Athena 38: Chain Plate Removal

[Boatfreak]

Hi

I have noticed a rust streak on my chainplates and I would like to get them of and inspect and replace if necessary. I would like to remove the GRP chainplate cover without damaging it or the surrounding headlining. Does anyone out there have any useful tips ?

Thanks

[Benz]

Hard to say anything without a picture or two, but usually a chainplate cover will have a flange around the edge which is screwed or bolted into the bulkhead (or deckhead). If you see no fasteners, you'll have to figure out what holds it in. If it's wood trim, you might have to drill out plugs to get at the screws....
Post some pics and we'll be able to help better.

[Boatfreak]

Hi Benz

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately the boat is in Montenegro and I am in the UK and I didn't think to take photos before I left. There doesn't appear to be anything on the internet either.

It is a Fountaine Pajot catamaran from 2003 and I think the chainplate arrangement is similar on all the boats of that generation, so the Bahia 46, Tobago 35, Belize 43, Eleuthera 60 etc. The chainplates are not on a bulkhead but on the side of the hull and visible externally. There are no visible fastenings on the outside as shown in this picture from the web. Sorry, I don't know how to insert it as a clickable hyperlink.

https://www.inautia.com/boat/1995-fo...na-38-9086722/

The bit I am worried about is removing the cover inside. It is a grp moulding , about the size of a mans palm, again with no visible fastenings. The hull to which it is attached is lined with an unfoamed vinyl. It is very neat, but I can't recall if the grp cover is over the vinyl or the other way round. I'm sure I can remove it by levering it off by brute force, I imagine it is Sikaflexed in place, but I don't want to damage it or the headlining unless absolutely necessary. If someone has done it on one of these or a similar FP they may have some insights.

Thanks