roaringgirl
Well-Known Member
To check the through-deck bolts of the chainplates on a Westerly 49, you have to cut holes in the interior panelling. I'm glad we finally got around to it on my friend's boat as this is what we found!
Westerly chainplates
- Thread starter roaringgirl
- Start date
VicS
Well-Known Member
Yes had similar on a friend's Westerly but with A bolt type of shroud attachments
First indication that something was wrong was finding the bit with two nuts on the cabin floor. Then I spotted one of the shroud anchors lifting from the deck. Subsequently one leg of a second one sheared as we tried to undo it for inspection and a third was severely wasted. The fourth was OK I guess because I had taken it off , refitted and resealed it several years previously because it leaked into the locker where I kept my stuff when on board.
I think your failure is due to stress corrosion but I am not a metallurgist ..... Vyv Cox will properly diagnose when he sees it. Ours was, I am sure, due to crevice corrosion as the fittings were severely wasted where they passed through the deck.
First indication that something was wrong was finding the bit with two nuts on the cabin floor. Then I spotted one of the shroud anchors lifting from the deck. Subsequently one leg of a second one sheared as we tried to undo it for inspection and a third was severely wasted. The fourth was OK I guess because I had taken it off , refitted and resealed it several years previously because it leaked into the locker where I kept my stuff when on board.
I think your failure is due to stress corrosion but I am not a metallurgist ..... Vyv Cox will properly diagnose when he sees it. Ours was, I am sure, due to crevice corrosion as the fittings were severely wasted where they passed through the deck.
roaringgirl
Well-Known Member
You really have to work at it to get access - what a horrible design, where these essential stressed members are deeply concealed.
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
You are quite correct. There is a page on this topic on the website Westerly Oceanmaster 48 chainplates
Supertramp
Well-Known Member
You are coming up with some seriously scary stuff! I hope your original problem is getting solved and it would be good to hear the solution to that one. I have added some bolts to my list for winter checking. Thanks for sharing.
dankilb
Well-Known Member
We've just had new chainplates fabricated for our Jeanneau (41'). The old ones showed noticeable 'thinning' and corrosion where the stud joined the plate - whether this was crevice corrosion and/or stretching I couldn't say. The new ones were fabricated locally (and beautifully) from 316L from slightly thicker stock.
The Jen rig has tie rods down to terminal chainplates on the knees. This does alleviate some of the risk of failure of (one) critical fastener due to issues at deck level. A bigger advantage is being able to see/access these fittings with relative ease.
Never been comfortable with Westerly's policy of hiding rigging components behind furniture.
The Jen rig has tie rods down to terminal chainplates on the knees. This does alleviate some of the risk of failure of (one) critical fastener due to issues at deck level. A bigger advantage is being able to see/access these fittings with relative ease.
Never been comfortable with Westerly's policy of hiding rigging components behind furniture.
roaringgirl
Well-Known Member
To be clear, I don't have a Westerly, this really is a friend's boat.
Mine, with the lowers tang failure is an ancient Maxi.
