, what type of beefing up would have to be done? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Did it once
I don't know much about the design characteristics of a H 30 or the stress angles so take this for what it's worth - I do have experience with moving the chainplates outboard on another boat with no problems but we significantly beefed up the glass thickness and put huge backing plates on the hull to which we attached the lowers. This was necessary because of some significant core rot on the deck where the plates originally were located. I'd be leary of doing it with the uppers simply because of asthetic desires. The big "if" is if the hull can take the stress particularly when it wasn't designed for that load. I'm sure others are much more knowledgable than me but, from my perspective, you reason doesn't seem worth the chance. Don Illusion
I don't know much about the design characteristics of a H 30 or the stress angles so take this for what it's worth - I do have experience with moving the chainplates outboard on another boat with no problems but we significantly beefed up the glass thickness and put huge backing plates on the hull to which we attached the lowers. This was necessary because of some significant core rot on the deck where the plates originally were located. I'd be leary of doing it with the uppers simply because of asthetic desires. The big "if" is if the hull can take the stress particularly when it wasn't designed for that load. I'm sure others are much more knowledgable than me but, from my perspective, you reason doesn't seem worth the chance. Don Illusion
I wouldn't...
Good reasons not to do it: 1)Any modifications undertaken without the advice of a naval architect are dangerous to you and your boat. 2)Such modifications will devalue your boat and make it difficult to sell.
Good reasons not to do it: 1)Any modifications undertaken without the advice of a naval architect are dangerous to you and your boat. 2)Such modifications will devalue your boat and make it difficult to sell.
Thank you!
I would like to thank you both for your help. At least we can put that problem behind us now and learn to deal with them. Thank you again.
I would like to thank you both for your help. At least we can put that problem behind us now and learn to deal with them. Thank you again.
Other good reasons not to move chainplates
Outboard chainplates have been the bane of performance sailors for years. They preclude sheeting the genoa in close enough and on boats that have them the owners invariably complain that 'it won't point high enough'. During the early '70s designers experimented with drastically-inboard chainplates, like on the sides of the cabin and so forth. It was kind of a necessity under the dreadful IOR rule that tended to encourage boats with too much beam, but in the late-70s ultra-light-displacement phase (which brought you the Hunter 54) people were still trying to get them mounted inboard because of the performance benefits. The best compromise for sailing performance and rigging integrity unfortunately tends to place them in the middle of the side deck. The biggest example of poor chainplate location that most of us face is when U-bolts or some other standing-rigging fittings are mounted through the toerail. This is done primarily for two important reasons: cost, because it is easily and cheaply done; and strength, because that long aluminium toerail is a significantly reliable structural element. This is a BIG problem because typically the lifeline stanchions are mounted in the same way-- and in the same plane along the gunwale of the boat. So how and where do you sheet the genoa? I have been debating about moving my H25's chainplates inboard because of this; but most people solve it with a set of higher-clewed jibs. That is probably the best compromise-- you lose the performance benefits of a deck-sweeping headsail but that is a far better scenario than not being able to sheet what jib you do have close enough. If the jib has to go outboard of the lifelines (as it definitely would if the chainplates were even 2" farther outboard) you'd be totally screwed on the wind. I have sailed boats with chainplates mounted on the hull-- it can be made strong and leakproof, but it'll never perform as well as a boat with them mounted farther inboard. The problem does go away as the boat gets longer; small boats carry more beam in proportion to their length. (Think of the width of the spreaders, which govern the width of the chainplate base.) I am inclined to prefer strong, cheap forged-stainless U-bolts properly mounted through a piece of SS angle iron under the flange (as we do at Cherubini) as the very best system for all conditions. On anything without excessive beam this will work adequately. Please don't argue with design parameters on terms of convenience! --it's a losing proposition. Boats that have been owner-modified in disregard of basic design concepts rarely perform better, make few admirers, and never do well at resale time. Your cheapest and sanest solution is to educate your first mate on why things are how they are, and to show her how lucky you are to have a well-designed boat (even if I did specify bulkhead-mounting for those H30 chainplates for my dad when I was 16!
) J Cherubini II email: cherubiniyachts@aol.com * * *
Outboard chainplates have been the bane of performance sailors for years. They preclude sheeting the genoa in close enough and on boats that have them the owners invariably complain that 'it won't point high enough'. During the early '70s designers experimented with drastically-inboard chainplates, like on the sides of the cabin and so forth. It was kind of a necessity under the dreadful IOR rule that tended to encourage boats with too much beam, but in the late-70s ultra-light-displacement phase (which brought you the Hunter 54) people were still trying to get them mounted inboard because of the performance benefits. The best compromise for sailing performance and rigging integrity unfortunately tends to place them in the middle of the side deck. The biggest example of poor chainplate location that most of us face is when U-bolts or some other standing-rigging fittings are mounted through the toerail. This is done primarily for two important reasons: cost, because it is easily and cheaply done; and strength, because that long aluminium toerail is a significantly reliable structural element. This is a BIG problem because typically the lifeline stanchions are mounted in the same way-- and in the same plane along the gunwale of the boat. So how and where do you sheet the genoa? I have been debating about moving my H25's chainplates inboard because of this; but most people solve it with a set of higher-clewed jibs. That is probably the best compromise-- you lose the performance benefits of a deck-sweeping headsail but that is a far better scenario than not being able to sheet what jib you do have close enough. If the jib has to go outboard of the lifelines (as it definitely would if the chainplates were even 2" farther outboard) you'd be totally screwed on the wind. I have sailed boats with chainplates mounted on the hull-- it can be made strong and leakproof, but it'll never perform as well as a boat with them mounted farther inboard. The problem does go away as the boat gets longer; small boats carry more beam in proportion to their length. (Think of the width of the spreaders, which govern the width of the chainplate base.) I am inclined to prefer strong, cheap forged-stainless U-bolts properly mounted through a piece of SS angle iron under the flange (as we do at Cherubini) as the very best system for all conditions. On anything without excessive beam this will work adequately. Please don't argue with design parameters on terms of convenience! --it's a losing proposition. Boats that have been owner-modified in disregard of basic design concepts rarely perform better, make few admirers, and never do well at resale time. Your cheapest and sanest solution is to educate your first mate on why things are how they are, and to show her how lucky you are to have a well-designed boat (even if I did specify bulkhead-mounting for those H30 chainplates for my dad when I was 16!
) J Cherubini II email: cherubiniyachts@aol.com * * *- Status