Eye bolts instead of eye plates for shrouds

[RunAgroundHard]

Is there a problem? If this is how it was fitted by manufacturer, then why change it? Maybe fit a wider plate underneath to spread the loads a bit better. Even with the picture zoomed in close, it doesn't look as if there is any crazing or cracking in the gel coat, so it all appears to be working.

 

[dac31]

Is there a problem? If this is how it was fitted by manufacturer, then why change it? Maybe fit a wider plate underneath to spread the loads a bit better. Even with the picture zoomed in close, it doesn't look as if there is any crazing or cracking in the gel coat, so it all appears to be working.

I do get your point. It's mostly belt and braces and what people call seaworthy individually. The original spec had a single forestay with roller furling. Personally I do not consider this seaworthy and have removed the furler and will be fitting an second forestay. I am taking the same approach with the rest of the boat. Reading Don Caseys book has several examples where original spec can be adequate but still lacking due to economical reasons of the manufacturer.

 

[boomerangben]

I do get your point. It's mostly belt and braces and what people call seaworthy individually. The original spec had a single forestay with roller furling. Personally I do not consider this seaworthy and have removed the furler and will be fitting an second forestay. I am taking the same approach with the rest of the boat. Reading Don Caseys book has several examples where original spec can be adequate but still lacking due to economical reasons of the manufacturer.

An eye bolt is in my opinion a shoe lace for a belt and not a belt and braces solution. The existing solution has two through bolts with lots of plate area above (and possibly beneath). An eye bolt is no match for that

 

[johnmea]

The debate over straight or bent U fixings has been going for many years in their use for rigging and fixed points for safety harness' Many yachts have lost their masts as a result of the lowers U fixings not being bent to align with the axis of the rigging, an example is a Westerly Corsair crossing the Atlantic suffered failure of both lowers U bolts a day apart. The failures are due to repeat stress cycling of the U bolt where it meets the plate. Please do not use an eye bolt as it almost certainly will fail at the bolt eye to thread interface due to a stress related fracture. Best iof luck John - Nuclear Design Engineer.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I do get your point. It's mostly belt and braces and what people call seaworthy individually. The original spec had a single forestay with roller furling. Personally I do not consider this seaworthy and have removed the furler and will be fitting an second forestay. I am taking the same approach with the rest of the boat. Reading Don Caseys book has several examples where original spec can be adequate but still lacking due to economical reasons of the manufacturer.

Be careful with the second forestay, if mounting inboard the deck reinforcement may not be sufficient. I have a boat with an aftermarket inner forestay fitted and the deck warped after the balsa core crushed because a professional thought that a basic plate to distribute the load would be required. It actually needed a mini bulkhead across the width of the underside of the deck.

 

[Tranona]

I do get your point. It's mostly belt and braces and what people call seaworthy individually. The original spec had a single forestay with roller furling. Personally I do not consider this seaworthy and have removed the furler and will be fitting an second forestay. I am taking the same approach with the rest of the boat. Reading Don Caseys book has several examples where original spec can be adequate but still lacking due to economical reasons of the manufacturer.

Single forestay and a furler is pretty standard stuff. What makes you think that it is inadequate and a second forestay is needed? The boat is a well proven design and has a "normal" and not overstressed rig. The U bolts for the shrouds are likewise a well proven method and provided they are sound and well sealed to remove the possibility of corrosion where the legs enter the moulding no need to change them. Certainly not with an eye bolt with its single point loading.

Sorry, but it sounds like you are looking for a solution to a problem that does not exist.

BTW some books are full of scare stories but that one is US based and sure there are some rubbish boats around, particularly from the early days of GRP boat building. The Prelude is not among them. It was designed by a top class designer and built by well established builders. Over 500 built and a reputation for being tough little boats.