Chain Plates | Making Spacers

The chain plates are practically the last hardware items to be fitted to the upper hull, but this cannot be done until PocketShip is on her trailer.

This is because the mast has to be raised to allow the shrouds to be correctly aligned with the chain plates, so that the latter can be accurately fitted.

We could guess at their positioning and fit the chain plates now, but the chances of it going wrong are high - so we will wait!

One thing I did discover when initially offering up the chain plates was that they are extremely close to the toe rails.

This pic shows roughly where the chain plates will be fitted, with three machine screws to secure them to the cabin sides.

And this pic shows how close they are to the toe rails at the edge of the cabin roof.

They aren't quite touching now, but they will do when the boat and the mast start flexing around - which will gouge the toe rails and possibly bend the chain plates.

A spacer was clearly required, to sit between the chain plate and the cabin side in order to distance it from the toe rail.

I marked up some spacers from two thicknesses of scrap marine ply and coated them with clear epoxy resin. Like this.

Then I sanded them and clamped them together, like this.

And then I drilled holes for the machine screws, like this.

The spacers were then cut out and shaped, and a second coat of clear epoxy resin was applied. Here they are, hanging up to cure.

Finally here are the finished spacers, sanded and ready for fitting as required, depending on what thickness is necessary.

I hope they are adequate - otherwise I will have to make some more!