Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
The port side forward lower shroud eyebolt failed on Sunday while underway.
The rig is tensioned to be fairly tight, but not crazy...When at 25 deg of heel, the lee-side shrouds have a little play in them.
We were close hauled and making 6 - 6.2 knots at about 25 deg, when we crossed the wake of a +50' cruiser who was too close and going too fast for the area we were all in. When crossing the wake ~ easy 4' swells ~ we came down hard and the eyebolt failed.
I immediately let loose the genny and main sheets to relieve strain on the mast, then furled the genny and dropped the main. We secured the flailing shroud and motored back to the yard.
CD has upgraded the replacement eyebolts from 3/8" to 1/2". I ordered a set and will replace all this weekend. Will also inspect the uppershroud chain plates.
The eyebolt failed due to corrosion. I have never inspected them in the 9 years we've had Whisper and believe them to be original parts...35 years old…we got away easy on this one, I need to be more vigilant and thorough with inspections..
That's probably the reason Catalina upgraded to thicker eyebolts. Crevice corrosion like rust never sleeps...Tic,Tic,Tic.. Here is an example of a SS bolt that never gets to dry out. Scary huh, Now you won't sleep at night..
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688 Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound
Jerry, It's an internet photo showing what crevice corrosion can do. Crevice corrosion occurs where ever the metal gets wet and stays wet, Not having any air circulation to dry out as in a bolt or chain plate that passes through a hull or is attached to a hull. The caulk fails and water seeps into the crack between the bolt or chainplate and never can air dry in that little crevice and slowly corrodes the metal. Most standing rigging failures also occur in the swag joint corroding and pulling out, Not the wire breaking.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688 Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound
Ah and yet another reason not to sleep! My1980 was a derelict before she became mine. Despite survey saying otherwise I have always been concerned with my keel bolts and now it appears the chain plates, which look fine, may be suspect as well. This is when having an X-ray would be sweet!
Peter Bigelow C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick Rowayton, Ct Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT
...and now it appears the chain plates, which look fine, may be suspect as well. This is when having an X-ray would be sweet!
Cheaper to just replace them. The upper shroud plates are the biggest risk, IMHO--possible crevice corrosion inside the deck they go through, and they share primary responsibility (with the forestay and backstay) for holding the mast up. CD has the direct replacements--not cheap, but good insurance on a 30+ year-old rig.
There is a cost to owning an older boat. It needs a little $love$.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Greetings After reading this thread I checked mine and they are indeed the "1/2" ones. Should I still dismantle one of the forward shroud eyebolts to inspect? Thanks Jan
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.