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Plan to Replace Chainplates on an E29

jkenan

Member III
The existing chainplates on my E29 need replacement due to corrosion, and are glassed into the hull interior. Each side is basically a sideways ' E' design with the horizontal backbone of the 'E' glassed to the hull and the three protrusions of the 'E' being the chainplates themselves, which are welded to the backbone.

I am planning to go exterior with new plates, and would use the existing chainplate horizontal bar as a backing plate. The new chainplate mounted exterior to the hull would require:
1) removing the rubrail, grinding down the flange at the points of intersetion, patching those areas with epoxy and tape, and smoothing and fairing the patches.
2) drilling holes thru the hull and the existing horizontal bar to mount the new plates.
3) notching out the rubrail at the points of intersection.
4) cutting out old chainplates and patching the deck.
5) reassembling everything with the new plates in place.

I have included illustrations of the existing chainplate design and the proposed new design. I have discussed this with a couple of riggers and fabricators (including the company which fabricates chainplates for all new Pacific Seacraft/Ericson Yachts). The feedback I have recieved is very positive, and this type of modification has been done on other E29s by professional yards and riggers with excellent results. There are concerns though, and the biggest one is a significant departure from the original structural design of the boat. I feel, however, that the significant loads will still be carried by the original glassed in bar due to the thru-bolted design of the new plates. The other concern is the genoa car will lose about 1 foot of forward travel along the track since the exterior plates for the aft lowers intersect the track this distance from the track's forward end.

I am interested in anyone's opinion regarding improvements to the proposed design, as well as the strengths/weaknesses of it.
 

Attachments

  • Chainplates_Existing.pdf
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  • Chainplate_Shroud.pdf
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  • Chainplate_Visual.pdf
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jkenan

Member III
New Chainplates Installed

Got the new chainplates installed - here is a photo of plates mounted, just need to finish up with the rubrail and clean up some 4200 at this point. Plates are 3.5" wide and 1/4" thick, thru bolted to the existing chainplate horizontal bar using 3/8" SS316 hex bolts. I still need to add the third screw to each plate, which will not be thru-bolted to the exising chainplates, but will go thru the hull just behind where the existing chainplates rise up to the deck. The two bolts in place are the primary structural bolts transfering the loads to the original chainplate design, and the third acts solely as backup.

Worked with the chainplate supplier to Pacific Seacraft to discuss and fabricate new ones. Cost was very reasonable, and finished product was beautiful.

New rigging is 1/4" SS316 (upgraded from 7/32" SS304), and tuned to 10% breaking load (about 600Lbs).

So far, so good. Sea-trialed new rig in 20 knots this past weekend under full sail. No problems.
 

Attachments

  • Chainplates_Port.jpg
    Chainplates_Port.jpg
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  • Chainplates_Stbd.jpg
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footrope

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Nice work

Seems like your mod/repair was well thought out and turned out great, too. Having messed with one crappy chainplate, and the uncertainties that go along with the possibility of getting into primary structure, I realize it was not an effortless process to arrive at a solution.
 

jkenan

Member III
What was your issue with the crappy chainplate you mention? Was it the original plate, or was it a PO job you had to clean up?

I tried to execute this job with two objectives in mind:
1) Improve the overall structural integrity of the rig
2) Do it in a way that would be immediately recognizable to future owners or anyone inspecting it by adhering to the critical concerns discussed with riggers and yard pros that were essential to maintain, and doing it with utmost attention to detail.

I feel like I succeeded and the yard folks agree.

This was no small job, but very much worth the effort as we have just started taking our 4-month old daughter on the water with us. 30-year old rigging and chainplates rife with crevice corrosion and several larger spots of corrosion wasn't going to cut it, especally hearing about weld failures in E27/E29 chainplates from other owners.
 

footrope

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Here's the link to my chainplate thread

I guess the early E38's had a RH main chainplate design that worked OK unless things got out of line, weren't built carefully, or something. Not sure. The PO had been slathering silicone on the exterior and I didn't know that until I investigated a leak and by then I knew I couldn't live with that going on. No one else has reported anything like that. The thread might be hard to follow, but my friend and I made a good repair after having a little fun with epoxy. It's holding up great so far.

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=1645

You definitely did the right thing. I don't like half hearted work, especially on critical parts.

Cheers,
 

sgwright67

Member III
Got the new chainplates installed - here is a photo of plates mounted, just need to finish up with the rubrail and clean up some 4200 at this point. Plates are 3.5" wide and 1/4" thick, thru bolted to the existing chainplate horizontal bar using 3/8" SS316 hex bolts. I still need to add the third screw to each plate, which will not be thru-bolted to the exising chainplates, but will go thru the hull just behind where the existing chainplates rise up to the deck. The two bolts in place are the primary structural bolts transfering the loads to the original chainplate design, and the third acts solely as backup.

Worked with the chainplate supplier to Pacific Seacraft to discuss and fabricate new ones. Cost was very reasonable, and finished product was beautiful.

New rigging is 1/4" SS316 (upgraded from 7/32" SS304), and tuned to 10% breaking load (about 600Lbs).

So far, so good. Sea-trialed new rig in 20 knots this past weekend under full sail. No problems.

I'm considering an E29, and the chainplates are something I will look into promptly. Do you still have the boat, and if so, how are these chainplates holding up 12 years later?

How many others have gone the external chainplate route, and has anyone attempted to cut out and re-glass replacement plates as per the original design?
 
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