[Public-list] thx for chainplate info and advice, and some thoughts on winter covers

[FINNUS505 at aol.com]

Hi Guys,
 
Thanks again for taking the time to give the info and advice on the  
chainplate bolt replacement project. I'm just going to tackle the uppers and the  
backstay this year. I am going to remove the chainplates so I can give them a  
good lookover, as you recommend. 
 
It's gotten cold here in Mass now; 30's during the day, and 20's at night.  I 
guess winter is here. Glad I was able to get the cover on when I did two 
weeks  ago!!! If you remember....... :), I bought a piece of shrink wrap from the 
yard  last year and did it myself with a heat gun. I wondered if I was going 
to be  able to use the piece again, and now that it is up, and has survived our 
first  snow, I guess it is OK, and I'll share it with you all, in case anyone 
still has  to cover their boat, and is considering an alternative to tarps.
 
For a frame, I used PVC pipe; I think it was 2" diameter for the ridge  pole, 
and 1/2" diameter for the ribs, or  'frames'. The ridge pole sat on  the bow 
pulpit, was lashed to the mast about 6 inches below the main halyard  winch, 
and was lashed to the backstay, about 6 inches below the lower insulator.  Each 
frame was of two halfs, each starting with 8 foot lengths, the two joining  
in the middle by slipping into an 8" long sleeve of PVC pipe that was big 
enough  inside diameter for them to fit into. I taped the two halfs in so they 
wouldn't  slip out, then I bent the complete frame into a semi-circle arch, the 
middle  pushing up against the bottom of the ridge pole. Then I cut the frame to 
 length so that the end would sit in the angle of the toe rail and deck. I 
put a  piece of carpet under the PVC where it sat against the deck/toerail angle 
and  taped it to the frame, so it wouldn't chafe, and tied a bit of line from 
the  frame to the nearest stantion, or car on the genny track, etc, to 
stabilize it.  I ended up with 9 frames spaced fairly evenly apart. To further 
stabilize the  frames, I ran a for and aft rigging line at the 'shoulder' of each 
frame,  starting at the bow pulpit, a clove hitch on each frame, and ending on 
the stern  pulpit. 
 
 
I made a hatch in the cover so that I can come and go to work on the boat  
all winter. I cut a rectangle in the cover about 3' high by 2' across where my  
ladder goes up the side of the boat by the cockpit, and taped the frames to 
the  shrinkwrap there to strengthen and stiffen the area. The flap that covers 
the  hole is taped in place along it's top edge. The flap is about a foot wider 
than  the hole, so it overlaps about 6 inches on either side. Four pieces of  
small diameter PVC pipe are taped across the inside of the flap to stiffen 
it.  To get in the boat, I roll up the flap, and tie it off with a line, to a 
loop  that is taped above the top of the outside of the flap. When closed, the 
flap is  secured down with two lines, each being taped to the inside of the 
flap, and  each being tied to a wrung of the ladder. The ladder is made of 2x 
6's, and so  is really heavy!!!

 
Last spring I cut the shrink wrap off at 'strategic' places, planning to  
reuse it again this year.  Indispensible to being able to do this is the  white, 
industrial shrink wrap tape that comes in 4 inch widths.  Though a  little 
expensive, 20 bucks for a roll, it is nice to work with an industrial  product 
that really works, as opposed to so many consumer items which don't, and  are 
just a waste of money.
 
When covering a boat with the mast up, how to keep water coming in the  holes 
around the mast, stays and shrouds is always a problem. I didn't do such a  
good job last year. :) This year, I got the main shrink wrap as close to these  
structures as I could, then I made an additional boot out of shrink wrap and 
the  white shrink wrap tape, and got as good a seal as I could.  I had to get  
the boot around the mast and stays before the shrink wrap was settled around 
the  hull, because once it was, I couldn't get to those places from the 
outside. 
 
It's hard to describe the pattern I made to deal with the shrouds, but  
basicaly, the cut for the shrouds is a for and aft, horizontal line at the level  
of the tops of the lifeline stantions. This cut meets a vertical cut abaft the  
last shroud. Once the shrinkwrap is placed on the rest of the boat and the  
vertical cut is taped closed, the horizontal cut is taped with the shrink wrap  
tape. I didn't tape directly to the shrouds, because I will be loosening them 
 this year when I do the chainplate project. But otherwise, I think taping to 
the  shrouds themselves would further help keep water out.
 
There is something so cosy about pushing through a boatyard full of snow,  
clambering up a ladder into a covered boat, getting the heater going and doing  
work on a boat in the winter. Bring a thermos of hot coffee, for sure!!!!!  :)
 
Lee
Stargazer #255