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Chainplate material, size and Bay Area source
In the midst of what is becoming an accident-caused rig re-fabrication project, I figured that I might as well pull the chainplates given that the rig is down and all. Pulling those forty-year-old suckers was all that pulling chainplates is promised to be. About half the bolts twisted apart when I as removing them. A view of the first photo below will show you why. Most of some of the bolts were pink. This occurred mostly on my aft lowers, which must be removed and reattached twice per sail due to the tabernacle, and so they probably have leaked more water than the other chainplates.
The chainplates themselves seem to be in pretty good shape although beneath the green corrosion is a layer of reddish metal (colloidal copper I presume). In the second photo you can see that red color. The top and bottom chainplates in the second photo have been buffed up a bit with a nylon drill brush and the middle chainplate is it looked upon removal. You can still see the polysulfide band where the chainplate passed through the chainplate cover.
You can see some bright spots where the bronze is shining through. A wire brush head did not get this red stuff off, but for some reason the nylon brush head did to some degree. These appear to be original chainplates, and if so, they are forty years old or thereabouts. I don't see any cracks or excessive wear, but the condition of some of the bolts and the fact that about 25% of the bolts that were bronze in color throughout sheered off upon removal, I think that I may replace the chainplates as well as the bolts.
Removal time was four hours from start to finish working alone. Don't do it that way. It's a pain to be workign alone when the bolt head is on one side of the closet bulkheads and the nut is on the other.
Now the questions:
1. If these bronze 3/16 chainplates lasted forty years, why not have new bronze chainplates fabricated?
2. Would it be better to used stainless steel chainplates for strength even though stainless tends to degrade in wet oxygen-deprived environments, like sometimes-leaking deck cores?
3. If stainless steel is the way to go, should I go with 304 for strength or 316 for corrosion resistance? My backstay chainplate is 304 stainless.
I did do a search on “chainplate” and “chainplates” on this forum but found that the discussion on the various links provided in the search did not address these questions. By the way, the search function is working very well now. Thanks Bill and Bill II.
I intend to grind a bit of damaged wood from the deck core surrounding the chainplate slots and screw holes and fill the deck voids, chainplate solt and screw holes with epoxy. I will then drill and cut new holes before mounting my new chainplates or the current refurbished plates in the event that after final clean-up and inspection by a rigging wizard, the existing chainplates still appear to be serviceable.
I have received two quotes for new 316 chainplates and they range from $60 to $80 each. Ouch!
So does anyone have a source of bronze or SS chainplates in the Bay area? Or is any manufacturer anywhere still making the plates installed in our Ariels/Commanders?