I inspected a CD 36 recently and noticed lots of rust and scale on the steel support for the chain plates that is located under the decks. Looking in the starboard hanging locker, the top of the L-shaped support appeared to have a bedding compound of some sort to the underside of the deck. The bedding material had separated from the deck. Is the top of the bracket supposed to fit flush with the underside of the deck?
The condition of that portion of the bracket exposed in the cabinet above the counter in the head was as bad if not worse.
My concern is this, if the visible sections of the chain plates are very rusty with large flakes of scale, what about the top surface that is not visible and not accesible for cleaning and recoating? As a relative novice when it comes to Cape Dorys, it seems to me that at some point the loss of material in the chain plate suppport will threaten the integrity of the mast support.
Searching old messages on the board I see other messages re rusty chain plate supports. I must admit to being surprised to find mild steel used as a support member in a boat, particuarly one that is hard to access for inspection and maintenance.
Am I over-reacting? We are strongly considering a CD for our next boat but I must admit that this item has given me second thoughts.
GeneRPrather@Compuserve.Com
Rusty Chain Plate Supports
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Jim Jones
Re: Rusty Chain Plate Supports
Gene,
If your chain plates look like a stack of brown cardboard pieces at the ends, I can assure you that they are this way all the over. I am in the process of re-doing the chain plates on a 1977 CD-28 with SS and it is a lot of work, but the overall it is worth it. Initially I believed that the rusting was caused by leaking at the bronze padeyes for the stays, but I have come to the conclusion that the majority of the problem is caused by condensation. The rusting is not localized around the bolt holes, but throughout the entire length.
There will be a gap on the inner edge of the plate and the deck. The CD hull has a flange ( about 3" wide ) formed at the top of the sheer and the deck was bedded and bolted to this flange. What you are seeing is the squeezed out bedding compound. The mild steel metal plate is 4" wide so there is some gap between plate and deck. I suppose that this ensures that the hull flange/deck joint takes the strain rather then just the deck. If the CD-36 is like the smaller CDs, you will also have three pieces of 3/8" rebar welded to the plate and extending down the side of the hull and glassed in. However, they form nice cups for holding water because the thick glass roving does not conform exactly and leaves some space which collects water. On my CD-28 two of the re-bars were rusted off at the plate on the port side and one on the star board side.
I am documenting the repairs to my CD-28 because another CD-28 owner on this board has the same problem and is interested in the cure. As stated earlier, a lot of work, but the overall quality, character and sailing ability of the Cape Dory make it worth while.
Regards,
Jim Jones
jjones@intergate.com
If your chain plates look like a stack of brown cardboard pieces at the ends, I can assure you that they are this way all the over. I am in the process of re-doing the chain plates on a 1977 CD-28 with SS and it is a lot of work, but the overall it is worth it. Initially I believed that the rusting was caused by leaking at the bronze padeyes for the stays, but I have come to the conclusion that the majority of the problem is caused by condensation. The rusting is not localized around the bolt holes, but throughout the entire length.
There will be a gap on the inner edge of the plate and the deck. The CD hull has a flange ( about 3" wide ) formed at the top of the sheer and the deck was bedded and bolted to this flange. What you are seeing is the squeezed out bedding compound. The mild steel metal plate is 4" wide so there is some gap between plate and deck. I suppose that this ensures that the hull flange/deck joint takes the strain rather then just the deck. If the CD-36 is like the smaller CDs, you will also have three pieces of 3/8" rebar welded to the plate and extending down the side of the hull and glassed in. However, they form nice cups for holding water because the thick glass roving does not conform exactly and leaves some space which collects water. On my CD-28 two of the re-bars were rusted off at the plate on the port side and one on the star board side.
I am documenting the repairs to my CD-28 because another CD-28 owner on this board has the same problem and is interested in the cure. As stated earlier, a lot of work, but the overall quality, character and sailing ability of the Cape Dory make it worth while.
Regards,
Jim Jones
jjones@intergate.com