BACK IT UP Properly installed backing plates are a not-so-simple necessity for highly loaded hardware. Text and photographs by Bruce Pfund ‘Beove—Overthe ood voller varspor ‘puts tremendous ad on this boat's tow eye. Noe the two backing plates wrongy installed under the externa ruts, steed, one plate should be an te tutside and ane under the nus inside te nul. wt no late on te back ofthe instalation, the treads grawad oversize oles trough the Roergass. No amount of eauk can remedy thet. 84 Prormsionst BowrBunper Photo 2 ‘his feline stanchions backing plate '5 thick encugh fr thejob, ut the ‘anchion wiggled when I grabbod it & Ave into the cockpit locker showed why. the backing plate had rgistared on an Uneven surface, and established enly a the spectrum of supports for shipboard mechanical attachments, backing plates fall somewhere between lowly plain washers and beefy engine stringers. When you need to bok things down, common wash- ft epread modeet point loads fro {ndiviual fisteners; backing plates bet- ter diaribute the collective loads from linger hardware attachments and panel ppencuations; and equipment founda- Hons suppert major components such a engines and. generavors with ded ‘ted structural framing. Thin-skinned cored laminates provide litle support for point load: Ing, 80 in areas where hardware is atached, they need reinforcement, ‘Where loads are small, regular wash es may be adequate, as ae large-area fender washers for higher loads. Bur when strength is critical—say, rod holders on 2 spontfisherman, oF Ifline stanchions on a racing sailboat—it's ime to fabricate backing plates Tn the folowing examples, wel see that beeking plates alone don't make an insallation secure; they must also be installed with solid suppor and appropriate fasteners, Photo 4. Take extra caution when mounting hneavy toaded naraware on tieskined aratops. Justa quater tun ‘oo tight, ‘anda asiener can erusn tne core sligniy ‘and creck the skin Next comes water Irersicn, potential weight gan, and/or core deterioration,point sontat. Sa altheugh the installer had tightened the four fasteners enough to bond the plata, they woren' realy securing it Being able to see dayfght Dotacen the nuts andthe washers on the fastoners means the fasteners might Photo 3 This winch backing pate Bont when the fasteners were tightened. Trat means the plate Ist00 thin and its mounting surface is rot flat enough, Aso nce: the ‘abbing was eut away t accommodate the backing plate, weakening te sruc- lure rig under «hy loaded winch Fullsie tabbing wth a propery bedded, thicker backing late would be beter. Photo 4 ‘ne cabinrp uncer ents vy winch nas been flexing for years, but inspecting the when's acachmen, or cecking for 1 backing pate, might require cuting "trough the compost ine in the cat. Note tow the cracks radiating fom the win base intersect the Nols (ower ent comme? forthe sclar vet's escharge Into te eatin —2 clue that an oversize backing plate encompassing the winch ana te ighytoagea vent reve mignt be avid Bedding the Backing Plate “The fx for backing plates that regis ver on uneven surfaces isnt a8 simple a ginding a flat—especially ifthe facs not parallel tothe upper surface on which you secure the component One solution is bedding the Packing plate in song puty—pethaps one feinforced with chopped fibers. But ddo not immediately ighten down the famteners, because the uncured puty will squeeze ost until the plate bot toms out on the high spots. That ll leave you right where you started: svt te equipments mounting surface and the backing pate out of parle "Tighten the fasteners 0 the back- ing plate remaies pall and has hist Stared to seat ito the wet py, bul hasnt boromed out on 1 hart spot Octoner/Novennen 2010 8586 Prormsionst BowrBunper Let the putty cure thoroughly, and recheck the torque on the fasteners (F you choose fexible puty or bed- ding material, fistencea aay loosen as it gets squeezed out from under the backing plate or compresses over time) Catalyzed putty that ccares hard is the best for bedding on bampy surfaces. Improper fasieners can compro- nise the best backing plate insalla- tions. In my opinion, plain nuts and lock washers on flat washers are inadequate, particularly on high- speed, vibration-proae powerboats, Elastic stop nuts combined with suitably sized flat washers are the way to go, Larger-diameter fender washers are fine if they're thick enough to resist bending. If they cup when you tighten the fastener, you'll need another regular-diameter fat wather—or an extrathick fender washer in 304 or 316L stainless stecl—under the nut t0 spread the Toad, Photo 5 Tis welded aluminum hacking pate for an exerra frestay tang and tow ‘hocks could almost be classified as ‘n equipment roundation, ne @ Deck Ing pate. Regardless, thas a poor ft ‘against at east ore lumpy meergiass surface. Note that’s bedded in an elastomeric material against tne Underside ofthe deck. suspect that under high forestay loads the bedcing compresses, and that ne contact ‘oscurs at hard spes or along the horizontal plate’s edges, because the deck’s underside appears slighty concave. Hard.curng puty between the backing plate and the deck would contac! the entire backing plte's area te spread the loacs. Als, the fasteners tapped into the becking plate deserve puts ard washers. Photo 6 ‘Backing plates are often tapered for ‘mounthg far toced hardware such 25 this outriger tase to cured or pitches surreces—especaly when thse surfaces are the thin composite sins of ignoweght cored panets. Me wedges must be used in matching pairs {on topot ara uncer tne eos) to Heep the fasteners perpendicular to ther camping sufaces In tis example, a tin wedge bs instaled onthe undersideof the hartop. Depending on ther size, 2 poirof wedgoo can meat easly bo made froma thick block with a single Saw eu. Langer wedges might have fo be indvidualy machined. Photo 7 The narrow flanges that secure this awsepipe casting ae too dose tthe dg ofthe ting’ cutout, leaving ive it {any laminate to fasten to. Te crsh ard tracking around the four machine serews Suggest thatthe sandwich pane was not propery decored and sackfild at the Cutout A heavy sainless sto! backing late woul offset some of these laws. Photo 8 Most fshing red noder manufacturers ow Erovide premade backing plates. The plates are patcularly mporant bocause flanges on most rod hders are so small that te fasteners are aimee unaroid aby t00 close othe rod tube cutot. In ‘aden, the backing pate ha safe attachment holes in two bertup comer. The fasteners are too ong: etherwise, 2 nice installation. Photo 9 Despite a tacking bar, this hulttodeck Joint ras suffered edge tearout Le tne hardware flange festerings, If the hulto deck fasteners are too close to the edges of the hull or the deck Nang, they might tear et. Fastener holes should be @ min- mum of thee to ve fastener diameters from te edge Photo 10 This below deck backing plate fais under the base of tuna towers primary leg. but access was $0 poor after the deck ‘and hull were mated thatthe laminate ‘ap over the flotation foam had to be cut away.» eure precsiption for 206s foam and reduced fetation tho future. By emboacing a orge metal plate with ‘apped holes inte the bottom ofthe deck or before hull-decksssemby, one sided assembiy is possble, thereby avo ing having instal a ose backing pace with ruts and washers upsice down, In cramped quarers. Not shown i te photograph fs the signfcant wire chafe ‘caused by rough comers onthe pte’s center hole Backing ptes that wil have Wires or hoves sraked through thm should have raaiused corners Ocronex/Novenmnen 2010 87Metal or Composite Most of the aluminum backlog plates ilustated in tis article show Sit of furay white coroston, cnuscd ‘by contact with salt water and stain- te sel fasteners. Subuttting press-molded com see plate material, commonly called G0, i « good conrosioniee alter ftve. On tmoath or rough surices, it can be seliably bonded in pos! tion with adhesives, of embedded in composite construction without Concern for future corrosion, Note: IT you dont want a metal or com- poste backing plate to bond v0 the bedding, materil—aad the backing pPate’s bedding doestt nced to pro tide waterightness—then cover the Pate’ mating surface with two coat Sf moldelesse wax, and dont bul i off before installation, Photo 44. Many tansems are dimpled by ‘outboard metor mount bolts, even by those backed wit extra-thick fender washers. To avold that protiem, |eut Now offering at selection of 450 matine colors. : ere een (oust care ;GOLLECTION Sie Otetmardiom ar7 225 2184-920 606 88. Pronssionst BoxtBunpmthis 1 thisk (12mm) composite back ing poto for the top two mounting Dotts ofthe outboara engine. It will neve’ suffer from galanie corresion, whieh Is unavolsable when aluminum plate is instaed in contact with Stainless ste! fasteners. Readliy available pressenolded plates tke this ene are relaforced wit chapped Strand mat or mare sophisticated fabri Photo 12. You con't want this setup supporting the heavily loaded heimsman’s seat. While not idea, even a backing plate design with tapped holes laminsted Into the cockot sole and the renov- fable natch would accommodate a ‘more stable, unmodifed stanchion base, Photo 13 ‘tres cracking i the geleoet around thie ezanchion beso ing cuagoct that te surounding dock nas been ingPhoto 14 Thore is no tacking pate under the dock Sanction suppor Is let up to ‘our standartalameter washers, ever ‘though the hulttodeck ont has boon (etestened and adheshey bonded n the nottoodstant pas. The best fiz bond na largeerea compost plate, taking era care to conaect te ates outer edge tothe hul-ceck ‘ein region with aaheshe. Photo 45, ‘Atapered core edge right where two (ofthe four padeye mounting serews ‘penetrate the deck presonts a chalenge ‘cel solved ere by neat applied uty te il the gan. Pain nuts and tok washers are adequate forthe salooat Shown here: for 9 powerboat." prefer ‘fat washer with an elastic top nd 0 ‘esi ovation and loosening Keelbolts Keebolts and their nuts and wash- cts are highly loaded fasteners that deserve well-thought-out backing plates, Because keel aumpe are often eee or sou oxvV SS TR, z = | Bag ot 2S West SysTem® BRAND Epoxy provides superior =| = performance because we formulate it to withstand — even the harshest marine environments. And we provide unsurpassed technical support whether you use WesT System by the can, drum or tote. 90 Prorsssionst BoxtBunpmrough or out of square with the fes- tenes, its important to cast a flat bearing surface. or bond the backing tardware with » hard-eusing ster rather than an elastomer Photo 16 Extending one ste ofthe rectangular washers under mese nuts coes not Aistribute the losds between the studs Into the laminate. A ticker one piece backing bar would doa beter jot. And since tere ae plnty of threads showing, lock weshers under the nuts woud also help, Photo 17 distribute the load uniformly into the ‘nth kee! sume, repairs ave covered ‘epairlamiatesunar sure. Somany erosedkeeltut trent hat : tho backing pate cou bo secured ony g Backing Plates Backing pit ss sa that sib Duke at Butke Design LLC, « com thon boos ony totwoen te two tude, posite engineering frm in Brite, {oing ttle more than ndvitual washers Rhode Island, abou: basic rules for would. Theplate shoud be wo orthroe making backing plates, times larger. An again, bording anew “Absent regulatory considerations late into ahardcuring material would or recommendations from component Use wherever it floats your boat. ance ea Samm) beat oo hess Pearcy Ss acoustic ce potty Octonm/Novismnen 210 91manufactures, backing plate enginee- backing plate material can be should be four or five. He added that ing is fairy straightiorwerd," Burke obtained from reference materials, when + winch is side loaded, the back: sald. “First, you have to understand or by testing, and that the footpriet ing plite imparts upward pressure on the leads. For deck hardware they arca ef the hardware and the forces the lower suface of the lasinate away riight be upward loads, as with & on it must also be known, With this from the diection of the load, At the padheye; oF sideways loads, as occur information one can calculate the seine dine the winch base pushes + fon winches, In either case, the back- force-perunit area, which must never similar load downward on the upper lng plate tas to be sized to prevent exceed the laminite’s properties. laminae surface inthe direction of the the laminate shearing and the hard- Larger backing plates increase the loaded line. That combination exerts ‘ware pling out” area component in the calculation, equal parallel forces in opposite direc. Tie Pein odie ur heakigen ts a bee at) ee te nae aa pole e eae alec ete beoee a nd a backing es weld set ugh eae ea ¢ | ee eas pie eee VATOTNIN/ NOON VOLS AINILINTD LS 9] tcs’ceny over tn ere src or Hal ey Soe es ‘ ) at highly loaded hardware attachment PES , ee anes ee " ree ae ot Laer ae Sie oe Moen cenaue ce aioe a a ae ee ee oso Ss cae ecnest es Gohan a wee contac yerpespreiyin Prey ‘more straightforward. Regardless of the Caine Sar See ae aoa ee ee Plate to prevent tearing out, or gelcoat eee ee Let Us PuT IT ON Your DESKTOP, ite boats, and you're almost cer- tain to find gelcoat cracking around Tel us whatyou need in bontuldngo supplier lation. Within shou, | load-bearing hardware where back: well send yu a etaled report on rth Carina amas tht match ost ing plites were Inadequate, of si ‘peda, incdngeserpins and ploos of evalablestes an Duly py were never installed. Check the 5 ae - deck around lifeine sanchions, espe. Were elects, ae elecie sevice oganizaton | Salyin way of the boating gates representing moe that 70 manic omed utes. | Sad around wines om salons Go ‘nave cn heyou pig ino a stewie gereous | own below and inspect the under By ncetves probusies attudesandeflotale, | side of what you apoted on deck odie bor combi wh ousaning quate ‘it luck, the backing plates wont ‘to ceate one of the best places in America to do business, np ee aren a n by joinery, and you can see what For quick and confidential anawen to yeu questions PLUG INTO NORTH CAROLINA ‘works and what doesn't. Dp outNorh Crim, cal eds Doves NIE) PTET G Neove7 renattaanesoceancicon MUELECTRIGITIES | some eve ancbor: as “orice unt ‘pectal Proecs IEG" Bruce consuls 1427 Meadowood Sale NC 2754 spp 76963 toons. utexey | On compost processes and inspects wmeeleces.com marine composite smuctures. He 1s the technical editor of Protessional BoatBuilder 92 Prorssionu, BoarBuupen¥ : SYS OLUTIONS 900-716-2808 WwW.VENTI _ —_—