Lifeline Stanchions

[Bob15706]

Hiya, I have a 1980 O'Day 28. The owner of my marina called me to tell me that he thought the stanchions were shaky and advised remove inspect & check the area with a moisture gauge. I know they're not set in there like a rock, but also know such a scope of work could cost almost as much as the boat. Providing we remove & reset? Another marina owner friend of mine suggested a "ban aid". Obviously, safety is paramount but I don't want to go for my lungs on something I may be able to repair myself. I don't think that all of our stanchions are thru bolted. Am I correct? That they are screwed into a plate? Any advice from someone who has been here before will be greatly appreciated. Also, what is the 28 core made of? Thanks

 

[agprice22]

There may be steel or aluminum plates inside the deck. I found some inside the decks of both my 26 and 272 beneath the lifeline stanchions. However, O'day did not use backing plates as far as I know from the 26 and 272 I have owned. O'day decks are usually wood cored as are most. The side decks may be cored with plywood rather than balsa. I found plywood in both the 26 and 272. It is a little harder to pot.
The stanchions are through-bolted on both the O'days I have owned.
Potting your through-deck holes, and rebedding your stanchions is not a big deal. Recoring your decks would be a bigger project.

 

[Sefuller]

Our 1983 34 had balsa cored decks, and aluminum plates glassed in under the deck for backing under the lifeline stanchions. The core under the stanchions was all mush on our boat. I recored the side decks entirely.

 

[Bob15706]

Thanks. I feel a little better knowing it's not such a big deal & I'll tackle it myself.

 

[agprice22]

Look up Mainsail's guide to potting and rebedding your through-deck holes. Recoring the deck means using a saw or dremel to remove the top layer of fiberglass to expose the rotted core. You then dig out the core and epoxy in replacement core. You then epoxy down the deck and seal the cut channel. Then you gelcoat the seam. It also means removing the bow pulpit and stanchions to get to the wet core. I have not seen wet core beneath the stern pulpit stanchions on the stern gunwale. There may be some on the side deck.

 

[Bob15706]

Thanks AGPRICE22. Great advice.

 

[Jackdaw]

If they wiggle there is two possibilities.

1) The bolts are loose and tightening them will sock it up and make them tight again.

2) The deck and core are saturated and rotten, and the deck is compromised.

Check for #1, but #2 is much more likely. The trick will be to find the extent of the damage and repair it. Like others have noted, its likely your entire side decks. There really is no true band aid for that.

Some have used CPES as a band aid in smaller areas, with mixed results.

http://www.rotdoctor.com/products/cpes.html

 

[Bob15706]

OUCH Thanks Jackdaw. Big decision.

 

[Lodi47]

I will be starting this process in a few days......