How to access starboard chain plate on E25+

[Alaska sailor]

Hi everyone,

We are trying to take apart the starboard cap shroud chain plate on my E25+ to rebed it and are having trouble figuring out access. It appears we will need to trim either the wood in the cabin or the fiberglass in the bathroom to access the forward underside of the plate. Or is there some easy alternative solution I'm missing? Have you done this for this same configuration? What did you do? If we have to trim the wood or the fiberglass, which would you do? Thanks for ideas/thoughts/words of experience. The space there may seem deceptively large. it's only about 1/4 inch, not large enough to get a good tool through. Patti aka Alaska Sailor

 

[Shelman]

On my E-26 I can reach the forward nuts by removing some trim and headliner on the other side of the bulkhead. (in the head)
I would also recommend replacing the U-bolts with new ones if they show any sign of pitting. Garhauer marine can make you up some improved replacements for a good price.
Also keep an eye out for deck core rot while your in there. I have had my u-bolts out three times, and replaced them the last winter.
My bulkhead does have some small area chiseled out just below the nuts. It won't hurt anything to remove enough material to access the nuts.
Also you might tab the bulkhead to the deck while your in there!

 

[Shelman]

Also here is a thread documenting some of the issues others of us have gone through on the way to new chain plates.
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoex...12947-E38-Chainplate-U-Bolts-and-Replacements

 

[Alaska sailor]

bathroom access to chain plate

On my E-26 I can reach the forward nuts by removing some trim and headliner on the other side of the bulkhead. (in the head)
I would also recommend replacing the U-bolts with new ones if they show any sign of pitting. Garhauer marine can make you up some improved replacements for a good price.
Also keep an eye out for deck core rot while your in there. I have had my u-bolts out three times, and replaced them the last winter.
My bulkhead does have some small area chiseled out just below the nuts. It won't hurt anything to remove enough material to access the nuts.
Also you might tab the bulkhead to the deck while your in there!

Thanks for the note Shelman. I'd be interested in seeing a picture of what that looks like in your e26. What do you mean by headliner? One of the pics I posted was from the bathroom side. Looks like we'd have to cut the fiberglass. Sounds like this is a design flaw of the e25+ (not being able to easily access that chain plate) that was fixed by the time they made yours!

Since it looks like we will have to cut something to get at it, what do you think? Cut the fiberglass in the bathroom or cut the wood in the cabin? I'm leaning toward the wood on the cabin side and leave a permanent access, but the person helping me suggests cutting the fiberglass on the bathroom side and then repairing after we fix the chain plate. The wood doesn't look structural, though I don't really know. Looks like we could cut an inch or two off and still cover it back up with the existing trim (or get a larger trim piece. I'm just not completely sure if I'll be weakening the boat if we cut into the wood (or the fiberglass).

Patti

 

[Shelman]

I would lean towards cutting the wood before the fiberglass also, as long as doing so would allow you to reach the nuts well enough, otherwise the fiberglass side may be your only option. Maybe socket with a universal joint could be useful but its hard to tell, it looks like a wrench would be hard to get enough room to actually make a turn too. I couldn't reach all four of mine from one side thats for sure.
I will try to remember to take a picture of my bulkhead to post for you.