I have a '77 O'Day 322 that looks like there's rust coming from the starboard and port chainplates. How/what do I open up to inspect them?
Thanks, J. Geils
Thanks, J. Geils
O'Day 322 chainplates
- Thread starter Free Spirit!
- Start date
Definitely, looks like water intrusion to me. Not an O'Day 322 owner, but I suggest that you take a multi-tool to remove a bit of the fiberglass to inspect the U-Bolts. Better to have a patched interior and to be sure of what the issue is. I suspect that the dark brown in the pics is a bit of balsa core deterioration due to water intrusion. The only way to be sure is to do a visual inspection of the chainplate system.
Can you share some pics of where the U-Bolts penetrate the deck?
Can you share some pics of where the U-Bolts penetrate the deck?
Sorry to say, but you don’t have an O’Day 322…they didn’t make them until 1986 or 1987.
On the 322, the chain plates are rods that are visible…
I don’t know how to remove the wood cover on your chain plates. I see some plugs on the end, so if nothing else, you could drill them out and remove the screws holding the front piece of wood and see if that gets you access (but I think you will need to remove them completely to get full access.
Greg
On the 322, the chain plates are rods that are visible…
I don’t know how to remove the wood cover on your chain plates. I see some plugs on the end, so if nothing else, you could drill them out and remove the screws holding the front piece of wood and see if that gets you access (but I think you will need to remove them completely to get full access.
Greg
Good catch Greg. Perhaps an O-Day 32? The interior pics of it shows a similar bulkhead arrangement.
Thanks, all!! Yes, not a 322 but a 32' with center cockpit (I assumed that 322 meant 32' center cockpit with 2 cabins). There is definitely water coming from the foredeck whose core is soaked. I thought that the brown was from that but the surveyor put potential rust in the report, so like you say I better check it out. I will include exterior pics next week (hosting family for Easter), and again, thanks for the support.
Don't see any depressions or evidence of leaking at the chainplate area, however there appears to be a good bit of wetness where the screwheads are exposed on the toe rails. Not being familiar with the hull to deck joint on a 32, can't really say that could be the source of the leak.
Nonetheless, as suggested, it's best to expose the chainplates from below to asses the condition of them and how they're fastened to the bulkhead. The issue with thru the deck SS chainplates is that they need to be periodically inspected for crevice corrosion. Stainless is subject to corrosion when wet and not exposed to the air, which is a good possibility when the core of the deck is wet for extended periods.
Also, ya may want to inspect your rigging, looks like a crack on this turnbuckle.
Nonetheless, as suggested, it's best to expose the chainplates from below to asses the condition of them and how they're fastened to the bulkhead. The issue with thru the deck SS chainplates is that they need to be periodically inspected for crevice corrosion. Stainless is subject to corrosion when wet and not exposed to the air, which is a good possibility when the core of the deck is wet for extended periods.
Also, ya may want to inspect your rigging, looks like a crack on this turnbuckle.
If it were me, there are a few things I would do…
1) remove the deck plates on each chain plate (those little screws hold the plate down on the deck) and seal up the cracks around the chain plates and the deck with butyl tape or sealant. Butyl tape is pretty tenacious and stays pliable for a long time. Might be harder to,get in the cracks though.
2) I would remove the wooden covers on the lower part of the chain plates and see what sort of damage you have…l don’t know how your chain plates attach to the hull. Some are bolted to a bulkhead (yours don’t appear to be). Mine are rods that extend down to the hull behind the settee back. You really need to know if the leak caused any damage to the strength of the chainplate attachment.
3) Think about removing and inspecting the chain plates…this could be a can of works but if you are in salt water, the plates could have started corroding. They are around 50 years old…so they may need replacement.
1) remove the deck plates on each chain plate (those little screws hold the plate down on the deck) and seal up the cracks around the chain plates and the deck with butyl tape or sealant. Butyl tape is pretty tenacious and stays pliable for a long time. Might be harder to,get in the cracks though.
2) I would remove the wooden covers on the lower part of the chain plates and see what sort of damage you have…l don’t know how your chain plates attach to the hull. Some are bolted to a bulkhead (yours don’t appear to be). Mine are rods that extend down to the hull behind the settee back. You really need to know if the leak caused any damage to the strength of the chainplate attachment.
3) Think about removing and inspecting the chain plates…this could be a can of works but if you are in salt water, the plates could have started corroding. They are around 50 years old…so they may need replacement.
Also, ya may want to inspect your rigging, looks like a crack on this turnbuckle.
- That’s not good news.Also, there seems to be something funny going on with both turnbuckles on that side. The inner one is almost bottomed out, suggesting something’s stretched or the deck has lifted a bit. But the upper has an extra toggle added between the normal turnbuckle adapter and the chainplate to lengthen everything. A talk with a rigger may be in order to take a look and make some replacements. If the rigging is original to a 48 year old boat, and it looks like it might be, it’s definitely due for replacing.
Thanks, all!
I have found a rigger, I think. Fingers crossed that they can figure out how to open up and inspect and do the work.
I have found a rigger, I think. Fingers crossed that they can figure out how to open up and inspect and do the work.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,825
Welcome to the forum. Thank you for sharing the images. Is this a new boat for you? You mentioned casual day sailing on the sound.
The boats rigging would cause a pause to me. The cracked swage fitting and the rust on the wires where they enter the other fitting is evidence that the rigging is past due for an inspection and more than likely replacement. On the swage fitting, in that configuration, water finds its way into the fitting. It sits there and quietly rusts its was into the stainless steel wire.
Unnoticed until wire breaks. That is the reason for at least annual inspection and replacement every 12-15 years.
The inspection may indicate that the outer stays are newer than the inner rigging. It suggests the possible a former owner did a partial replacement. The different tensioning on the inner turnbuckles is another issue that needs an explanation.
Good luck. And share the results of the rig inspection.
The boats rigging would cause a pause to me. The cracked swage fitting and the rust on the wires where they enter the other fitting is evidence that the rigging is past due for an inspection and more than likely replacement. On the swage fitting, in that configuration, water finds its way into the fitting. It sits there and quietly rusts its was into the stainless steel wire.
Unnoticed until wire breaks. That is the reason for at least annual inspection and replacement every 12-15 years.
The inspection may indicate that the outer stays are newer than the inner rigging. It suggests the possible a former owner did a partial replacement. The different tensioning on the inner turnbuckles is another issue that needs an explanation.
Good luck. And share the results of the rig inspection.
Yes, looks a lot like my 1979 O'Day 30 and a friends' 1978 O'Day 30.
I did chain plates, under that box as you mentioned.
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I like this, I notice you're sticking with the chain plate, which (in my opinion) is waiting for a failure, a catastrophic failure if it fails.
ADDING TO YOUR NOTE
I did my chain plates, the fiberglass cover/coating existed and likely held he safe, but the wood plock was barey existing. Wood was the lovely coffee smelling rotted goop.
1. I cut our the fiberglass, fabricated a wood "chain plate block" and covered in epoxy. Fixed that block in place, and layered the fiberglass to about as thick as the original.
2. RELATED: The same water leak(s) that caused the chain plate block to fail, caused softness on my deck about 2 square feet. I also had to cut that liner, the area that looks cracked in the original post'er photo, in order to clean adn scrape out the rotted deck core and fix that from the bottom.
3. RELATED: The old wall material which is like burlap, was smelling poorly from this water ingress and probably decades of other water. I also pulled that off, roughed off that foam backing (metal brush) and cleaned the wall for fiberglassing in #1 above. That was a project I wanted to get done anyway, so this was the time.
Each of the 3 items was a full day of work - fyi
I'll look for photos.
