Chain Plate Tension Rod Adjustment

[Jon W]

Does anyone know the procedure to adjust/check the chain plate tension rod is installed correctly? Thanks for the help.

[LogoFreak]

Since no one has responded I'll chime in. I don't know if it's the way it's supposed to be but this is the way I did it. I removed the chain plates to inspect/clean/re-seal them, with the shrouds not attached I tighten the rods so they were tight and not rattling, that's it. I want the shrouds to transfer the load to the rods and not pull up on the deck, so tightening the rods (putting some pre-load on them) prior to attaching the shrouds and tensioning them satisfies that.

[Ron Hill]

Jon : I believe that Logo is correct. I believe that he meant "tight" not "right"!! 

Yes, if you tighten the rods too much then the rod deck fitting will tend to lift the deck!!

A few thoughts

[LogoFreak]

Correct Ron! Typo fixed 

[Jon W]

Thanks Logo, appreciate the input and think you're right. Your idea to tighten the nut just enough to take any slack out matches an old post I found last night from 2005 by Roc where he had called Gerry Douglas who said "to make them just snug enough".

This started because I noticed some fore and aft hairline cracks in the gelcoat fillet where the cabin side meets the deck between the port upper and aft lower chain plates. I'm thinking the tension rod isn't "snug enough" so allows the deck to flex and work the old gelcoat.

FWIW - Earlier in the week I asked Warren Pandy at Catalina what the process is for installing them and what does the factory do. In the past he has been very helpful, but I get the sense he's got a lot going on. His response was to torque to 35-40 ft/lbs. which I wasn't comfortable with. No response on how the factory does it, so I posted here and got the right answer. Thanks again.