Weekender Chain Plates

[Joel]

Has anyone used or considered using a pad eye mounted on the deck (bolted through with a backing plate) instead of a chain plate?

I think I have seen this arrangement on some production boats. Other than cluttering up the deck what would the disadvantage be?

thanks, joel

[Charlie Jones]

well- not there should be a great deal of strain on a Weekender rig, but moving from the hull to the deck opens you to some new stresses that the deck just isn't designed for as is. Would also make it slightly more difficult to move fore and aft on the boat. Not much, but a tad.

Besides- I detest those kinds of chain plate attachment- always seem to me to be a "cheap-out" on the part of the builder.

I build many many different kinds of boats for people and in things like that, I tend to defer to the designer, unless I can clear a change with him specifically.

Personally, I'd put 'em on the hull.

[Gregg]

I had planned on bending the chain plate around the rub rail. But I felt it would put to much strain on the rail itself? Now I am faced with drilling through my varnished rails, ouch.

Almost Done.

Gregg

[Joel]

Gregg, I am considering bending the chainplate  to clear the rubrail as well. This is what George Buehler has to say in his book Backyard Boatbuilding "Whatever you do don't put the chainplates behind the rubrail. Whenever a chainplate goes through a hull or rail you'll eventually get rot.Even if a joint is sealed perfectly, condensation from the metal will keep the wood wet, creating an ideal climate for rot spores......Just a simple piece of flat steel bent to clear the rubrail, bolted through the hull into a backing plate".

sounds good to me ,  joel

[Bill Paxton]

I skipped the chainplates and went through the deck with U-bolts.  I added a 1x6x12 Douglas fir backer board under the deck.  Haven't had any problems in seven seasons of sailing my Weekender.