Kinsa,
You are correct that strength in chainplates is rarely the biggest concern. They are typically the strongest part of the system when new. The problem is that there is no good way to attach them to a hull that doesn't result in corrosion problems. Either you go with external plates that leaves an entire side in an anaerobic situation, or thru-deck ones that almost guarantee a ring (where they pass thru the deck) where corrosion will occur. This requires relatively large corrosion allowances be used in order to have a long enough expected lifespan.
This is where titanium is really a great OEM material. The strength and size can be reduced because the corrosion allowance can be reduced to nothing, and they just need to be strong enough to handle the loads, not the lost material.
In fully engineered chainplates I have actually quoted some that were less expensive than the stainless original parts because we needed so much less volume.
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