Moody 31 MkII Moody 31 Chainplate Leak

[David A Evans]

I'm just about to buy a Moody 31 but the survey states that the chainplates are leaking. The surveyor said that this could cause problems with the balsa core and worse case scenario could cause the rig to fail!!

So question is is leaking shroud chainplates common in Moody 31 and does it cause major problem?. Do other owners cut inspection hatches into deck or cabin joinery to keep an eye on these?

David

 

[Ben Robilliard]

I lifted and resealed mine when I bought, a couple of years ago.
No indication that they were or are leaking.
I don't have inspection holes yet.
If the core is not already damaged, which I think would be evident?, then it might be enough to reseal them.
If there is confirmed evidence of a leak then it would be prudent to check the bolt integrity and wood plate condition.
This might be more than a visual by endoscopy, and would require access being made, either by cabinet removal or holes being cut.
If you need to repair the wood mount plates, then it's a cabinet out job, and would be worth getting quotes to reduce the purchase price accordingly.

 

[Peter Wright]

Hi David,

The design of chainplate mounting and sealing with dinky little stainless plates screwed onto the deck was common to many Moody models up to the M44. In my view, it is quite adequate as long as the seal remains effective but, as your surveyor says, can cause major problems if leaks persist for any time.

The leaks start as the sealant used to bed the sealing plates hardens with age and cracks. Owners who are aware of this simply lift the plates, dig out the old sealant and reseal from time to time. My preference as sealant is butyl rubber, which will remain flexible far longer than the original sealant used. This simple preventive maintenance will avoid water getting into the deck core around the chainplates or the marine ply part bulkheads to which the chainplates are bolted.

Do a search on this site for chainplates, without specifying the model, and you will find a wealth of information and experience.

Peter.