Chainplate design - is this safe?

[Billy Higgins]

I have concerns about the safety of the chainplates on a boat that I hope to purchase. The chainplates in question are on a fiberglass "Pacific 30" sloop built in 1985; and they are actually loops of stainless rod, bent over 180 degrees (like a croquet wicket), and are fiberglassed into the hull skin on the inside of the hull. All that is visible above deck is the loop, maybe 5 or 6 cm proud of the deck, with the rest buried in the hull out of sight. My concern is that they may be suffering from oxygen starvation corrosion where buried deep in the fiberglass. Or even more likely in the intra-deck space where they enter the hull. Digging them out for inspection is not really an option due to the destruction involved, and of course the impossibility of replacing them in the same manner once removed.
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One solution would be to simply add conventional external-strap chainplates, which would only slightly expand the shroud spread. I'd like to take this boat offshore, so this is not a trivial matter.
Any suggestions from the CF crew?

[Cheechako]

If they just have a glassed over backing plate and arent tied to the hull or a bulkhead.... probably not too good, even if dont have oxygen depletion....

[James S]

Sure I'm no expert but from what you've described I would be dubious.
Suggestion...what ever you do, do it right , do it once.

[tropicalescape]

Was reading a blog and the fellow described his chainplates as looking like U-bolts is that what you have?..DVC

[Billy Higgins]

Yes, they do indeed look like U-bolts. (Maybe they are; it will be hard to tell until the survey, if then.)

[tropicalescape]

I think its a proven way to do it ..I never saw the design but read in one of Fatty Goodlanders books that he had delt with something like that ?..I think ...DVC