I might suggest removing and checking all your chainplates for cracks. I used an aircraft dye a mine (a benefit of haiving another expensive hobby) and found two with cracks. Of course, any elongated holes are automatic replacement candidates as well. I replaced all of mine and kept two that seemed to be OK. I had them re-elctro-polished and I keep them for spares. I also epoxy glassed underneath my chainplates onto and area on my bulkheads and re-drilled my bolt holes. This is now a lot tougher substrate as a result. I also routed out of sight grounding wires to the bilge. Inspecting all the thru-deck holes and properly re-bedding them was also a plus.
I know, I only have a 25, but I like making each project better than when it left the factory.
If I may add to that:
When I enquired into the cost of having my chainplates dyed and inspected, it was just over half the cost of replacing them, so I skipped that step. I got a local machine shop to make up new ones, modelled on the old with one change: the are of uniform thickness. I am not sure why the old ones were cut thinner below the deck, but since I had to pay for the steel plate at the maximum thickness, I used it for the whole chainplate, eliminating a stress point in the process. They were $60 each (or maybe together, I forget), but the price of quality stainless fluctuates highly depending on the Chinese economy.
The wooden covers over the chainplates in the 35-2 always struck me as stupid, by trapping water and making inspection impossible; so I got rid of them in addition to glassing the bulkhead as you describe. I think shiny chainplates look good in the cabin.
There are two schools of thought on grounding shrouds/stays for lightning. The mast needs to be grounded no matter what. If you also ground the shrouds/stays, it may encourage the charge away from the mast, and increase the chance of rig failure in a strike. But if done properly, it will also create a Faraday cage around the boat, protecting the crew inside.
Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972
