Chinese rig: more beauty and greater peace of mind
Before a Chinese sail can be fitted the old Bermudan rig must be removed. Not just may, rigging and sails, but deck fittings too; jib sheet tracks, mainsheet traveller, winches and chocolates. On the Hunter 19, the chainplates protrude from the middle of the already narrow side decks. Anyone going forward in a hurry runs the risk of stubbing a toe and/or going overboard, so I was happy to see the back of them.
Probably, equally important beneficial is the potential to fill more than fifty holes in the deck. Each jib sheet track alone has a dozen bolt holes. Each one has the potential to leak. In the least this could lead to dampness below decks, even corrosion of electrical hardware. But worse still it could weaken the deck. This typically remains hidden until exposed by heavy weather; with potentially disastrous consequences. One potential defect caused by leaky deck fittings is corrosion. I discovered this by accident with a Folkboat I owned a few years ago. Whil clambering aboard from the dinghy I grabbed the backstay for support and had the chainplate bolt break off just below deck level. A stainsteel fitting of 10mm diameter sheered off like a piece of chalk. There had been no evidence of corrosion beforehand. What had happened was that a small break in the integrity of the sealant had trapped water in the hole beside the fitting and over the years, corrosion had completely eaten away at the fitting.
Living without all those holes and deck fittings offers more peace of mind than we will ever know. Aesthetically, the deck of a small boat almost totally devoid of fittings is a thing of beauty.
Probably, equally important beneficial is the potential to fill more than fifty holes in the deck. Each jib sheet track alone has a dozen bolt holes. Each one has the potential to leak. In the least this could lead to dampness below decks, even corrosion of electrical hardware. But worse still it could weaken the deck. This typically remains hidden until exposed by heavy weather; with potentially disastrous consequences. One potential defect caused by leaky deck fittings is corrosion. I discovered this by accident with a Folkboat I owned a few years ago. Whil clambering aboard from the dinghy I grabbed the backstay for support and had the chainplate bolt break off just below deck level. A stainsteel fitting of 10mm diameter sheered off like a piece of chalk. There had been no evidence of corrosion beforehand. What had happened was that a small break in the integrity of the sealant had trapped water in the hole beside the fitting and over the years, corrosion had completely eaten away at the fitting.
Living without all those holes and deck fittings offers more peace of mind than we will ever know. Aesthetically, the deck of a small boat almost totally devoid of fittings is a thing of beauty.
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