Sailing SV Cordeliavideo
Our biggest boat REPAIR is finally OVER. Here's what's next.
December 8, 2023 · 22 min · 820 views · Martinique
What this video covers
Steve and Annette aboard their Venus 46 SV Cordelia, based in Martinique, complete a chain plate resealing job that caused significant water ingress during a 30-hour passage from Grenada on starboard tack.Watch All six chain plates — three per side, ten rigging attachment points on the main mast alone — had failed Sikaflex seals, some untouched for at least 20 years.4:19 Steve removed them in diagonal pairs, cleaned each pocket with acetone to roughly three-quarters of an inch depth, applied fresh Sikaflex, and re-tensioned the rig to taped and measured reference marks; custom washers made by the rig shop in Southampton ensured correct fit.4:53 Because SV Cordelia is keel-stepped, Steve could remove cap and intermediate shrouds without the mast going unstable.6:09 Two portholes were also resealed with new rubber surrounds.7:02 A separate freezer fault — traced to both a refrigerant issue and a dirty power supply — was resolved by rewiring the unit with tinned cable on a dedicated circuit, restoring it to minus 15°C.7:57 The crew also hired a car for a day trip around Martinique: buying a replacement TV at Leclerc, visiting St Pierre and its Mount Pelée eruption history and underwater wrecks, and exploring the island with their dog the crew's child.16:09 Proper Sikaflex depth, diagonal removal sequence, and rig measurement before disassembly are the key steps for chain plate resealing on a keel-stepped mast.
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