rebuilding Kenyon spar

Well the mast was unstepped last friday, no problems at all, all the fastners were removed as well as the rivets, lots of work, Selden supplied the rivets 4.8 X12.7 mm, 3/16 inch, which takes care of the spinnaker track, the exit plates, sheave boxes and assorted small fittings. The larger tee ball boxes require 6.35 X 17 mm, 1/4 inch rivets, all can be purchased through Selden USA, VERY NICE COMPANY, I am replacing all the threaded fastners with american made 316SS button head type bolts, all flat heads will be internal socket.
rivet prices: 0.50 cents each for 4.8 mm
: 0.75 cents each for 6.35mm
may be 125.00 dollars to replace all the threaded fastners on the deck,
I have a new Harken batt car syatem, a new Hall Quick Vang, very nice Company, Nan Hall is a very pleasant person to talk to, when I ordered the vang through JSI I bought the B -18 series model, which is right on the cusp of the required boat length choice, I called to ask their opinion, the suggested replacing the SS spring with the next larger size vang, 19.00 dollars. I also went with the NCI42 Profurl, good looking equipment, hope it all goes together to make her sing.
Anyone use reef blocks? looking at Antal. Anyone need s help give me an e-mail, I will have all the sizes used soon.

chain plates

I have inspected the through deck connections to the chainplates, what a job ! I removed them because they have been in service for 17 years, when I unzipped the head liner, white powder fell from that area. I had to remove them to inspect, they are machined aluminium blocks, very stout , the stainless rod has a tulip style head that rides in a convex socket, the flat surface that was mounted against the roof had surface oxidation, also where the stainless U-bolts came through the deck and fastned to the block.Although there was very little damage to the two blocks, the inspection was important, first to inspect the condition of the stainless hardware, and the seal , also when you see rust stains , there is a problem! After removing the old caulk, I re-bedded using 3M101, re- passivated the stainless and applied a anti ox compound to the blocks, and stainless hardware.
Note: You will not find this kind of set up on new production boats, it is costly, but the chainplates, and there connections are very strong on an Ericson 38, so is the grid system, I think that is why Pacific Seacraft has stopped production, the tri-axial grid was too cost/labor intensive, more time in building an Ericson 38 than their 40 . The mast is almost done, the weather here has been bad{ cold} I hope the mast will be painted this week, all the stainless hardware has been electro polished, the track hard coated{anodized}. jeniii

Because my mast is being refurbished this year too, I was thinking about trying to inspect the chainplates but hesitate to get into a big project. On my 32-3 all six shroud attachments are U-bolts attached through the deck to SS rods which are threaded into large aluminum cylinders embedded in the TFG (no attachment to the wood bulkheads as in some other models). My question is whether lifting the U-bolts from the deck to rebed them is simply a matter of unscrewing the the rods or if there is more to it?

I do not know about your model boat, I would though remove them and inspect / re-bed them, if you see any rust stains at the base of the U-bolts, go for it you will have piece of mind and you will know if water has started to penetrate the Balsa core.
Hope this will help you. JENIII

Can you tell ne how the U-bolt is connected to the tie rod (screw or some sort of ball joint?) BTW, there are no rust stains on mine, so I am tempted to leave them alone. The one criticism I have of this design is that the base plate of the U-bolts is depressed slightly below deck level, rather than being raised so that water runs off.

Chain plate connection

If you have the original build list for your model boat, those parts should be named{ supplier} I would check with the manufacture, but I think that there is a mechanical type of fastner used, it well may be threaded ends into a block with a convex recess so the rod end can be angled to match the connection.
I do not know how old your boat is but if its around the same age as mine then the sealing compound is at the end of its life! you can check with 3M about this. jeniii

I don't know if this is the right thread to post this question, but do you know if a conduit was standard on Kenyon masts for the "86 38-200" I didn't note any rivets but if located behind the track it may not be visible. I do not note any wire movement or noise making me suspect that a conduit is present.
Thanks
mvilaret

Kenyon Spar

If it is a Kenyon spar, ther is a conduit built into the spar, the trach covers 80% of it then ther is the lower section that goes all the way to the step, there are two exits located on just below the mast ring cabin top and a stainless kenyon exit plate just above the mast step, all track is removable. a very well made spar!
Hope this helps. jeniii