Wanted : Shroud chainplates

[christanner]

Hello all. Does anyone know where I can find a pair of the bronze shroud 'chainplates' that attach to the coachroof? I'm fitting an extra set of shrouds. I see a few others have done the same (Mudlark, Winkle) Chris

[David Bone]

Hello Chris,

I got mine made up by Classic Marine, of bronze plate, to the same pattern as originals.
(WB 107)

David

[Martin]

The ones I fitted for 'Winkle' were stainless steel from a local fabricator. Quick and easy and not expensive.

[christanner]

Thanks both.

They don't seem to be off-the-shelf, so I'll go with a stainless plate fixed towards the forward end of the coachroof where there's a gap between the gunwale and the cabin moulding. Pretty much inline with the mast.

I'll be sailing WB100 a fair bit off the coast here next year so want to provide some redundancy in the rig. Planning to add an inner forestay too; down to the stem.

[Martin]

Personally, I would place the second plates sightly aft of the mast rather than exactly in line with it. In this way you get the added advantage of fore and aft mast support if you were to lose the other shroud on that side. Particularly important in heavy weather when you are running with foresail(s) only.   

[David Bone]

I agree and mounted second shrouds, attached to a lower mast band, in parallel with the originals for this reason.
Also, in addition to an inner forestay, consider an internal mast support, essential if you intend to push the boat. (Martin's 'Strengthening for coastal use.)

[Paul Thomas]

I am planning this modification. I will use the plates from the front of the cabin which are currently used for the halyards, which I will replace with home made stainless versions. I have also acquired a load of ss rigging wire and bottlescrews from my mate's much larger ketch, which I intend to use instead of the galvanised shrouds which are standard. Nothing against galvanised, but I would prefer it to match.

[Martin]

From experience I would advise not using the bottle screws with the stainless rigging wire on a Winklebrig unless you are leaving the mast up all season.

For a while I used this combination and with the mast going up and down the rigidity of the  bottle screws caused the wire to bend in unnatural places and stainless wire is not good if it is constantly being bent and straightened. I kept the stainless wire but dispensed with the bottle screws.(On an untuned gaff rig you don't want/need the tension provided by a bottle screw anyway).

[Paul Thomas]

Yes. I would prefer to use lanyards, but the rigger told me that the ss wire won't go round a thimble.

[Martin]

Hi Paul.
If you are having to have a rigid fixing of the wire into the bottle screw, I would suggest that this is even less suitable for a raising and lowering mast situation, as you are bound to get kinks and fatigue in the wire just above the bottle screw. Remember, it is difficult to see fatigue in stainless wire until it fails!

[David Bone]

Hello Paul,

Good to see you back on the forum.

I had my shrouds made up by S3i.co.uk in 5mm, 316 stainless 7/7 wire rope, with a talurit splice and hard thimble eye each end. The thimble being quite big enough to take several turns of rope lanyard.

jimmygreen.com will do the same in 1/19 or 7/19 S/S wire rope.

I went for the 7/7 configuration as it is strong but with a degree of flexibility.

Good Luck.

David
.......

[Paul Thomas]

Thanks Martin and David for your input and experience. I don't need to do anything at all, but I acquired the ss wire for this purpose. Having supported the mizzen mast of a Colvic ketch for a few years, it will need resizing. Each piece has an eye on one end, the other having been cut off, so I can use whatever fitting is best. I was told by the rigger who fitted the new rigging that it (7mm ss) would not go around a thimble, so I was considering an adjustable assembly with a fork fitting. If David has thimbles, then, Iwant them too. David, I am looking at a picture of Hope alongside the pontoon in the gallery. I'm guessing those are the new ss shrouds I can see as the new high peaked sail and spars are fitted?

[David Bone]

Hello again Paul,
As your rigger says, 7mm, 1/19 wire is probably too stiff to go round a standard thimble.
Suggest you consider a swaged fixed eye end fitting, to which you can attach a bow shackle. I now have one on the bobstay lower fitting.  (See jimmygreen.com  wire rigging fittings/wire terminals for examples.)

Yes the picture shows 5mm stainless shrouds with talurit splices and standard thimbles.