[C38] Bedding Shrouds and leaks

[Charles]

I have carefully rebedded my chainplates several times thinking that was 
where the leak(s) were coming from.  What I found was the leaks (most) 
actually originated around the mast.  With the mast out, I used a 
clothes hanger wire, pressurized air and a lot of patience to pull out 
the rotted plywood.  I also drilled a couple holes in the deck at the 
lower end of the voids and used pressurized air and alcohol to dry them 
out.  I then made a clay dam in the mast hole and pumped West Epoxy in 
through the lower holes.  I used the empty caulking tubes available from 
West to pump the mixture in.  I was able to do the port side first and 
then the starboard side separately.  Once things had cooled down, I took 
the clay dam out and filled in the few voids left.  I used about a 
gallon of epoxy on this, so there was quite a bit of heat generated and 
you need to be careful.  This got rid of the majority of my leaking and 
"sounding" with a mallet around the mast now suggests the voids are 
filled. 
I then used the epoxy (don't remember the name) to fill in around the 
mast, which really stops the leaking that gets through the mast boot.

Regarding using epoxy on the chainplates.  I am with Les on this.  There 
is a lot of flex under loads and I would be worried the epoxy will not 
give, which suggests the give will have to be in the deck surrounding 
the area...  I also have spent way too much time getting rid of silicone 
spots on the boat, which defy any attempts to paint.  I know about 
sikaflex, but now only use life caulk.

Charles Finn
Mighty Quinn  #114
Leaving for my westward trip through the Great Lakes on May 15


Les wrote:
> On Wed, 2008-05-07 at 11:54 -0700, Rick Swensson wrote:
>   
>> A while back someone mentioned re-bedding the chain plates.  Was there
>> a consensus on what to use?  I seem to recall it was marine epoxy but
>> don't remember which one.  Any thoughts?
>>  
>> Rascal has stains on the bulkheads from water leaks but no structural
>> problems.  Also some of the bolts through the cabin top leak as well.
>> Fortunately in SoCal we don't get much rain but the moisture from fog
>> drips through as well.
>>  
>> Rick  Swensson
>>     
>
> If you are discussing the mounting of the chainplates, then you need to
> look at the loads, and you will see that they require substantial
> backing.  On our boats the mids and uppers tie to a bar which is
> fastened via stainless rods (in the hanging locker on starboar) to
> spread the load.  On the port they tie inot the head bulkhead.  And
> epoxying the areas to prevent rot and to help ensure the strain is
> handled is OK. 
>
> At the deck pass through, though, the chain plate ends are unsupported,
> and shrouds alternately receive the heavy load on the windward side and
> release on the leeward so they tend to flex.  Using expoy is doomed to
> fail, because of this flexing.  Use silicon caulk, such as Sikaflex or
> Life caulk around the deck plates to prevent leakage and allow flex
> without cracking.
>
> Regards,
> Les H
>
>
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