Hoping to solicit some feedback on what I should do.
I removed all my chainplates over this winter and I was very pleased to find no significant damage. Except for some minor surface damage on the bulkhead right behind the 4-5' long chainplates. The pictures below show the bulkhead right after pulling off the chainplate. I have since sanded it and wiped it down. No real damage beyond the surface of the wood.
I was thinking of using a epoxy resin "seal" /protect that three inch wide strip instead of vanish.
Thoughts?
BTW, the 4-5' long chainplate needs to be removed from the deck side and pulled through. I wasn't paying attention and didn't see that there is a increase in the width of the steel at that end. Spent a few minutes trying to figure out that until I went up on deck and it just pulled out.
Also the PO used a thorough amount of 5200 on the chainplates and it was a PITA to get it all removed. I was planning on using Butyl tape when I put everything back to together.
Thanks for the feedback.
Ralph Rye
1999 C36 MKII - Tall Rig - Fin Keel
Hull#1813
Green Bay, WI
That doesn't actually look too bad, mine was a lot worse. The epoxy resin might be a good idea but you'll want to make sure you get it into the bolt holes to protect those areas. If there are any soft areas you can inject a penetrating epoxy sealer into the wood with a syringe, it will rot proof and strengthen any areas of water damage.
Best defense you should consider getting the new style chainplates, they will go a long way towards keeping water out of there. They are available from Catalina and are cheap, I think I paid 8 bucks apiece. They only fit the centre chainplates though.
Also consider reefing out the core in the deck cutouts there and replacing it with thickened epoxy, at a minimum at least paint the core inside that cutout with epoxy. I would do this on the other chainplates as well.
Yes, butyl tape works just fine, I used Maine Sail's material.
[url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,7265.msg49430.html#msg49430[/url]
Stu Jackson, C34IA Secretary, C34 #224, 1986, SR/FK, M25 engine, Rocna 10 (22#)
Hi Ralph,
A quick word of caution. I did the same thing this winter, and while the surface of the bulkhead looked fine (pretty much like yours), I found that water had actually penetrated the top of the bulkhead into the plywood, and that the top 2-3 inches of the bulkhead that sat right behind that chainplate was rotted (which I wouldn't have found out if I hadn't accidently punched a screwdriver down into it while I was trying to remove all the 4200 the PO had used to seal the chainplate). So, check that out before you give it a clean bill of health (I ended up replacing the whole bulkhead).
Also, to Bud's comment, he's actually referring to the new chainplate [I]covers[/I] available from Catalina Direct (not actual chainplates). I ordered a bunch of those, and they fit all of my chainplates no problem (not just the center ones). All they really do is let you cram more butyl into the space between the cover and the chainplate (be careful you don't strip the epoxy in the deck when you try to screw them back down, take your time on letting the butyl compress as you slowly tighten them down).
Josh McElwee
Sailing from East Greenwich, RI
2000 C36 MKII, M35B, "Chinook", Hull#1900
yes, Josh is correct I omitted the word cover there.
But I got mine directly from Catalina Yachts part department, not Catalina Direct. And they do more just let you put more sealant in, they have a raised center piece that prevents standing water from laying around the joint at the chainplate.
On our 1995 model, the center chainplate is slightly smaller than the lowers and the new style covers will not fit the lowers.