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Boat damage

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
I just tuned into this post. The original chain plates lasted 40 years. There is no reason replacing with like ones won't last just as long. Over engineering with a $6300 boat doesn't make sense.

The issue with this generation of E-boats is that the chainplates were custom-built structures laminated into the hull. Replacing with "like" ones requires custom work and demolishing and rebuilding that section of the hull. Although I think the site has at least one story of an owner who did just that, replacing them with conventional chainplates is generally regarded as a far cheaper, simpler, and (because they can be inspected) safer approach.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
The issue with this generation of E-boats is that the chainplates were custom-built structures laminated into the hull. Replacing with "like" ones requires custom work and demolishing and rebuilding that section of the hull. Although I think the site has at least one story of an owner who did just that, replacing them with conventional chainplates is generally regarded as a far cheaper, simpler, and (because they can be inspected) safer approach.

Note that the internal frp molding will never need to be replaced unless the hull suffered catastrophic damage to the side. The aluminum bar can, I believe, be removed when the ss rod is fully unscrewed. I might have guessed wrong, but that is what it looks like. They did put some glass mat over the inside end (backside) of each bar, but I believe that I could cut that off with a small die grinder.

I have read of owners (of other makes of boat besides Ericson, I should note) adding external new ss chain plates (shrouds) when they no longer trusted the glassed in tangs on the inside of the hull. For instance, "going external" was the method chosen by an owner of an E-35-2, reported somewhere on this site.
By the 80's, EY went with external back stay plates on most of their boats, including ours.

(if I ever find a crack in ours, I would get a quote on a TI replacement. As for cost, I would first get firm quotes in hand based on my drawing.
If going with SS again, I know of a local machinist that could help me spec out a new one, or maybe fab. it up himself.
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
It's interesting that we have two different chainplate threads active this week. 'Tis the season? There may be some confusion. The type for these older boats has no aluminum bar or rod - just a trident-shaped arrangement of bars glassed into the hull. There is no way to tell whether they're OK or not, short of cutting it out, or experiencing a failure. Wish I could find the thread showing one completely extracted - it's very informative and makes me tired just to look at it! Some similar threads from other makes show inverted-T shaped arrangements, which must be sort of what our back-stay chainplates look like. My vote is to leave the old bars in the hull and drill through them so that they reinforce the new external plates, as several members have done.

Although, come to think of it, I've probably spent more time researching and talking about it by now than it would actually take to extract those things. :rolleyes:
 

alcodiesel

Bill McLean
Off the shelf Shaffer (sp?) chain plates. Rigger says these are not going to be the weakest link when asked if they are too thin.

I like this simple, utilitarian, dare I say elegant solution. Better that original: simple, inspect-able, easily replaceable and they don't protrude the deck right where the water gutter is. Down side? 2 inches outboard of originals. Will I notice? I think not. Do I care? Nope.

Found a slightly more beefy mast 20 miles up the road in Newport News. Moving it to Hampton tomorrow. maybe, just maybe get this ol girl out sailing by Christmas or New Years.

10 weeks no sailing- I am over the withdrawal but really missing getting out. Patience. Patience. Patience. I'm sorry did I ask for patience?
 

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Mark F

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Hi Bill,

Looking good. I just watched the YouTube link you posted for your A4. I also checked out some of your other videos. Your E27 is nice! Did you install the seahood? Did you put the cubby in on the cockpit coming?
 

alcodiesel

Bill McLean
Thank you Mark, that means a lot coming from you.

The sea hood and cubbies were a PO's work. By the way I like "cubbies."
 

alcodiesel

Bill McLean
Got a "new" mast today. One step closer. While she's a slip queen I'm going to install FWC. I've already cleaned the A4 out when I put the new head on.
 

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alcodiesel

Bill McLean
There is a good chance I will be sailing again by New Years. The rigger is waiting for the new rigging and he says it'll take a couple of days to put it all back together.

The new external chain plates are installed, the new mast has all the fittings, new lights, antenna etc. and wiring installed, he's got to finish the boom. I can install the jiffy reef system and small things like that after I get sailing again.

While she's been laid up I replaced the leaky cylinder head on the A4. While I was in there I cleaned the coolant passages to get it ready for FWC. I drove up to Williamsburg and picked up an Indigo FWC system today and will start installing that tomorrow.

Had a lovely lunch with Tom Stevens (Indigo) at a colonial type restaurant. We had a delicious Brunswick stew, some ham filled thing and apple pie and coffee. I love being retired. Nice chat with Tom.
 

alcodiesel

Bill McLean
Installed FWC:
The HX is in the lazerette. Hoses: seawater-5/8, coolant- 3/4 and pressure gauge to the diverter 1/2
The pump is in a locker next to the engine and is about 3 feet lower than the HX
.
This thing takes hardly any effort to bleed. The pump shuts down when the impeller is dry then restarts a few seconds later. I'm adding water at the HX
as the air is bubbles out. I did this several times during my testing.

Today was an all in test:
The cooling water was cloudy at worst, nothing large enough to get caught in the filter so I removed it.

I ran the A4 at 1000rpm with a barnacled prop engaged ( big load) for 15 min. the temp was 100- barely off the pin.

I'm sitting in the cockpit in the sun just listening. Then the engine sputtered once. I look at the temp- 200!

I slowed to idle, disengage the prop and shut down. Turns out the jumper I had on the pump lead fell off.

I re connected it, restarted, engaged prop, went to 1k rpm again and it cooled off quickly (like a minute)to 120 and stayed there till I shut down 10 mins later.

I'd say this test was a success, especially it's ability to cool off while under load.

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alcodiesel

Bill McLean
The rigger said I can pick her up tomorrow. Still a few things left for me to do. Nothing that will keep me from sailing, dare I say, tomorrow, and bring her home. He did an outstanding job on the new chainplates and rigging.
GetAttachmentThumbnail
 

alcodiesel

Bill McLean
Solid in reality, solid in my mind

I've been sailing quite a bit in the Chesapeake's lovely stronger and steady winter winds.

What new rigging and chainplates (and beefier mast) can do: Very stable platform, no creaking, no loose feeling, no wondering if this gust will take out an uninspectable chainplate. A million times, well, quite a bit more confident feeling in the rig staying put. Number of times I noticed less pointing ability with the external chainplates being 2" outboard of the old ones? Zero.
The total bill was about $8k of which insurance covered $6k. Aside from three and a half months of no sailing it was majorly worth it.

By the way I no longer have to be a pirate- I have bought insurance. A bit more coverage as per Loren's suggestion. They never asked for the letter of seaworthy-ness! Just asked if it had been repaired.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
So Glad (!) to hear that you're back on the water!
:egrin:

Also pleased -again and again- to see how the Ericson Community that Sean built here continues to assist and encourage us all.
 
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