Rhodes 19 Chainplate replacementa

Discussion in 'Materials' started by mbowser, Nov 19, 2022.

  1. mbowser
    Joined: Nov 2015
    Posts: 31
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    Location: Canterbury NH

    mbowser Junior Member

    A very old, beat up 1963 Rhodes 19 followed me home from craigslist a few weeks ago and I've been going through and replacing just about everything. So far I've replaced and installed 8 of 10 transverse ribs that serve as a mounting point for floorboards and to hold the keel on. Pretty straight forward job but it definitely needed to be done.

    Now I'm onto the chainplates. The originals (I believe they are original) were stainless steel upside-down 'T's glassed in place on the hull with no mounting hardware. I didn't hesitate to grind them out and start the job of replacing them because 60 year old stainless steel with no oxygen in a salty environment is not ideal. Here's a photo of area after removal: upload_2022-11-19_12-8-29.png
    This is one of the old chainplates:
    upload_2022-11-19_12-10-21.png

    So now that I have them out, I'm considering alternate re-installations. Many of the later model O'Day Rhodes 19s have a shorter upside-down 'T' chainplate that is through bolted on either side of the 'T' and the Stuart Rhodes 19s are straight chainplates with 2 through bolts.

    Somebody gave me advice to rebuild them as they are and re-glass over them and that through bolting them through the hull is not a good idea because of the 'high dynamic loads' (did not elaborate). Granted, the originals lasted a long time and would likely outlive me, but it seems to me that if I properly reinforced the hull in the area around the new chainplates and through bolting them (without glassing them in place) would be a better alternative. My thought would be to reinforce the area with 4 alternating layers of unidirectional and biaxial glass followed by through bolting new chainplates (straight) to hull.

    Sorry for the long winded postm but does this sound like a decent idea, or should I stick with the advice I got (and rebuild the same as original)?

    Thanks
     
  2. Tops
    Joined: Aug 2021
    Posts: 218
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    Location: Minnesota

    Tops Senior Member

    It's troublesome when they follow you home like that ;)
    -What size is the vertical bar (l x w x thickness)?
    -Is there a plate and hardware and butyl that seal the holes in the deck?
    I would opt for plasma cut (no welded d0-dads) and polished stainless, same cross sectional area as the current 'tangs', bolted though (3 places?) and back up through the original hole and reseal. Next choice would be full external and seal deck holes.
    Guessing you'd only need 1 layer uni going vertical and the rest could be whatever, prep will be the key.
    My 21' has proportionally small chain plates, externally mounted, not through the deck, a couple feet above the waterline.
    I am not a marine professional and sometime the hopeless optimist so take it with for what it's worth.
     
  3. mbowser
    Joined: Nov 2015
    Posts: 31
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    Location: Canterbury NH

    mbowser Junior Member

    My wife thinks I have a problem, but I have it all under control :).
    The bar is 13 x 1-1/8 x 1/8", the cross piece is same dimensions but 7" wide. No deck plate and the sealant was old electrical tape and failed silicon.
     
  4. rangebowdrie
    Joined: Nov 2009
    Posts: 234
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    Location: Oregon

    rangebowdrie Senior Member

    My choice would be to clean-up the interior along with adding some more glass for reinforcement and cleaning up the deck holes/slots.
    Then bolt the new ones inside the hull.
    Caveat, I would want the new ones out of bronze flat bar, it shouldn't be hard to get in your area.
    You'd be able to work/drill and bend it easily.
    The Rhodes is a classic, exterior bolted-on chainplates, (especially in stainless,) would detract from its clean lines.
     
  5. mbowser
    Joined: Nov 2015
    Posts: 31
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    Location: Canterbury NH

    mbowser Junior Member

    This is pretty much what I was thinking, I wouldn't relocate the chainplates outboard, only the bolt heads. Chainplates would remain inside the hull. I hadn't thought about bronze, but I like the idea. I haven't seen bronze flat bar in < .25" thickness though and the current chainplate slots are 1/8". I'd have to enlarge those, and that might cause another set of issues with forces on the deck.
     
  6. rangebowdrie
    Joined: Nov 2009
    Posts: 234
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    Location: Oregon

    rangebowdrie Senior Member

    One thing about a bit thicker stock is that it will be more resistant to bending.
    If the slot has some clearance, and the part protruding above the deck has been bent to line-up with the wires there should be little pressure on the deck.
    Here is a link for 1/8" silicon bronze.
    I'm sure that some other places could beat their prices, "Online Metals" are not known for being inexpensive.
    Anyway, it was just a thought.
    Order 0.125" Silicon Bronze Sheet 655 [IN] Online, Thickness: 1/8" (onlinemetals.com)
     

  7. mbowser
    Joined: Nov 2015
    Posts: 31
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    Location: Canterbury NH

    mbowser Junior Member

    Funny, I was just looking there as a reference, but was looking under the bar section, not plate. Thanks.
     
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