higher water levels cause stanchions to catch on pelican pole cleat

[Kings Gambit]

Darn, KG, those pelicans sure get around. It's like they can fly, or something...

Yeah-lots of 'em around the California Channel Islands especially Anacapa Island where they nest in Spring; but no poles to roost on there! I love to watch 'em diving and cruising in their little "squadrons."

 

[centerline]

so now that the question has been answered of what a pelican pole is,, why would someone mount a cleat to the outside of one?.... or on a "pelican pole" at at all, unless someone needed cleat down a pelican at one time or another

the tides may be less in that area so that a cleat could be mounted onto a piling without hindering the movement of the rising dock on the tide, but it would seem that all but the dullest of anyone who even knew how to use a cleat, that they would mount it on the side of the piling so it would be out of the way....
the first thing I would do is move the cleat, and if that isnt enough, either modify the stanchions or find another slip....
its nice to have options

 

[Kings Gambit]

Well, the OP is in Lake Michigan, apparently. Nevertheless, I question whether or not we're talking about an actual cleat. The docking poles typically have a short, u-shaped wooden "arm" that juts out, and on to which one secures the outboard dock lines when leaving the "slip" so they do not reside in the water if they remain attached to the pole. Can also use 'em to help secure the boat when in the slip. But they don't usually face toward the boat. If the lake is really high, as she said, then the boat's stanchion might be catching those on its the lee side going out. Raise 'em higher if you can!

 

[Mark48]

I have the same issue in McKinley Marina and cracked my stanchion base last week. Looking for a replacement part, I will live with the bent Stanchion if I can't fix it. Not sure how I would fasten a fender to the post. Tends to catch before the boat even rubs the post, strong east/north east wind is my issue. I could not find the base in the hunter parts section for what ever reason.

 

[Ron20324]

[QUOTE="...Anybody else find it odd that the stanchion sticks out further than the rub rail?[/QUOTE]

Nope, not surprised on bit. When my B323 was new, the port lifeline was between the shrouds, the other was outside BOTH shrouds. Talk about sailing a crooked ship. The lifelines were actually outside the toerail, so in effect, if you leaned on it, you were already "outboard", if not "overboard". Somewhere/sometime a stanchion got bent (and cracked the deck). I didn't notice it when it happened, but later I noticed the lifeline was against the shroud. Hhmm. I got out the plumb-bob and found the lifeline was now inboard of the toe rail. I moved that bent stanchion to the other 4 locations, then decided I'd get all 4 bent inward by a local shop. I got them bent one at a time, then a trial fitting back on the boat to find the best location for it. Strangely enough, all 4 had to be bent by differing amounts. IIRC, they were between 2.5 and 3.5 inches. Having each one of them bent one day apart, I got charged a set-up amount for each one. I think it was $160 total, but worth it. Now I can get in/out of the slip without them catching the piling- the slip not being much wider than the boat.

Not so easily said about the stanchion gate (an upside-down U ). It still is outside the toe rail, but aft enough that it's only a minor concern. I could get 2 new ones made, squared off so they could be bent.

 

[pateco]

We have a 1986 Hunter 34. The top of the stanchions stick out about 2 1/2 inches wider than the hull. When there is a strong west wind (also compounded by our prop walk), we get blown into the pelican pole when leaving and coming into our slip. In the past, we just kind of rubbed and got past it. but now with Lake Michigan water levels about 2 feet higher, our stanchion at the beam gets caught on the cleat on the pelican pole. It bent it about 5 inches. We purchased a new one but are wondering what we can do to avoid this in the future. We don't want to also bend the new one. The cleat sticks out about 2 1/2 inches. We need something at least 5 inches between the boat hull and the pole to keep from getting caught.

Easy, Just don't hit the pole!!! (Just kidding)

My suggestion is to relocate the cleat either higher on the pole, or on the front or back so that "rubbing the pole" doesn't bring the stanchion into contact with the cleat.