I find it interesting that the cap plate is welded to the chainplate. On the , the cap plate just slips over it and is sealed with caulk or tape, but it carries no load. Those small screws look like they're carrying at least a little load for that crazed gel coat. Or maybe it's doing what gel coat does - crazes with age and very slight movement. But either way, mine have no crazing around the chainplates.
Sumner wrote:If the pin keeps walking out in that direction and results in forces on the ring then I would turn the pin around so that the forces are on the head,
There is, apparently, a backing plate that is bolted through the hull just below the rub rail. It appears that the two small bolts hold the rig and are supported by the backing plate. Although I haven't seen it, I can't envision a backer with that bolt pattern that wouldn't flex a bit - probably more than the gel coat.
Ray - did you check to see if the fasteners are tight? If they are, I'd probably fix the spider cracks and seal around the plate and go sailing. If that deck was the only thing holding the rig up, then I would be concerned. I haven't seen the backing plate, but that has to be what those three fasteners are below the rail.
Jimmyt wrote:There is, apparently, a backing plate that is bolted through the hull just below the rub rail. It appears that the two small bolts hold the rig and are supported by the backing plate. Although I haven't seen it, I can't envision a backer with that bolt pattern that wouldn't flex a bit - probably more than the gel coat.
Ray - did you check to see if the fasteners are tight? If they are, I'd probably fix the spider cracks and seal around the plate and go sailing. If that deck was the only thing holding the rig up, then I would be concerned. I haven't seen the backing plate, but that has to be what those three fasteners are below the rail.
I just checked the screws for tightness; they were not budging.
The boat is thirteen years old, and I never noticed the crazing before. The crazing may have been there for twelve years. I just noticed, and wanted to check on this board in case there was something I should imminently be concerned about.
Ray
Last edited by NiceAft on Fri Aug 03, 2018 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Nothing to worry about, its just because the shrouds pull at a angle to the chainplate that causes the cap to move a little every time you tack and the weight and force is taken by shroud.
Gelcoat is very brittle so cracks pretty easy with any sort of movement
I just got back yesterday from three days on the ocean - have not even washed the boat yet. I used the microscope setting on the camera.
So, what am I supposed to be looking at here? I'm looking for barnacles? what?
I’m going to guess that 13 years of stress crazed the gel coat. As I said, I just noticed it. Who knows, there may be a difference between a 2013 & a 2005 More than just eight years.