Replacing your Stainless Chainplates with Bronze Chainplates Sails and Rigging- Standing and Running Forums

Hi Scott:

I replaced all of the chainplates on TOPAZ  ('75 DE38)  four years ago - I opted for 316SS fabricated by Tops-in-Quality.  Some of the original chainplates were showing signs of crevice corrision so I changed them all out.

I did not conider using bronze but I think that bronze might have been a better selection - no crevice corrsion and no fatigue - I also toyed with the idea of putting them on the outside of the hull ( better for inspection and no cap rail leaks)  but also opted for the original thru rail configuration -

what are the downsides of bronze?

also note:

The chain plate (fitting?) for the bob stay failed about 12 years ago.  It was a curious assemble with a solif plate sticking out thru the stem weldled to a 3/16 rod assembly that was glassed into the hull.  I opted for an internal 316SS assemply consisting of plates in a V shape that were epoxied to the inner hull - based on a surveyors recommendation but I think that external straps that can be inspected would have been a better way to go.

Carmine

Rewaking an old thread...

I took off one of the lowers on OneLove (and '81) as there's a crack in it, visible to the naked eye. This seems to be the time I should replace all of them, especially given another three have rust on the bolts on the inside, though the outsides look okay. There was a lot of rust in between the one I took off and the hull and at the point where the crack is extra rust and some hull compression.

Scott - to help in your statistics our CPs are on the outside. This is cool but to get to the bolts on the inside I had to destroy some of the interior as there had been a fair amount of custom cabinetry built on top of the original fittings. This is really a catalyst to get some other work done....

Not I'm at home with my one chainplate and wondering about bend angles. The lowers all have the same bend but I'm wondering if its made at differing angles across the CP (i.e. not perpendicular to its length). Anyone have designs for them? Perhaps I'll just have to go back to the boat and check!

There were no backing plates - I *think* I'm going to cut the originals down a little and use them as backing plates for the lower bolts (not sure I can do this in the top bolt which is pretty tight in the toerail.

-Tom