Chain Plates installed......

'

That's them done and dusted, forever.

Titanium chain plates have arrived....

The expensive ones are on the left.

I'm really happy with the service from Allied Titanium and if anyone is contemplating this route I have no reservations in recommending this gentleman who has provided outstanding service thorough the process; 

 Ken Schaefer

        Sales Representative

  16192 Coastal Hwy, #162507

        Lewes, DE 19958

      www.alliedtitanium.com

     ken.schaefer@alliedtitanium.com

       Office: (302)722-8200 Ext 103

       Cell 302-249-3295

       Skype: (302) 725-0982

          Fax: (302) 497-7111

Titanium Chainplates make no economic sense....

but then again neither does a sailboat.  Let me start by saying that I have ordered 8 titanium chain-plates for an average cost of +/- $200 each, when you take into account titanium bolts, nuts and washers.  My frugal cruiser friends will have a fit, but its not all my fault.  I served 23 years in a small underfunded Navy of a small (now poor again) country.  On the rare occasion when we got to buy new equipment we knew that it would be worked twice as hard and be expected to last twice as long as its original design.  We therefore OVER specked the requirement.  Now that I am personally picking up the tab this illness causes me many sleepless nights.

Titanium Chain-plates are a no-brainer for the following;

1.  Rich people.
2.  New boat build (especially where the chain-plates are buried.)
3.  People who have to pay a "professional" $70+ an hour to remove and install the chain-plates.  
4.  Neurotics like me.

They are not recommended for;

1.  Any boat with Baggywrinkles.
2.  Any production boat under 30 ft.
3.  Cruisers who price their time at 25Cents an hour and spend hours sorting old screws and dubious SS fittings into little boxes (Jim, you know who you are).


So far Allied Titanium had been a pleasure to deal with (except for giving over my CC details bit).

http://www.alliedtitanium.com/products/marine/vupdc_Detail.php?UPDCID=51746003

N.B.  Ignore the quoted price, I'm not that neurotic.
 

Titanium Chainplates - the future....

Just read my second magazine article about Titanium Plates and it all seems to make sense.

• High strength to weight ratio,
• Low Density – approximately half the weight of steel,nickel and copper alloys,
• Inherent Flexibility – an elastic modulus that is approximately 55% of steel,
• Extended Fatigue Life – more than twice that of steel,
• Exceptional Corrosion Resistance – resists chlorides, seawater, sour and oxidizing environments,
• Superior Erosion Resistance – erosion corrosion, cavitation and impingement in flowing turbulent fluids,
• Non‐magnetic.


First I pulled the existing chainplates.  Not a major job as I had already removed most of my hull panels and when I replaced them I left the chainplate bolts accessible and exposed.  Keep in mind also that I have no Mizzen.

The little guy on the right is an upper mast tang.

 

Before you take measurements off Teds original plans or use one of the plates as a template for the rest, ask yourself the  question;  "Do you feel lucky, Punk".  A lot of the holes line up, some don't.

It will be no fun refilling the existing holes in the fiberglass and re-drilling them.

I will probably order Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) Titanium with sand blasted finish.  Interestingly someone suggested that the polished finish is too shiny while the blasted finish is cheaper and holds the deck sealant better.

Allied Titanium

Titanium Chain Plates...

Check this out;

Practical Sailor

Its worth picking up a Dec 2011 issue, or even better suscribe.  I will post more later, but I think its a runner.  $200 (approx) per chainplate from Allied Titanium.  No corrosion issues.

Allied Titanium

Proper thru-deck chainplate installation...

As most sailboat decks are cored with balsa or some other material any area which is load bearing, or where items such as chain-plates pass through the deck, should have the core removed and the void filled with epoxy or similar. Whitby Boat Works seem to have done the job right . This is a photo of the area where the mizzen chain-plates passed through the deck. Absolutely no water in the core, because there is no core.



The bulkhead which the chain-plate was bolted to did not fare as well. Two chain-plates were secured between a grp panel and the plywood bulkhead of the heads. The plywood suffered considerable water damage where the bolts went through. As I will not be using this area as to support chain plates git-rot or similar will solve the problem. Anyone who is replacing the chain-plates on a Whitby should pay a little attention to this bulkhead.

Chain-plate rot....

I'm always secretly happy when my neurosis about chain-plates pays off.



This is the chain-plate for the Mizzen lower shroud and well past its sell by date.

Chain Plates progress

The chain plate project has been bugging me for some time. In this era of super chemicals, magic goop etc, there is no excuse for stuff leaking, especially chain plates.

First I has to check out the existing hole through the deck. WBW made a good job at sealing the core where the chain plate passed through the deck.... almost. When the deck was laid up they removed the balsa in the areas where the holes were going to be and filled it in with polyester (or similar) - that's the white bit on the photo below. Unfortunate the location was a bit off and just touched the balsa on the right of the photo, resulting on a tiny amount of balsa damage. No major problem to cut back the skin and refill with epoxy.



Next the plan. I have always believed that when you steal ideas you should steal from the best. Don Casey (boating guru, buy all his books especially his new one, This Old boat (new ed.)) recommends raising the area around the hole to prevent water seeping below. Another smart person "Gary at gizmology.com" came up with a nice way of epoxying the hole. Surprisingly he cut the tube flush with the deck. I just combined both ideas and produced the following.


Make tube by rolling glass tape around a wooden batten covered in wax paper. Cut tube to size. Stick in hole in deck and pour thickened epoxy around.




Re-attach shroud, tension in order to find final resting place of the chain plate, squirt in Sikaflex 291 and paint the area to protect the epoxy. QED.

Mysterious objects.....

These are that pads that are glued to the deck covering the chain plates. They appear to be made of butyl or similar and have held up pretty well in 30 years in the Florida sun. If anyone has ideas they would be greatly appreciated. I plan to bed the chain plates in Sikaflex 291 but I like the idea of raising the surrounding area.

Shiny Stuff....

New chain plates back from the polisher (bad photo, they really are shiny) .


Per chain plate;
316SS = $10,
Water jet cutting = $20,
Polishing = $30.

Knowing that the damn thing should not split in two for a few years = priceless.

Old chain plates



As stated before, intact chain plates are not an optional extra on a sailboat. Even if your mast does not collapse the rest of your trip will be amazingly stressful.

The problem with chain plates is generally one of access. The actual cost of the items themselves and installation is relatively modest, especially when factored over a 10year+ life. The plan on TIH is to leave the chain plates exposed so that no paneling etc. has to be moved in order to replace them.

I love external chainplates...

I won't be installing them on TIH, but I still like them. These are from a Downeaster 38.

Chainplates contd.......

This is a picture of the chainplates on a well know quality production sailboat. The appear to be heavy duty and well constructed, The photo was taken before the liner and deck is bolted on. The question will be, in twenty years from now, how is the new owner going to replace them. Is this why God invented sawzalls'.



Now this is one of the main back stay chainplate on the W42. Nice design, it took me about 20 mins. to remove both (what can I say, I work slowly).

The removed chainplates looked to be in good condition however its worth noting the head of the righthand bolt.

Chainplates....

Are important. They keep your mast(s) up. If they fail it can spoil your whole day.



These are the chainplates from my last boat, a Downeaster 38, after being removed by the new owners. I had mentioned that the chainplates might need replacing so they were pretty understanding (thanks Jack and Susan). Plates were approx 1/4inch by 2inch. I just didn't know how soon they needed replacing. I went so far as having all of them x-rayed in Trinidad about two year previously and they were given the all clear.

So, hopefully, I have now learned my lesson. If in ANY doubt change them out.

Fun with the power washer.....

Men would do a lot more work in the home if housework involved the use of a power washer....


The after cabin has been cleaned prior to painting. Now I just have to vacuum up the paint chips.


This is the Stbd. Aft. Mizzen chainplate. The chainplate access on the Whitby 42 is excellent.