Beneteau 361 Stanchions Loose

[Jskosmo]

Hey guys – thank you so much for your insight on past questions!

So my stanchions are pretty loose and I know I need to re-bed to them. That will be a pretty straightforward job.

My question is about their general design. The design just doesn’t seem very stable. It’s basically one post base that goes through the hull without much horizontal support. Am wondering if anyone else has employed of any creative ideas to make their Beneteau post stanchions more stable?

 

[gearFX]

Subscribed, because the life line stanchions on the 210 let water inside once they are wobbly enough.

 

[Ron20324]

The design just doesn’t seem very stable. It’s basically one post base that goes through the hull without much horizontal support.

I'm wondering what that looks like. You mean there is no stanchion base between the stanchion and deck? Picture?

 

[jssailem]

@gearFX Welcome to SBO.

@Jskosmo your question is a good one. Challenge we have is we do not know what your problem looks like. difficult for any of us to offer any help.

Perhaps a picture of the problem might clarify what you are finding is a problem.

Someone once said a picture is worth a thousand words. Pictures are pretty easy to load. Just click the attach file. select they image from you picture library. Then click ok. the system software will attach the file to your message. You just click Thumbnail or full image to put it in you text box.

 

[Mechone]

You can buy stanchion supports some install them at the gates, I have seen some that attach to the toe rail.
Mine are all tight to come loose is someone grabbing them to stop the boat?

 

[arf145]

Assuming they are like those on the 331, the stanchion, which is 25mm at the bottom, fits over a post on the base and is secured there with a single horizontal screw. The post on the base continues through the deck and is secured with one very large nut.
Here's a picture of the 331 base from the Beneteau site:

 

[DougM]

The stanchion bases on my 323 are like those in post #6 above. The bases do loosen up over time and can be tightened from below the deck. Some of them are not easy to access though.
Most of the movement comes from the stanchion tube to base fit and the single allen bolt attachment as the bolt threads into the base and not through it. There is not much support especially is the tube does not seat itself on the base, and the fit over the base post is not snug. Its just not a perfect design.
Probably, the only reliable way to minimize the wobble would be to weld the stanchion tube to the base. The bad news is if the stanchion tube is somehow bent, it could not be easily replaced.

 

[Ron20324]

The stanchion bases on my 323 are like those in post #6 above. The bases do loosen up over time and can be tightened from below the deck. Some of them are not easy to access though. Most of the movement comes from the stanchion tube to base fit and the single allen bolt attachment as the bolt threads into the base and not through it. There is not much support especially is the tube does not seat itself on the base, and the fit over the base post is not snug. Its just not a perfect design. Probably, the only reliable way to minimize the wobble would be to weld the stanchion tube to the base. The bad news is if the stanchion tube is somehow bent, it could not be easily replaced.

I don't see the stanchion wobble as being a problem. If someone falls against a stanchion of 1 inch dia, it will bend. Maybe the mount item will break/bend, but you can always overbuild anything to eliminate damage. Wanna pay for it?

 

[gearFX]

I don't see the stanchion wobble as being a problem. If someone falls agaoinst a stanchion of 1 inch dia, it will bend.

Never tested falling forces, but all of the stanchions seem somewhat loose (to varying degrees) at the base (none are bent), suggesting the weak spot is how they are fastened to the hull with the nut. But beside safety, these seem to be water intrusion points (from spray or rain).

 

[Jskosmo]

As always - thank you all so much. I'm grateful for your insight. On this one . . . it sounds like there's not much to do (except re-seat them, which I need to do anyway) . . . it's just a not-great design.

 

[DougM]

I don't see the stanchion wobble as being a problem. If someone falls against a stanchion of 1 inch dia, it will bend. Maybe the mount item will break/bend, but you can always overbuild anything to eliminate damage. Wanna pay for it?

Ron,
I agree with you, But the stanchions just seem flimsy. I always have to be extra careful moving around on deck because I’m 6’7” and the top cable hits the back of my knee, One mis-step is a guaranteed backflip off the boat... (Of course an OSHA required 42 inch hand rail would not be aesthetically pleasing )

 

[jssailem]

OSHA required 42 inch hand rail would not be aesthetically pleasing

There could be benefits.

• You would need to have a smaller sail.
• The sail would be far above the deck so it would not contact the hand rail.
• They might mean you would not need to duck as much when the boom swept across the deck on a tack or gybe.
• The boat would not heel as much making it safer to walk about on the deck

See there is a silver lining in even the darkest OSHA cloud.

 

[Jackdaw]

Supported stanchions are standard on ocean boats like Pogos, SunFasts, and the Figaro 3. The Fig3 parts are available on the Beneteau spare parts site.

 

[Ron20324]

Ron,
I agree with you, But the stanchions just seem flimsy. I always have to be extra careful moving around on deck because I’m 6’7” and the top cable hits the back of my knee, One mis-step is a guaranteed backflip off the boat... (Of course an OSHA required 42 inch hand rail would not be aesthetically pleasing )

Doug, do yours lean a bit outward, so the top of the stanchion is acually off the boat deck? I had my 4 or 6 bent inward to keep the crew ON the deck, not OFF of it.

 

[Jskosmo]

Thanks guys - all this insight is truly helpful. Have been sailing an S2 8.0b for years (awesome boat) and have just moved up to a Beneteau 361 - I have a lot to learn about the bigger boat with more systems to be maintained

 

[DougM]

Hey Ron,
The stanchions do angle outboard slightly due to the deck angle but not by an appreciable amount.
(i do have a couple of them on my workbench that have about a 30 degree bend, originally outboard. I suppose I could turn them 180 degrees and put them back aboard. Just kidding).

 

[Ron20324]

Hey Ron,
The stanchions do angle outboard slightly due to the deck angle but not by an appreciable amount.
(i do have a couple of them on my workbench that have about a 30 degree bend, originally outboard. I suppose I could turn them 180 degrees and put them back aboard. Just kidding).

My stanchions were all straight to start, but beyond the deck due to deck slant. Eventually, each one was bent by differing amounts.Hung a string from the top, then measured the boat distance from the toe rail. Also, with the stanchion no longer outboard of the toe rail, they no longer hit the slip pilings. I think it was $160 because they had to set up the press 4 times (on different days).

 

[Jskosmo]

Ron - do you have a pic to share? That sounds like a great idea. The previous owner docked at St Joe's in Michigan - the docks there are all piling-type. I do think that probably had a lot to do with the looseness of all the stanchions . . .

 

[Ron20324]

I DON'T THINK I HAVE A PICTURE before/after. If you can stand on a dock in front of the bow, you should be able to tell if any stanchions lean out farther than the rubrail. And/or also hang a plumb-bob from the upper stanchion eye (or the lifeline right at the stanchion). IIRC, i measured all 4 stanchions this way, then had them bend the slightest one first. IIRC, I moved the first one to the other three mounts, then checked lean-out with the plumb-bob. You might get lucky and all of them the same overhang, thus the same adjustment, but I doubt it. After they bent the 2nd one, I put it on the 3 & 4 positions and check for plumb then had them adjust the bends to make them all inboard. On my 323 there are two gates outbpoard of the cockpit winches. I'd like to bend them, but with them bolted in two places to the deck, it does not seem worth it. Besides, if the front 2 stanchions now clear the piling, then the gates should as the deck is not as wide there. Questions?

 

[JimmyB57]

Assuming they are like those on the 331, the stanchion, which is 25mm at the bottom, fits over a post on the base and is secured there with a single horizontal screw. The post on the base continues through the deck and is secured with one very large nut.
Here's a picture of the 331 base from the Beneteau site:
View attachment 188133

This is great detail above with the drawings and pictures, but how does one access the loose nut? I can't find anyway to get to mine (Oceanis 37) for what should be a very simple tightening.