Stanchion

[banaari 27]

Am starting in on the long to-do list... anybody recognise this item?

 

 

It needs to be straightened or replaced, and given the mess already made of the holes I'm thinking "replaced".

What I don't know - is it a stock item I can get off-the-shelf, or would it have been made to order somewhere?

It's attached to a Beachcomber 6.5; and is 50cm in height.

 

Has a matching backing plate underneath with three protruding bolts; since there are only two visible on top am assuming the third must be welded to the underside of the baseplate.

[ab1974 1]

You can certainly buy stanchions off the shelf from a chandlery, however it wont be identical. This gives you two issues - (i) A non matching stanchion - so may need to replace them all which is probably uneconomical and (ii) The holes probably wont line up so you've got a job to fill and redrill, and is the base is smaller you will notice where the old base was.

 

Cheapest I reckon is take it off, take it to a stainless guy in town, get it straightened, holes tidied and maybe electropolished. Otherwise get him to make a new one up using your old one as a template.

[Murky 1]

Go with what abl said - a couple of other thoughts:

- is it just my eyes or is the top open, allowing it to fill up with rainwater? If so that would not be a good thing. I have seen a version with a machined cap that sat in the top (although the majority seemed to come out with an integral top welded in as part of the manufacturing process)

- that broken hose on the lifelines must be hard on the hands and are there a few stray wire strands starting to come free?

 

I would do the quickest/easiest/cheapest (but still good) fix on the stanchion itself but invest a bit more in getting those other aspects sorted.

[SloopJohnB 322]

Do the lifelines going thru just drilled holes, or have small diameter tubes been welded in.

 

The former plays havoc with the wire.

 

If the latter get the top capped so it is sealed.

[banaari 27]

Go with what abl said - a couple of other thoughts:

- is it just my eyes or is the top open, allowing it to fill up with rainwater? If so that would not be a good thing. I have seen a version with a machined cap that sat in the top (although the majority seemed to come out with an integral top welded in as part of the manufacturing process)

- that broken hose on the lifelines must be hard on the hands and are there a few stray wire strands starting to come free?

 

I would do the quickest/easiest/cheapest (but still good) fix on the stanchion itself but invest a bit more in getting those other aspects sorted.

Good call on the open tops; hadn't really noticed that... although I suppose there must be some ingress from the lifelines themselves too.

Intelligent solution might be a drain hole at the bottom.

And yeah, the state of the lifelines is a running sore driving me to distraction every time I lay eyes on them, but obviously they and the stanchion need to be sorted out at the same time.

[banaari 27]

Do the lifelines going thru just drilled holes, or have small diameter tubes been welded in.

Nasty little drilled holes.

In one place the wire appears to have cut itself a smaller crescent on the inboard side of the (much larger) hole. Although I would have thought in the battle between wire and stainless, the stainless would win.

[Steve Pope 243]

Get SS man to give a quote to straighten the bent staunchion/s, to replace small existing bottom plate with larger one with a new hole pattern, weld small tube's to allow the wire to be better supported and weld cap on the top. Then check out chanderleries for replacement prices. Also they come up from time to time on trademe.

[rigger 47]

Or if you are ok with it and do not them to comply with any rules - remove them and do without.

You can fit a jack line / stay either side and clip to it from inside the cockpit.

Fit decent hand rails along the cabin top and decent toe rails.

 

The old yacht I had I did away with all the stanchions.

Less damage to the headsail.

[Chewing Gum 17]

You need either a new set of stanchions or as said before your original ones modified with welded in tubes and tops welded on.

Then new wire. Don't use any plastic on the top wire- just causes corrosion. Use a heavier wire on the top. The wire can be shackled at the front and tensioned with a suitable low stretch purchase line aft - ask your rigger for advice. Don't use rigging screws.

[banaari 27]

Just got back from the local engineering gurus who when shown the photo immediately asked me about end caps and tubes. On to it.

Looking at in excess of $80 per unit though; but at least I'd keep the existing base footprint.

[Chewing Gum 17]

I have found these guys pretty reasonable:

Marine Metal Fabrication Ltd

(09) 443 5764

Parity Place Glenfield

[banaari 27]

An update... got to the boat and counted, discovered there are only six of the things to deal with. God I love small boats. So got out the snips, took a deep breath and did unto the starboard lifelines that which had to be done.

 

Three stanchions at a time, I can afford; will drop 'em off for rebuild as suggested tomorrow, end caps and guide tubes, and the bent one straightened.

[eruptn 95]

Question;

Can the wire be replaced with spectra or similar .

[Steve Pope 243]

Why not, as long as there are no sharp bits to damage the rope.

[banaari 27]

Q. What do folks use when re-bedding their stanchions?

[Guest]

Just tuck them in and kiss them good night, they'll be fine.

[banaari 27]

Just tuck them in and kiss them good night, they'll be fine.

 

But seriously - what's the preferred sealant du jour?

Some kind of Sikaflex variant?

[khayyam 68]

Just sikaflex I imagine...

[Grinna 2]

Do NOT use 3M 5200 if you ever want to be able to get them off without destroying the boat in the process.

[rigger 47]

Was it sikaflex 192?