Our Cherubini Chainplates Are 40+ Years Old -- Any Failures?

[rardiH36]

Its been quite a few years ago that I last posted/participated on the Cherubini forum. Back now!

The attached photos show the outside/inside chainplate arrangement of my 1980 Cherubini Hunter 36. Based upon what I can actually see, the SS metal still shows no signs of concerning problems. But I have read that in the area underneath between the caulk bedding on the deck surface and the interior, out of sight within the deck core, crevice corrosion may be lurking. Not only Cherubini Hunters. Pertains to all boats of this vintage.

Before I pull a couple of chainplates to really take a look: Has anybody done so? If so, what did you find?

And: Any chainplate failures to report?

cheers,
rardiH36

 

[heritage]

I have not read of any problems with the Cherubini chainplates, but it appears that you are concerned and will sleep better after a thorough inspection of them. I did have to replace chainplates on a 1976 Westerly that had crevice corrosion that was impossible to see until they were removed.

 

[Dalliance]

I hesitate to answer this as there are so many differences between the different Cherubini Hunter models. This is probably of limited relevance.
I pulled and rebedded mine a few years ago because one started leaking into the salon. No problems to report, but the rig below deck in my ‘82 H30 is very different. I took the opportunity, while I had them out, to seal the exposed deck core with epoxy. There was enough airspace between the deck cutouts and chainplates that crevice corrosion could not be an issue.
Mine were originally bedded with butyl and I ultimately rebedded them with butyl after a failed two year trial with 4200 (Yep, I did the job twice in two years.), but there appears to be another difference there. My chainplates are welded integral to the deck trim plate, so I don’t have that bead of sealant at the chainplate to deck trim joint. The four bolts at my deck trim plates are threaded into aluminum plate laminated into the deck, which also may be different than your H36.

 

[rardiH36]

Dalliance and heritage. Thanks your quick replies. I will remove a couple of the chainplates to inspect. Certainly will use a magnifying glass. If they look at all suspicious, then I will have new ones fabricated -- all six. But if they look clean, I will simply assume the other four are also likely ok.

Dalliance, I wish my trim plates were welded to the chainplate -- as so many boats have. As you did, I also tried several types of sealant/caulk over the years. All would fail in a year or so. Eventually settled on roofer's gutter caulk after noticing the stuff on my home's gutters was still doing its job a decade later. And was a lot cheaper than marine specific stuff. On my boat, for added security, after applying the sealant, then after it dried, but before the next sailing outing, I wrap tightly with UV resistant electrical tape. This step helps prevent the sealant from separating from the chainplate as shrouds flex while sailing.

 

[Jim Legere]

Hi rardi,
I no longer have my Cherubini 37 Cutter but I pulled and inspected all the chainplates at one point and found no issues. I should add that my boat had been pulled upright by the mast (after being washed up on the beach in a hurricane) as well as kedged- off a couple of times during her 36 year lifespan. All this with the original chainplates and shrouds! But, as always, your mileage may vary...
Cheers,
Jim

 

[RoyS]

I removed and re-bedded all of my chainplates last year with Life Caulk. The 42 year old stainless flat bar chainplates all looked fine. On my H33 nearly all of the No.8 (I think) screws that hold the cover plates down needed attention. The deck holes for those screws were stripped and needed to be drilled out larger and filled with epoxy before redrilling for the screws. If you find any stripped screw holes you must repair them or leaks will surely develop. For what it is worth, my stays are also original.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Eventually settled on roofer's gutter caulk

Does it smell at all on a hot day if you get close to it?

 

[Roland5048]

A few years ago had a chainplate on my '77 h30 snap while under load. That's when it is going to happen. Shook the boat so hard I thought I had hit a submerged object. Was lucky to come about before the whole rig came down. Nothing on the outside of the plate showed any sign of corrosion. However, the interior was completely corroded. Replaced all six plates. Couple of years later, on a downwind run, the stem head ( bow chainplate ) snapped. Same issue. If in doubt, spend a few boat bucks and replace. Any machine shop can fabricate them for you.

 

[rardiH36]

Roland,
I appreciate the recount of your chainplate failure. But more so, about the stem head incident. I posted on the forum many years ago about my experience with a sudden stress fracture failure of the double-jaw toggle at the lower end of my head stay which suddenly caused my no longer attached jib to be flapping almost horizontally in the strong wind. As with you, I averted a mast collapse by quickly turning the boat in a heading to relieve the stress. In my case, downwind. Yelled at my wife to seek safety below. Set the auto-pilot to maintain the downwind heading. Then I lashed the spare halyard to the bow's Sampson's post which enabled me to return to berth. The incident occurred only a few months after I had an in-depth inspection of my standing rigging by a well known local rigging company. Plus new standing rigging was installed by the PO only a few years before that. So all should have been OK? I think PO's rigger re-used the Hunter OEM failed part. Even though 25 years old and it was really undersized for a 36' boat on San Francisco Bay at that. It's the cracks/corrosion that you can't see that gets you!

 

[ggrizzard]

I've replaced my rigging twice in 43 yrs.
All of the chain plates were inspected by me and two other riggers.
All were fine. But since I need to take the mast down for some upgrades,
I will check them again as part of a pre-cruise inspection this year.

For bedding the stanchions and chain plates with butyl tape.
I don't leave home without it!

 

[mermike]

I pulled mine and inspected them a few years ago. There was evidence of crevice corrosion. i replaced them.

Y33 chainplates?

I'm pulling the chainplates on my Y33 tall rig for inspection in a few weeks. Has anyone replaced theirs? Does anyone have dimensions or templates? Thanks, Mike

forums.sailboatowners.com

 

[chichiflys]

Good to hear from you again Rardi! I'll be following this closely as I'm in the same boat (pun intended). I've had the same concerns/thoughts. I'm curious to see what it looks like from inside the boat, looking up at where the chain plate is attached to the underside of the deck? Mine looks a bit sketchy and likely need to take a part and re-bed it at a minimum.

 

[chichiflys]

Had an insurance survey today (Condition and Valuation) - Surveyor will recommend I remove the chainplates to inspect. I'll update what I find on our 42 y.o. Florida, then Maryland, then Florida, and now again, Maryland boat....

 

[RoyS]

My 1980 h33 had one of the U bolts on the split back stay fail. Hunter U bolt was an inferior design with the deck shear point on the threads. Replaced both with properly designed U bolts from Wichard.

 

[heritage]

That's good to know. Thanks for sharing,

 

[chichiflys]

Yikes - yeah the backstay U-bolts are also on my list. Thanks for the tip. Seems like a much easier job than then chain plate. I removed both the aft lowers, used some spare halyards to support the mast in their absence...also loosened the other stays. Both had some small pitting, not sure it's crazy bad, but will likely source some replacements. The area on the port side where the plate goes through the deck is next to a water tank fill port. And all the wood underneath is toast. I had a 6' section of that area re-cored years ago but the yard didnt do that small area, I guess they didn't want to mess with the chain plates. So I need to remove that deck sheet and replace the core. Will be my first attempt at such a fix, luckily it's a small area I need to replace....here are some of the shots of the pitting. Scary? Dunno.

 

[chichiflys]

Does anyone know if the chain plates on a H36 are all the same length? I pulled the port and starboard aft lower plates and are having new ones built. However, to avoid unmasting the boat for the other 4, I was hoping to simply have the shop make 4 more, since I think they are all the same length. The after lowers were identical (37” overall, 35.5” pin-hole center-to-pin-hole center). My rough measurements from inside the boat on a few of the others seem to verify this thought….Cant imagine Hunter made each one a custom length….any inputs?

 

[mermike]

here are some of the shots of the pitting. Scary? Dunno.

Waaay scary. Get rid of them. All of them. Do it now.

 

[ggrizzard]

I don't know your specific model boat, but if you can see the chain plate, both from the inside and on deck, seems to me you could measure the length (+/-) a 1/4 inch.
Then, if they are a little longer than the originals, so what.
Are they covered up inside the cabin?

 

[chichiflys]

I don't know your specific model boat, but if you can see the chain plate, both from the inside and on deck, seems to me you could measure the length (+/-) a 1/4 inch.
Then, if they are a little longer than the originals, so what.
Are they covered up inside the cabin?

Agreed. I did that for a few of them, rough measurements mind you but it seems the are the same length. The shop that is making two of them really wants to have the original parts in hand, but I agree, it's not extremely critical they are precisely the same length, that's what turnbuckles are for.....to some degree.