A cure for leaky
chainplates
Douglas Brooker breaks out the Bakelite –
and swears by the use of butyl masticGreat ideas and tips from PBO readers
Practical projects
Email your projects and tips to [email protected] or write to us at the
address at the top of page 5. We pay at least £30 for each one publishedCOST
AROUND
99pR
e reader Peter Lyle’s
project ‘Keep your
cool’ (PBO Summer
2015) about making his fridge
more effi cient, here’s another
road leading to similar or
better results!
I disposed of the fan altogether –
saving energy, getting rid of the
noise and the hot air in the cabin –
and welded two extensions to the
copper freon pipes (out/in). Now
the freon is circulated out via a
serpentine fl ow tube in the
through-hull fi tting where it is
cooled by seawater: it is fi tted at
the deepest part of the boat,
almost on the centre line. Then
it returns into the compressor
having been cooled by the
seawater. It works incredibly
well, especially in warmer climes.Now, a little
light relief
John Macdonald makes a low-wattage anchor
light from odds and ends – plus an outlay of 99p
T
he illustration shows the
only way I have been able
to stop through-deck
chainplates from leaking. The
‘bonnet’ is made of ¼in (6mm)
canvas Bakelite, also known as
Tufnol or Novasteen.
It has probably gone the way
of the dodo, but can be found in
old switchboards or similar. It is
an inert material and can be
worked with woodworking or
metalworking tools.
The secret is to use butyl masticfor the sealant. This is the old
windscreen sealant and is a little
like Blu-Tack. It stays sticky for
years, so it can move with the
chainplate while your boat is lying
on her side with the sails fl ogging.
It will then re-adhere after the
movement stops. Silicone rubber
or Sika are not suitable, either
under a bonnet or a welded
fl ange, because if stretched too far
after they cure the seal will break
and they will leak, permanently.
The top of the bonnet fi ts neatly
around the chainplate, with the
underside of the hole opened
out to leave room for the
sealant. If the deck is
opened out around
the chainplate it will
allow a little more
sealant, but
remember
to seal
the
exposed
deck edge.We’re so cool we
don’t need fans
Alkis Logothetis describes his method
of increasing the effi ciency of his boat’s fridge
The galley water discharge through-hull fi ttingN
eeding a low-wattage light
for use under my cockpit
cover and also to double
as an anchor light, I shook out
the contents of my scantling bag
to look for suitable components.
There I found a 12V plug, a
length of electrical fl ex, a cable
clamp, a cable connector and a
12V LED white light block. All that
was needed to complete the
job was a refl ector. This came
in the form of a garden light
from the local 99p store from
which I removed the solar bulb
and replaced with the LED
block. Half an hour’s effort with
a screwdriver and pincers then
produced the result shown – a
99p dual-purpose cockpit lamp!