A chainplate is a metal plate used to fasten a shroud or stay to the hull of a sailboat to support the mast that sails are attached to. One end of the chainplate is normally fastened to a turnbuckle which is connected to the shroud or stay, whereas the remainder of the chainplate normally has multiple holes that are bolted to the hull, or the chains. This distributes the load across the hull, making it possible for a somewhat lighter hull to support the load of the shrouds and stays.Chainplates are commonly made from stainless steel or bronze. Stainless steel will corrode over time but bronze lasts the life of the yacht.
_q.jpg)
HINT:
👉 Chainplate in the context of Chains (nautical)
The chains, also called the chain-wales or channels, were small platforms, built on either side of the hull of a ship, used to provide a wide purchase for the shrouds, and to assist in the practice of depth sounding.
The chains provided a platform for a 'leadsman', the sailor assigned to swing the sounding line, or 'lead' into the water. The term originated from the practice of the sailor standing between the shrouds when casting the line, which were attached to the hull by chainplates, or, in earlier sailing ships, to lengths of chain along the ship's side. A length of chain was usually fixed at waist height to the stanchions above the chains, as an added safety measure. The chains were common on large sailing vessels, but the role of leadsman and swinging the lead to obtain depth soundings declined with developments in echo sounding, and ships are rarely now equipped with chains.
In this Dossier
Chainplate in the context of Shroud (sailing)
On a sailing ship, the shrouds are the standing rigging which holds the mast up from side to side. There is frequently more than one shroud on each side of the boat.
Usually a shroud will connect at the top of the mast, and additional shrouds might connect partway down the mast, depending on the design of the boat. Shrouds terminate at their bottom ends at the chain plates, which are tied into the hull. They are sometimes held outboard by channels, a ledge that keeps the shrouds clear of the gunwales.
View the full Wikipedia page for Shroud (sailing)