chainplates-laminated in

[tomJ]

the chainplates on my thirty-year old,50 ft, yawl are laminated into the fibreglass hull layup.there is a minor deformation on the bottom of one of the lowers,about 18 inches down the plate.so I have just drilled into it to see if any water came out,to find it bone dry and shiny.this pleased me.I think that the lump is caused by the plate not having been exactly the correct shape when she was built-the deformation has not got any worse in my ownership of the boat,and believe me i look often!is there anyway to check the whole length of the plate,xray perhaps,just to put my mind at rest?or does any one have any suggestions how to stop me fretting about them on night watches?
thankyou in advance
Tom

 

[PaulAG]

I wonder if the electronic instruments used for detecting the presence of water pipes, electric cables etc., before drilling holes in domestic walls (perish the thought of domestic DIY!!), might be of use here?

PaulAG

 

[peterk]

hi, mine were glassed - in . When the boat was 32 years old I
decided to pull them - SURPRISE!
- they partly looked good, and partly were badly corroded.

I don't think you can keep chainplates from moving altogether,
especially when crashing upwind -
then you get a tiny saltwater seep.....etc.

I ended up moving mine to the outside of the hull
- looks MUCH saltier, too...

...peter, www.juprowa.com/KITTEL