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Chain drop pipes Amel 54 - what material?

Martin Birkhoff
 

Hello all,

for some time now we have been wondering about the enormous amount of rust in our chain lockers. The rust definitely does not come from the chains. Both chains are made of duplex. Does anyone know what material the drop pipes are made of? I assumed they were made of stainless steel. But the quantity of rust development speaks against this.

Any information?

Fair winds
Martin
SY Mago del Sur - 54#40 
Nick Newington
 

Hi Martin,

On my 54 they are galvanised steel. From the outside they look good but I am sure that they shed rust too.

I see no reason why one could not use plastic 100mm underground drainage pipe. Very robust and inexpensive. You would need some kind of coupling top and bottom. They would eventually wear out, but design them for easy change. Alternatively glass them in.

Kind regards

Nick S/Y Amelia

AML 54-019

Leros

On 16 Nov 2022, at 17:39, Martin Birkhoff <mbirkhoff@...> wrote:

Hello all,

for some time now we have been wondering about the enormous amount of rust in our chain lockers. The rust definitely does not come from the chains. Both chains are made of duplex. Does anyone know what material the drop pipes are made of? I assumed they were made of stainless steel. But the quantity of rust development speaks against this.

Any information?

Fair winds
Martin
SY Mago del Sur - 54#40 
CW Bill Rouse
 

I have the procedure from another Amel owner. Want it?
image.png


CW Bill Rouse Amel Owners Yacht School
720 Winnie, Galveston Island, Texas 77550 
   


On Wed, Nov 16, 2022 at 11:56 AM Nick Newington via groups.io <ngtnewington=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
Hi Martin,

On my 54 they are galvanised steel. From the outside they look good but I am sure that they shed rust too.

I see no reason why one could not use plastic 100mm underground drainage pipe. Very robust and inexpensive. You would need some kind of coupling top and bottom. They would eventually wear out, but design them for easy change. Alternatively glass them in.

Kind regards

Nick S/Y Amelia

AML 54-019

Leros

On 16 Nov 2022, at 17:39, Martin Birkhoff <mbirkhoff@...> wrote:

Hello all,

for some time now we have been wondering about the enormous amount of rust in our chain lockers. The rust definitely does not come from the chains. Both chains are made of duplex. Does anyone know what material the drop pipes are made of? I assumed they were made of stainless steel. But the quantity of rust development speaks against this.

Any information?

Fair winds
Martin
SY Mago del Sur - 54#40 
Louis Trepanier
 

Hello Martin,

On my boat, the paint peeled-off on the outside of the tube and I could see that these are galvanized steel pipes. I guess that only customs boats made for deep-pocket oligarchs could afford ss pipes for this application. 

I experienced the same problem and used a spray product specific for rust control at the beginning and end of each season. It works fine but being away from the boat for the winter season, I can’t tell you the name of the product (Rust-away or something like that). I also used this product on the hinges of the chain locker door  since they were deteriorating fast due to inevitable sea water ingress in the front lazarelle when sailing had to weather.

Louis Trepanier
A 54 (2008)

 I am away from my boat now for the winter season and can’t tell you the name of the product used

On Nov 16, 2022, at 12:39 PM, Martin Birkhoff <mbirkhoff@...> wrote:

Hello all,

for some time now we have been wondering about the enormous amount of rust in our chain lockers. The rust definitely does not come from the chains. Both chains are made of duplex. Does anyone know what material the drop pipes are made of? I assumed they were made of stainless steel. But the quantity of rust development speaks against this.

Any information?

Fair winds
Martin
SY Mago del Sur - 54#40 
CW Bill Rouse
 

Louis. 

You need to correct what you describe as rust near the hinges at the bow compartment. Chances are that the sealant on the screws is gone and the steel plates embedded in the deck are rusting. Those steel plates may look as bad as this one, if not, they eventually will look like this:
image.png

Regarding the Hawse Pipe, you have several choices. I happen to like the heavy-duty PVC. It may only last 5 years and the original galvanized installed in Amels will routinely last at least 15 years and sometimes much more...yours is about 15 years old. It really depends on how much freshwater you send inside the hawse pipe.
image.png
 


CW Bill Rouse Amel Owners Yacht School
720 Winnie, Galveston Island, Texas 77550 
   

On Wed, Nov 16, 2022 at 2:51 PM Louis Trepanier <louis.alepa@...> wrote:
Hello Martin,

On my boat, the paint peeled-off on the outside of the tube and I could see that these are galvanized steel pipes. I guess that only customs boats made for deep-pocket oligarchs could afford ss pipes for this application. 

I experienced the same problem and used a spray product specific for rust control at the beginning and end of each season. It works fine but being away from the boat for the winter season, I can’t tell you the name of the product (Rust-away or something like that). I also used this product on the hinges of the chain locker door  since they were deteriorating fast due to inevitable sea water ingress in the front lazarelle when sailing had to weather.

Louis Trepanier
A 54 (2008)

 I am away from my boat now for the winter season and can’t tell you the name of the product used

On Nov 16, 2022, at 12:39 PM, Martin Birkhoff <mbirkhoff@...> wrote:

Hello all,

for some time now we have been wondering about the enormous amount of rust in our chain lockers. The rust definitely does not come from the chains. Both chains are made of duplex. Does anyone know what material the drop pipes are made of? I assumed they were made of stainless steel. But the quantity of rust development speaks against this.

Any information?

Fair winds
Martin
SY Mago del Sur - 54#40 
Thomas Kleman
 

When replacing the Amel galvanized chain drop pipe with plastic, it’s important to consider the windlass support. Three bolts are supported by fiberglass “wafers” under the deck. The starboard aft bolt is supported by a steel bracket mount which holds the chain drop in place (and rusts). I molded a resin header which fits into the chain drop pipe and receives the aft starboard windlass bolt. Same thickness as the 3 other wafer supports and corrosion proof…….a bit tricky to mold. But if my PVC drop pipe ever breaks its an hour job to replace it.

Personally, doing this project again with galvanized steel or just glassing over the rust problem seems a bit half-a**ed.

Thomas Kleman
SV L’ORIENT
SM2K 422
Danny and Yvonne SIMMS
 

Hi. I replaced mine with a stainless tube. I wanted to retain Amels original fixing of the stbd aft bolt to the tube which is glassed into the floor of the locker giving a lot of strength and not putting the load on the deck. I couldn't see a pvc tube filling this function.I put a flange at the top drilled to take the bolt. At the bottom I welded a collar to give attachment to the fiber glass cloth I moulded it to the floor with.
Regards
Danny
SM 299
Ocean Pearl

On 18/11/2022 05:20 NZDT Thomas Kleman <lorient422@...> wrote:
 
 
When replacing the Amel galvanized chain drop pipe with plastic, it’s important to consider the windlass support. Three bolts are supported by fiberglass “wafers” under the deck. The starboard aft bolt is supported by a steel bracket mount which holds the chain drop in place (and rusts). I molded a resin header which fits into the chain drop pipe and receives the aft starboard windlass bolt. Same thickness as the 3 other wafer supports and corrosion proof…….a bit tricky to mold. But if my PVC drop pipe ever breaks its an hour job to replace it.

Personally, doing this project again with galvanized steel or just glassing over the rust problem seems a bit half-a**ed.

Thomas Kleman
SV L’ORIENT
SM2K 422

Martin Birkhoff
 

Hi all and thanks to all.

I have to appologize, but during the last days I haf to focus on some other problems far away from boating. 
Now I have to add replacement of this tubes on my list of to dos.

Fair winds
Martin
SY Mago del Sur - 54#40

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