J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Rig Tune

So OK after 30 years, it was time for us to pull the chain plates off and check them out ... with so many people reporting required action.

Observations:
1. if there is staining on the bulkheads ... it is because the balsa has rotted in the deck around the chain plate.
2. After 30 years there is very minor signs of chainplate steel damage on #505.
3. Butyl rubber is the only way to seal the chainplate at the deck.

I elected to do a simple 1/2 plywood backer plate on the starboard side and bolted it into the hull flange ... only because I had taken the door and closet wall off thinking I would have to replace the existing plywood, but it was OK, not perfect, but not soft at the holes drilled in to it. So I just did a carpenter thing and sistered a 1/2 in. layer on the existing bulkhead. The port side had some staining on the bulkhead but sounded solid.

The birch laminate was stained and unfortunately looked like it would have been a real hassle to restore so I just painted enough to look clean.

Will advise how this program works in another 10 years.