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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Winch Chainplates

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/13/2005 : 09:12:20

I want to put backing plates, chainplates if you will on my cabin top winches. I am however unable to locate these at any of the common suppliers. Is this an item that has to be custom made?

Thanks for any pointers.

Rick

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 09:44:52

I've never seen any of these 'pre made' either... always made my own.

For my cabin top winch I just used oversized stainless washers as backing... commonly known as fender washers.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 11:27:29

If you want to go beefier than fender washers, go to your local metal supply shop and buy some scrap 1/4 inch aluminum plate. Easy to cut to shape and makes great backing plates.

Edited by - on

existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 11:46:47

Thanks guys, I just didn't know if I was missing them due to the wrong name. I'll make my own.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 18:43:53

I have never seen backing plates on winches. I do however remember the day I ripped the starboard primary out of the coaming on a Catalina 22. The amount of coaming that came up was fairly large, certainly larger than the bolt pattern of the winch.

Rick, did you get my email?

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 04/13/2005 18:47:18

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 19:15:50

<center><b>Backing Plates</b></center>
The need for custom backing plates comes up from time to time. Here's what I do. Using WEST resin and scraps of fiberglass roving and cloth, I laid up a sheet of epoxy fiberglass maybe 1'x2'x3/16". For a "mold" I used a couple sheets of waxed paper on a smooth bench top, and a scrap of thick plywood clamped on top of more waxed paper. When I need a custom backing plate, I cut it out of that sheet with a jigsaw. These have the advantage of being non-corrosive, and slightly flexible, similar to the fiberglass they're reinforcing.

It's important that backing plates conform the the material they're supposed to be backing up. Otherwise, they concentrate stress at their points of contact, and you're back to the original problem. I generally bed my backing plates with either epoxy thickened with milled fiberglass (rather permanent), or heavy setting bedding compound of some kind (polyurithane, polysulfide, etc.). This can also help you create a (sturdy) flat surface to fasten against where there wasn't one previously. To further reduce stress concentration, you can use a sander or grinder to put a long bevel on the edges of the fiberglass plates much easier than on metal ones, and with less chance of cracking and splitting than on wooden ones.

And yes, winches should be well backed up. Besides the anticipated loads from sheets and halyards, there are occassions when one really needs a sturdy winch to drag a boat (yours or another's) out of a bad spot, retrieve very stuck, very expensive, ground tackle, an additional tie-up point of a storm, etc. When such needs arise, it's too late to add the backing plates then!

-- Leon Sisson

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Waterboy
Navigator

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USA
204 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2005 : 19:25:39

This thread makes me wonder what type (if any) backing plates are on my '95 250 (I don't have immediate access to it at the moment so I can look fer myself). Is this something commonly thought wise to upgrade on a 250? Tearing off a winch, especially in a tight spot would, in a word, suck.

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2005 : 01:09:32

Wait! Frank you can't make a statement like that and not tell us the story! What happened?

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2005 : 05:40:08

Frank,

I got the email regarding the Capri's racing at the Nationals and I posted it to the members of the Capri 25 club. If you have sent me anything other than that, I have not received it. I don't know how much interest it will generate in the club. As much as I'd love to go I don't have a trailer and I had to put in for my vacation in January, so I wouldn't have that time off regardless.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2005 : 07:46:23

Thanks Rick, yes that was the e-mail.

Tim,
I was in Oklahoma skippering a friend's 22 in a fall regatta on lake Ft Gibson. It was a good blow. We were having trouble getting the main set well because although the lines were lead aft there was no cabintop winch. So I lead the tail to the primary and began to crank. Ripped that sucker right out. About 5 minutes later the rudder kicked up from the weather helm pressure. I bore off by sheeting out the main and leaving the headsail hard, leaned over the transom and got it back down. I tightened the handle on the compression plate and headed back up. Within minutes the there was a loud bang and the handle on the compression plate had blown off taking the bolt with it. After we stopped laughing we made it back to the dock, put the boat on his trailer and the next week he ordered an S2 6.9!

Edited by - on

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