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I know I have seen it on the chat page at some time but how do you change the Forestay chain plate without losing the backing plate? That is if it is a plate and not washers and nuts.
Thanks
Chris
Hi Chris, providing the boat is not too old the back plate will be glassed in. One way is to remove two screws ease the old plate to one side add the new one with one screw then remove the old plate completly and swing the new one in place.
If the boat is pre the internal plate date. You might get away with internal nuts being held by their inetrnal gelcoat, suggest break the seal by turning slightly clock wise first, failing that a bit of key hole surgery through the deck flange will allow you access to the inside of the hull.
Brian
Thanks for that Brian yes the boat is a bit on the old side, just like me, 642 about 27 years, having a bit of work done on the transom's then will get the chain plates.
Thanks
After the last lot of e-mails on this subject Bob asked me if I would write it up as a procedure to go on the website. The following is what I have written but never got round to sending through. I used it myself for changing the same plates on our Dart 18.
The key thing is care or get ready to cut the deck open.
I have to do one of our Sprint 15s this winter as the old 'thin' plates are twisting and I have noticed that one one hull the top screw is loose and will not do up - possibly the nut has come free from the plate (this is on 756 which is 25 years old). Anyway the following is a guide - the only caveat is that because I knew what I was trying to say at each stage I don't know if the meaning of the words can be misinterpreted by someone coming to this with no prior knowledge - look it through and let me know if you have any queries - before you are sitting on the ground holding a screw tightly!!!!!
Forestay Plate Replacement
This is not a difficult task if you can use a screwdriver. However the consequences of doing it wrong can be quite expensive so sit and think about it in front of the boat and work through all the instructions verbally with the person who is going to help you before you start.
The key problem is that the forestay plate is held on by three 20mm long M5 thread screws which screw through holes in the hull into nuts mounted on a common plate inside the hull or a threaded plate. THE INNER PLATE IS NOT FIXED TO THE HULL and you can assume that the plate WILL fall to the bottom of the hull if you remove all three screws at once. Solving this means removing the foredeck.
Tools required:
1 flat blade screwdriver (blade about 7-10mm wide and shaft 200-300mm preferred)
2 M5 spare screws, 50-60mm long (this is not essential but will make the job much easier)
4 hands (i.e. do not try this on your own).
Procedure:
1. Remove the bridle wire from the plate (taking mast down is easiest as you may be some time) - the shackle pin and ring holding the bridle wire must be removed entirely from the plate.
2. If your new plate is straight then bend it to the required angle in a vice before you commence installation
3. Remove any one of the three screws and take a good look into the hole. You will probably find that you had to wind the screw all the way out with the screwdriver as the hole in the hull is not oversize - in the following do not be fooled that the screw is in the inner plate when it is only in the hull.
When you look into the hole you should see that the metal inner plate is at least 5mm from the outer surface of the hull. This means that to get a good grip on a screw and the inner plate you will obviously need to wind the screw back in so at least 10-12mm of thread is in the hole.
Clean the screw thread and replace the screw but not tightly.
4. Remove, clean and replace each of the other two screws one at a time. Now you know they should all come out easily.
5. Get the new plate ready beside you along with the two spare long screws.
6. Remove the middle screw and replace it with a 50-60mm long one winding it in about 10-15mm - this gives your assistant something longer to pull on for the next stages.
7. Get your assistant in a seated comfortable position so that they can get a firm grip on the new long middle screw
They should be able to hold it in such a way that:
They can pull the long screw firmly straight outwards for 5-10 minutes if needed
Their hands will allow you to get to the other two screws with a screwdriver without them moving
They will not twist the screw while you are working
They will not obstruct you removing the plate and starting installation of the new one
8. Remove the bottom screw
9. Get your assistant to pull on the long middle screw to hold the inner plate against the inner hull without it twisting.
10. Remove the top screw and gently swing the old plate towards the bow (swings on middle hole) to reveal the top hole clear of the plate
11. Insert the second long screw through the top hole of the new plate and carefully insert the screw into the top hole and wind it into the inner plate by about 10-15mm ( if you push too hard you may disturb your assistant's grip on the inner plate so be gentle)
12. You now take a firm grip on this new top screw in the same manner as detailed for your assistant at 6 above.
13. With you now holding the inner plate firmly against the inner hull using the top screw your assistant can in one steady sequence:
Remove the long screw from the middle hole
Drop the old plate
Gently swing the new plate into line with the holes
Replace the middle and bottom 20mm screws gently without disturbing you or the inner plate
14. You can now remove the long top screw and replace the original 20mm one
15. Do all the screws up firmly
16. Sit back and grin
17. Go to bar (unless you are going to do the other hull plate as well - go to 2 and repeat!).
Noting Brian's comments on 'internal nuts' rather than a plate I suspect that my 756 loose screw probably means it does not have a plate - thus your 642 probably does not either. Thus the 'procedure' probably will not apply to holding the middle screw tight to hold the plate in place.
Even more care required putting the screws back in so that you do not cross thread or push the nut too much and thus break the 'glass' holding the nuts in place.
As Brian says tightening fractionally first can often help break the highest friction of a screw left tight for many years.
I have a Spark, 602, which I am trying to revive, gathering the bits from storage in the loft and various sheds.
I need to replace a broken forestay chain plate. I have doe this in the past, using the techniques given here. Very useful. This time however the inevitable has happened and two of the three screws are just rotating in the holes. I assume the 'nuts' behind have come loose.
A couple of the posts refer to access by cutting through the deck/deck flange. I'm not clear what a deck flange is. Given that the deck (top?) is textured is there any reason for not going in through the side of the hull, opposite the chain plate? It would seem an easier repair. Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
Good Show.
Good to hear that you still have the boat. Congratulations also on using the search facility on the forum to find this topic.
Regards
Bob
PS Are many Sprint 15s active at Filey these days?
From the Windsport team.
If you do not have a backing plate on your bow or shroud plates and the nuts spin or fall in the Windsport team recommend using rivet nuts rather than cutting into the deck. The full procedure has been detailed in various issues of the Sprint 15 mag but windsport can email a copy and have all the parts needed if you take that route.
Just call the Windsport technical support team.
