Chain Plates Installed

What are chain plates you might ask? Well these are the fittings that are bolted to the hull and hold up the mast(s). The lines holding the mast for and aft are called stays, and the lines holding the mast port and starboard are called shrouds. The lines for our boat are going to be made out of galvanized steel and served. More about this later.

Here they are installed on the aft part of the ship. The rear two are used for the mizzen mast shrouds and the forward one is for the main mast, mainstay. The picture on the right shows how they are bolted to the hull and stiffened with the doubles in behind.

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This how I build the standoff to hold the midship chain plates. By moving them out it provides better stability for the shrouds and allows me to walk under them without hitting my head.


Here are the midship shroud plates for the main mast They are securely bolted to the standoff, with the end of the large bolt, then 3 more bolts through the hull. The hulls bolts mount through the inside rib which is not completed at this time.


Here are the whisker plates. These hold the chains for the tip of the bowsprit.