O'Day 28 Forward Lower Chainplates

[Davidasailor26]

Hi Everyone,

My parents recently decided to move their 1985 O'Day 28 closer to where I live, so I'll be able to use it more. I grew up sailing on it and love the boat, but now that I'll be the primary user (and maintainer) of it, I'm thinking more about the condition of the forward lower chainplates. For quite a few years, there's been a bulge on the deck around where the shrouds attach, and some gelcoat cracking has appeared along the edges of the bulge. I've read through the forums that the forward lowers are attached to a backing plate (probably aluminum) laminated into the deck, and bulging there is not uncommon. My question is whether anyone has ever heard of the bulging worsening into an actual failure, or if it's robust enough to not worry about too much. Also, does anyone have an idea of how much of an undertaking it would be to sure it up, for someone who's handy but doesn't have any experience working fiberglass?

 

[Joe11688]

David,
Don't let this go any longer. The worse case scenario is the chainplate ripping through the deck and your mast bent in half while you're out sailing.

Back in the mid 1990s I was out sailing near Newport RI in a stiff breeze and I heard a loud snap. I looked and my mast was in the water bent in half. My Starboard lower stay broke and that's all it took. This all happened in a flick of the eye. It was just that fast. I had the boat insured and I was able to save everything and get it loaded back on the boat so that I could motor it the fifteen miles back to the dock.

Another time, I had brought my boat down to D&R Marine on the trailer to have some rigging replaced. Jeff who was in partnership with Rudy back then went in my cabin and noticed that an "L" bracket on the bulkhead that lends support the my Starboard chainplate was cracked in half. Also the area under the chainplate on that side was bulging and I didn't really notice it until he pointed it out to me.
I bought two O'Day 25 chainplates off Rudy and installed them on my boat myself. I even beefed up the bulkheads with Oak boards.
Anyway, my recommendation to you is to address this problem right now before it's too late.
Good Luck!
Joe

 

[Richard19068]

Hi Everyone,

My parents recently decided to move their 1985 O'Day 28 closer to where I live, so I'll be able to use it more. I grew up sailing on it and love the boat, but now that I'll be the primary user (and maintainer) of it, I'm thinking more about the condition of the forward lower chainplates. For quite a few years, there's been a bulge on the deck around where the shrouds attach, and some gelcoat cracking has appeared along the edges of the bulge. I've read through the forums that the forward lowers are attached to a backing plate (probably aluminum) laminated into the deck, and bulging there is not uncommon. My question is whether anyone has ever heard of the bulging worsening into an actual failure, or if it's robust enough to not worry about too much. Also, does anyone have an idea of how much of an undertaking it would be to sure it up, for someone who's handy but doesn't have any experience working fiberglass?

If it helps, attached is a page from the owners manual from my 1985 O'Day 31. It describes adjustment of the chainplate rods. It implies that the 28 is the same as the 31 but maybe not for the year you have. And maybe the forward shrouds are not the same system. Anyway, I hope it may be of some help.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Joe and Richard,

Thanks very much for the advice. I'll definitely be taking a close look at the options.
Richard: the rod system described in the manual is the same as on the 28, but the 28 only uses it for the chainplate holding the upper and aft lower. The forward lower is, from what I understand, just there to stabilize the mast and prevent it from pumping and so is only attached to the deck itself, not down to the pan. The rod system for the other chainplates is a much better design, but I'm sure I'll be relying on the instructions in the manual in the future as well.