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Re-seating Chainplates???

briangsmith

Member II
i have a slight bit of rust/discoloration showing around
the edges of my forestay chainplate- externally at the
bow- it otherwise looks fine, but suppose i really ought
to remove and inspect fully-

any tips, suggestions for this prodedure? do i use
5200 to then re-seal the screws and help bond the plate
to the gelcoat??

thnx-

brian smith
e-25 'sparkle plenty'
homer, alaska
 

hcpookie

Member III
Most people don't like 5200 because it is overkill for the deck fittings. I'd go with either 4200 or (UV-resistant) 4000 before I'd use 5200.

When you remove the plate, check if the core is exposed, and if it is, if it is damp. If damp, you should rebed it before reinstalling the chain plate.

Rebedding really isn't too hard, just takes some patience. You take an extra couple of hours to cut back the damp, rotten wood to expose good dry wood. The deck repair books I've read indicate to put a bent nail in a drill and use it to "chop away" the bad wood. I've had better, more uniform results by using a dremel with a cut-off disk. When you cut with it parallel to the deck, it takes back enough to expose the good, dry wood.

Then, use marine-tex to fill in this gap, and don't forget the screw holes! Sand it all smooth (a dremel sanding disk works good here) and redrill the holes.

Clean it all up with denatured alcohol (since it doesn't leave a film, and repels water), then slather your "3M goop-of-choice" into the screw holes and between the plate and the deck, and you're all set!

Shouldn't take but a few hours and waiting for the marine tex epoxy to dry is the hard part! :)


I've no idea on the rust. I have that same rusty ring. I'm not sure if that implies the chain plate has simply rusted the fiberglass around it, or if there is a rusty piece of metal underneath the fiberglass. I have that same rust pattern around some of my rail mounts.
 

hodo

Member III
Hi Brian, if you remove it and rebed it,m make sure the attaching bolt holes are a whisker bigger than the bolts, and countersink the gelcoat surface a little where the bolts will go through. This allows you to get sealant aruond the bolt and the hole. The champher allows a slight pocket of sealant to squeeze in when th bolts are tightened . Remember to allow the sealant time to set up a little before you give it the final tightening. Also the rust could be from someone in the past cleaning the stainless with a steel pad, or even having steel grindings or chips in the air when the stainless was being welded or polished. It is a good idea to check and find out though. Good luck, Harold
 
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