Re-caulk chainplates

[keepondancin]

I need to re-seal my through deck chain plates. Slight leak on one, but will do all. I have had very good luck with Life Caulk, and would use it again with no problem. All the talk of Butyl tape has me thinking. How do you push the Butyl down the thickness of the deck, so you have a seal completely along the chain plate. Very sticky stuff. I am thinking of using Life Caulk most of the way up, leave a small recess, then Butyl when I re-bed the deck plate.

[a64pilot]

Island Packet really researched the best material to seal chainplates with as they have “issues” with chainplates breaking when they get old and many believe its at least partially due to water intrusion at the deck penetration point.
The best thing they found for it is GE SCS 2000 sealant, which is a silicone based product, but isn’t anything like RTV silicone that we are all used to.
Products like 5200 etc fail due to not being flexible enough

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by keepondancin

I need to re-seal my through deck chain plates. Slight leak on one, but will do all. I have had very good luck with Life Caulk, and would use it again with no problem. All the talk of Butyl tape has me thinking. How do you push the Butyl down the thickness of the deck, so you have a seal completely along the chain plate. Very sticky stuff. I am thinking of using Life Caulk most of the way up, leave a small recess, then Butyl when I re-bed the deck plate.

Adding a consideration to A64's comment (above). If water has been penetrating the deck through a leaking chain plate then the chain plate should be inspected. This means removing the chain plate, cleaning it off and closely inspecting it. If ANY brown staining is visible then cracking somewhere is likely.

Since this has been reported as a known issue on Island Packets there is even more reason to look at them.

Chain plates can be removed one by one without un-stepping the mast. Any good welder can make new ones.

Here is a trick that a welder showed me: If you wonder about the integrity of a chainplate, hang it from a string and tap it with a small hammer. If it rings clear it should be good, if instead it clanks dully, it has a crack in it somewhere.