We consulted the plans, as we have countless times before, to obtain measurements for the exact position the chainplates should be at. We clamped a bar on to the forestay chainplate and measured forward to add on, then back to find the masts center on the cabintop.

Lo and behold it lined up perfectly with a small x mark we had previously made, probably to check the mast position on deck for some reason. So Gena went below to do some more interior cabin and deck welding, and I proceeded to point the chainplates to their appropriate angles.

After a few hours I had cut all 6 holes, ( see top photo ) and began snaping the 1/2" stainless chain plates so they would come in to 77.5 & 88 degrees and point in the right direction.

As it turns out, the plans are self contradicting here. On one hand, the measurements from the bow state the center plate should be 6" further aft than the actual center of the mast. On the other, the blueprints clearly show the masts center to be exactly half way between the frames. This pretty much totalled the day, and I'll likely have to fix the plates I did already cut.

It's a really good thing the Gena noticed this before we welded the chainplates all in, or worse yet, before we began preparations to string the shrouds out on the coast! I guess the lesson here is blind faith in the blueprints isn't a good thing and one should always cross examine measurements presented.