Starboard Stanchion Fasteners

[KZW]

I managed to break the forward most stanchion on the starboard side. Please don't ask - it was real stupid - I knew better but did it anyway.

Question: Does anyone know how the stanchion plate bolts are fastened? I need to get the old plate off to put the new stanchion on. The two inboard bolts are not inclined to come out.

Refer to the picture. The starboard toe rail is on the left. The two fasteners on the toe rail appear to thread into a plate or embedded bolts as they will come out and go in and readily tighten up.

Not so for the two bolts inboard. By feel they appear to go into nuts behind backing plates. I managed to loosen them, but they won't tighten up - they just turn. Would the nuts/plates be located behind the wood trim in the forward berth? Have any of you 310 owners replaced the stanchions? I really don't want to take apart the trim it to find I cannot access the nuts.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Catalina changed the stanchions at some point. But the bolts in the toe rail are into a bedded plate. The ones in the deck have washers, lock washers and nuts backing them. You will likely need to cut away some of the liner to get access. Take a look at the PDF I attached, it will help explain.

Good luck,

Jesse

 

[KZW]

This is news I didn't want to hear!

 

[rpwillia]

My stanchions are slightly different

Agree that this is a bear of a job. On hull 185 those stanchions have two screws (look like wood screws) that screw into the fiberglass of the rail using a phillips head. The two on the deck are similar to what Jesse has. Those are going to be a bear. Personally I would try and look in there with a mirror and/or one of those inspection cameras and try and fashion a tool out of a wrench to get them off. It would be a shame to have to cut that pretty liner up to just re-bed a stanchion.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Look at the PDF again. The section of the liner you have to cut is covered by the teak trim. You remove the trim and then cut the liner for access. When you are done the trim goes back up and you don't see the cut.

As to removing the stanchions without removing the trim with tools, Maine Sail had a system that consisted of a deep socket 3/8 drive, universal joint, an extension, and an adapter to go onto an electric impact gun. This can work on the port side but not the starboard.

Good luck

Jesse

 

[peter_ms]

How timely
My neighbour (Benetau 311) backed in the other day and hit mine hard enough to bend it an pop the head off the forward machine screw. I didn't get the .pdf so could someone send it to my email, For.Petes.Sake@rogers.com. Thanks
Any ideas on how to extract the broken stub without destroying the toe rail?
Does Catalina Direct carry replacements? He managed to bend the next one too.
Thanks
Peter

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Peter, I emailed you the PDF. You can't see PDF attachments when you use an app to view the forum.

As to removing the broken stud, my first go to are Easy Out Screw & Bolt Extractors. I will also use left handed drill bits on occasion. The bolts are stainless steel so drilling them our should be your absolute last resort.

Good luck and fair winds,

Jesse

 

[KZW]

My stanchion wasn't in stock. Catalina special ordered it. $130 shipped. I ordered it 28 June and it arrived yesterday.

Send them a picture of the mounting plate. There are differences. Early models had the stanchion bolted through the toe rail One big bolt and two little ones. The stanchions on my boat are not through bolted, but welded to the mounting plate. Four bolts go through the mounting plate. Two go into the toe rail, two go slightly inboard of the rail. See the picture on my original post and then the pictures in JK's PDF. The differences will be quite clear.

BTW, you can get butyl rubber from West Marine or Defender.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Get the butyl tape from Maine Sail. It's different and better

 

[peter_ms]

Peter, I emailed you the PDF. You can't see PDF attachments when you use an app to view the forum. As to removing the broken stud, my first go to are Easy Out Screw & Bolt Extractors. I will also use left handed drill bits on occasion. The bolts are stainless steel so drilling them our should be your absolute last resort. Good luck and fair winds, Jesse

Problem with the EZout is you do have to drill into a small diameter stainless shaft fit the EZout to bite into

Was the large through bolt earlier or later vintage on the 310? Hull #147 is 4 small bolts
Peter

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Problem with the EZout is you do have to drill into a small diameter stainless shaft fit the EZout to bite into

Was the large through bolt earlier or later vintage on the 310? Hull #147 is 4 small bolts
Peter

That's why I mentioned the left handed drill bits. Those work on the smaller bolts better sometimes.

 

[rpwillia]

I would be tempted ...

That's why I mentioned the left handed drill bits. Those work on the smaller bolts better sometimes.

to move the stanchion an inch and fill in the old holes. I have not had much success getting out a bolt without a head.

FWIW, I needed some gelcoat while I was on the hard and Home Depot (I was desperate) had this gelcoat repair kit for showers that was, IMHO, a closer match to our gelcoat color than the stuff from Catalina Direct.

 

[Jeff652]

I have had the occasion to replace three stanchions on my 310 (hull 297). The fists two times I did remove the wood trim and cut into the headliner - a real pain. However, the last time I found a way to get the job done without doing this.

I removed the stanchion by simply unscrewing the screws. As KZW said, the outboard screws are imbedded in a captive plate. The inboard screws are fastened with a washer, lock washer, and nut. If you’re lucky, these screws may come out and leave the nut and washers held in place held by the sealant. More likely the nut and washers will fall off. The difficult part is to get then back in place.

First, using sealant, I glued the washers and nut together. Then, I took a large plastic cable tie and put it through the washers and nuts with the locking end down. With the stanchion in place I lowered a messenger line and connected it to the upper end of the wire tie. Then I placed a large amount of sealant on the washer and pulled the messenger line and cable tie up until the washer and sealant were in place firmly against the underside of the hull. Then I fixed the cable tie in place and waited for the sealant to dry. I then removed the cable tie, and screwed the screw back in. This saved me a lot of time.

 

[Bob S]

Garhauer Marine sells them. It's not in their catalog. I replaced 3 that bent from snow loads over the winter. $80.00. They are the same ones used on the C32. It's not a hard install and gives you experience to rebed the other 5 . Send them a picture before you buy one. They need to know the height.

 

[KZW]

I have had the occasion to replace three stanchions on my 310 (hull 297). The fists two times I did remove the wood trim and cut into the headliner - a real pain. However, the last time I found a way to get the job done without doing this.

I removed the stanchion by simply unscrewing the screws. As KZW said, the outboard screws are imbedded in a captive plate. The inboard screws are fastened with a washer, lock washer, and nut. If you’re lucky, these screws may come out and leave the nut and washers held in place held by the sealant. More likely the nut and washers will fall off. The difficult part is to get then back in place.

First, using sealant, I glued the washers and nut together. Then, I took a large plastic cable tie and put it through the washers and nuts with the locking end down. With the stanchion in place I lowered a messenger line and connected it to the upper end of the wire tie. Then I placed a large amount of sealant on the washer and pulled the messenger line and cable tie up until the washer and sealant were in place firmly against the underside of the hull. Then I fixed the cable tie in place and waited for the sealant to dry. I then removed the cable tie, and screwed the screw back in. This saved me a lot of time.

I'm replacing the forward starboard stanchion. I've measured and marked the inside where they should be. I removed the wood trim. There is a wrapped wire bundle that prevents seeing any bolts, etc. It is real tight to see anything. I will give your method a try before I cut anything. There is nothing to loose.

Thanks!

 

[peter_ms]

Let us know how that goes; I have 2 port side stanchions to replace and I like this concept a lot better than cutting the headliner out.
Don't forget to countersink the holes a bit to act as gasketting
P

 

[Jeff652]

The technique using the cable tie and messenger line worked great on the aft stanchions and I didn't even have to remove the teak trim. Prior to that I did replace a forward stanchion by cutting away lots of material material but it was a beast to say the least. At least the trim covered the areas where I had to cut the headliner.
Jeff

 

[Stu Jackson]

That cable tie is a great idea.

I also think that process would work using the far superior butyl tape instead of sealant (you know, so you don't have to do it again for 30 years!).

 

[KZW]

Let us know how that goes; I have 2 port side stanchions to replace and I like this concept a lot better than cutting the headliner out.
Don't forget to countersink the holes a bit to act as gasketting
P

On the schedule for Saturday morning, weather permitting. The access for the forward starboard stanchion is extremely tight. I ran a bent coat hangar up based on my measurements to "feel" for the boats. I think I found them, 3/4 inch aft of my marks. It is hard to tell with the wire bundle hindering movement of the coat hangar.

Also on the schedule is removing one of the 4D batteries. My back hurts already!

 

[rpwillia]

Butyl Tape

That cable tie is a great idea.

I also think that process would work using the far superior butyl tape instead of sealant (you know, so you don't have to do it again for 30 years!).

I think the sealant was just to hold the screw in place. Most likely Jeff used butyl tape when installing the stanchion back on. FWIW I use Maine Sails stuff as it is da bomb.