I have heard that O'DAY 272's chainplates are a weak spot/design flaw, if not reinforced with longer back boards to distribute load better. Is this true - or more of a hypthetical situation. The chainplates in question attach to the bulkhead (teak separating main salon from head and V-Berth area). The piece of wood backing the bolts is not very long, and because of this the load is not well distrubited, making the boat vulnerable to demasting. Has anyone heard this? How many have gone in and reinforced the chainplates with a longer bolt backing? Is this something we should consider reinforcing, or is it really rare that the boat will be stressed so much that the chain plates will not hold up? I'm new to O'Days, but very concerned about this comment I heard. Would love to hear from O'DAY 272 owners.
ODay 272 Chain Plates - Achilles Heal?
- Thread starter cookiemonster
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It's true...
...the chainplates will buckle the bulkhead if the rig is over tensioned or there is water damage to the bulkhead around the chainplate. Enlarging the backing plates is the way to go. I did this on my 272LE and all was well. The alternate fix of a link from the chainplate to the pan just behind the settees is not a good idea. All you are doing is transferring the load from an area susceptible to stress to an area that was never designed for this type of load. That was the definitive word from Hunt Associates, the designers. I no longer own the boat, but I might be able to take pictures of the enlarged backing plates and post them at a later date. Cheers, Bob
...the chainplates will buckle the bulkhead if the rig is over tensioned or there is water damage to the bulkhead around the chainplate. Enlarging the backing plates is the way to go. I did this on my 272LE and all was well. The alternate fix of a link from the chainplate to the pan just behind the settees is not a good idea. All you are doing is transferring the load from an area susceptible to stress to an area that was never designed for this type of load. That was the definitive word from Hunt Associates, the designers. I no longer own the boat, but I might be able to take pictures of the enlarged backing plates and post them at a later date. Cheers, Bob
Size of reinforced chainplate backing? ODay272
Thanks for the confirmation - though I'd prefer to here it wasn't TRUE! We are thinking of fixing this ourselves.... did you have it "done" or did you do the refit yourselves? We figure if we do this one side at a time, we can undo one shroud, and support the mast by the halyard attached to one of port or starbord midship stantion bases - we might be able to get away with changing the plate out ourselves.... the question is now - the ideal dimension of reinforced chainplate backing to switch to - and what material?
Thanks for the confirmation - though I'd prefer to here it wasn't TRUE! We are thinking of fixing this ourselves.... did you have it "done" or did you do the refit yourselves? We figure if we do this one side at a time, we can undo one shroud, and support the mast by the halyard attached to one of port or starbord midship stantion bases - we might be able to get away with changing the plate out ourselves.... the question is now - the ideal dimension of reinforced chainplate backing to switch to - and what material?
"Seven" had a little softness in the bulkhead ...
on the starboard side ... what we did is add a piece of marine grade plywood behind the bulkhead and above the john, and glued it to the bulkhead. The plywood was edge flush to the deck and ran down about 18 in. or so to run behind the chainplate. We changed to slightly longer bolts ... this is now 5 years ago. During Hurricane Charlie last summer ... some neighbors in a condo video taped Seven in the Gordon River riding out dead on the nose short 4-5 ft. waves and 70 mph wind at the dock ... Seven was hobby horsing something fierce. It was a hard enough ride to bend the windex, but there was no visible damage inside. You have to remember that the 272 mast is not really very high ... so maybe it just doesn't need heavy duty structural design. But of course if you have the chainplate pull completely out of the bulkhead ... about all it really is going to do is loosen up a foot or so till the "block of wood" catches on the inside of the deck. Or blasts through the deck. If you have never seen how the chainplates are connected to the bulkhead on a 272, this is a "marvel" of engineering. I had no faith until I saw the video. Now I probably have too much faith, but still check the bulkhead out a couple of times a season. Vic "Seven"
on the starboard side ... what we did is add a piece of marine grade plywood behind the bulkhead and above the john, and glued it to the bulkhead. The plywood was edge flush to the deck and ran down about 18 in. or so to run behind the chainplate. We changed to slightly longer bolts ... this is now 5 years ago. During Hurricane Charlie last summer ... some neighbors in a condo video taped Seven in the Gordon River riding out dead on the nose short 4-5 ft. waves and 70 mph wind at the dock ... Seven was hobby horsing something fierce. It was a hard enough ride to bend the windex, but there was no visible damage inside. You have to remember that the 272 mast is not really very high ... so maybe it just doesn't need heavy duty structural design. But of course if you have the chainplate pull completely out of the bulkhead ... about all it really is going to do is loosen up a foot or so till the "block of wood" catches on the inside of the deck. Or blasts through the deck. If you have never seen how the chainplates are connected to the bulkhead on a 272, this is a "marvel" of engineering. I had no faith until I saw the video. Now I probably have too much faith, but still check the bulkhead out a couple of times a season. Vic "Seven"
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