Chain Plate Maintenance

I have a couple of questions / ideas to submit to the group.

I plan to re caulk my chain plates again with GE SilPru. As those who have done this know it is a pain in the knees and back - quite literally. Part of the difficulty is that the clearance between the teak and the chain plate is so small. So.........

First, I plan to cut open up the space around the chain plate tangs by cutting out the teak with a Fein Multimaster. Basically I will cut out about the size of the tang covers down to the fiberglass deck. The teak isn't structural. I believe this will give me a much better ability to get the old caulk out and a much better view of the top part of the chain plate tang area. I may be kidding myself but I am not too worried about the condition of the 195 chain plates because the boat has only been in salt water for 2+ years and they have been well caulked while in the saltwater. Any suggestions/ideas/comments?

Second, has anyone ever used butal rubber to calk these. It is a great sealant and remains pliable for a long long time. Some other manufacturers use it for cabin ports and chain plates. Again, any suggestions/ideas/comments?

Delicia
No. I have never used the butyl for the chain plates but I have used it and it never hardens up, I think you have a good idea there
You knowthat all the C&C boats made in the 1970's and 80's used butyl between the deck and hull, and that was a lot of boats, numbering in the thousands.
My previous boat was a 1985 C&C with butyl, and that stuff was still plenty soft after 25 years...

Moving on,
I'm not keen on opening up the area with a multimaster, just dont like doing that
It will add flex and sloppiness to the chain plates, may increase flexing of the upper plate, and could accelerate
a failure...

Love the butyl idea, dont like routering out the chainplate holes

Ed
IP35
Finnback

George:

I would not make the holes larger as this would seem to just give more access for water into the area. As most know, I have a different perspective on the chainplates, and now after having my 1994 chainplates removed, my perspective is not flawed. Owning IP35-165 since 2001, and saiing her Maine to Bahamas 3 times, I have to tell you that I have never pulled the chain plate tops to repack and recaulk them! Yup, that is true. I simply keep them sealed from the top and with my varnish.

Now after 20 years, the chain plates were removed by the factory and yes, I had a small leak on the forward starboard side, but guess what, no real issue with rusting or the welds. I professionally think, and radically so, that this water intrusion and or water trapping has very little to do with failure. I think it is just age related and the variations of steel and weld quality and other topics.

So, I would NOT make your teak openings any larger. I would NOT bust my tail in repacking, I would keep them sealed from above, KISS, and after 15-20 years, I would have them replaced for $9-$10K by the guys who installed them, the IPY factory!





Hayden