Dinghy Launched

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.
 

New addition to the fleet....

The problem with being in the boat "business" in Florida is that there is always a boat "deal" on offer.  I am now the proud owner of a Thunderbird dinghy.  As it will sit in the water for some time I have decided to anti-foul the bottom.  At 10ft it is definitely not a boat tender, just a river runabout.