Dear Ribbony,
The link plate scenario you mention is a common mistake that is perpetrated on an unsuspecting owner/builder when the mast maker is asked for a (cheaper than discontinuous) twin spreader continuous rig and the builder forgets to read the plans, which should provide the right number of chainplates for either rig, or enquire of the mast maker just how many chainplates are needed.
I have seen it often.
Picture this:-
The proud owner of, usually a self built, hard chine, steel boat arrives at the marina, (on a Friday at 3 p.m.) with his kit-form mast and rigging already loosly assembled and laid on the cabin top of the aforesaid five-year-project-yacht..
"Just step this mast and swage the lower ends for me will you?, I have got people coming for the launching tommorow and we are off to New Zealand on Wednesday!"
After a quick look at the mast and boat the question arrises" How many chainplates did you fit, you are one short each side, has someone stolen them?"
"What do you mean? cries the owner, I only built what was on the plans. I did move the starboard aft lower chainplate in a couple of feet and the compression post forward a foot so I could fit the bigger shower room my wife wanted but that wont be a problem will it?
After many heart rending conversations, delays to the owner's plans, and also after having to dissasemble and correctly re-assemble the rig, the rigger is faced (against his better judgement, but in the interests of trying to help this poor, uninformed owner/builder get some kind of rig in his boat before his family disown him), with suggesting, purely as a stop-gap solution, the sort of bodge you have ended up with, with the caveat that it should be rectified with the proper number of chainplates and the correct length stays at the earliest convenience.
Of course this rectification never comes to pass and the problem travels down the life of the boat through the ownership path until someone like yourself asks the right questions.
It is a horrible compromise. Your options are:-
1. Leave it in place. "Well, it has not caused any trouble yet" (not advised). or,
2. Install the correct number and size of new chainplates.
Somewhat in it's favour, the pin in the chainplate looks to be the larger of the three and the plates seem to be substantial.
That said, The chainplate looks small for the loads and the whole thing will rock backwards and forwards with the fluctuating loads on the two shrouds and tuning will be more involved, with the tension on one shroud directly influencing the other.
Whenever I am asked an opinion about someones chainplates I ask this question of the owner
"Would you be happy to lift your boat out of the water using only your chainplates?'
That gets them scurrying about and stabbing at a calculator, I can tell you!
If you have the heart for the job and a welder handy, get rid of the things!
Regards,
Joe Henderson.
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