People really like to grab my midship stanchion when docking even when I tell them not to touch it. I have the style below with a big bolt through the deck and two smaller metal screws. At least one of the smaller screws has stripped the fiberglass around it so I'll have to fill that back in. Has anyone reinforced or improved their stanchion in anyway?
Reinforcing stanchion
- Thread starter Project_Mayhem
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,727
Maybe you could post signs "DO NOT GRAB THE STANCHION"!
I have found my "self the docking procedure" to help with this issue. When volunteering, helpers see that the boat comes to rest on its own next to the dock, they often step back. They sometimes query, "How'd you do that?"
I am not sure you can easily build a structure on your boat strong enough to address the stress on the stanchion base. There is just too much fulcrum leverage when one grabs the stanchion and tries to stop the 10,000-plus pound boat from hitting or moving away from the dock.
I have found my "self the docking procedure" to help with this issue. When volunteering, helpers see that the boat comes to rest on its own next to the dock, they often step back. They sometimes query, "How'd you do that?"
I am not sure you can easily build a structure on your boat strong enough to address the stress on the stanchion base. There is just too much fulcrum leverage when one grabs the stanchion and tries to stop the 10,000-plus pound boat from hitting or moving away from the dock.
What is needed at the boarding point is a double brace. After seeing how effective this was on a neighbor boat, I did this up grade many years ago. Still..... one of the best upgrades we have ever done. Since then, we can grab hold of the stanchion for boarding, exiting, and holding on alongside the dock.
When you think about it, the whole idea of having to warn people not to grab or depend on the stanchions because they might bend them is quite foreign to their primary purpose.
At that time I also placed G10 plates under every stanchion base on the boat -- and also our pulpit bases. All the backing plates were bedded in epoxy mush.
Link to my project (now wishing I had taken more pix!) : Stanchion Bracing
When you think about it, the whole idea of having to warn people not to grab or depend on the stanchions because they might bend them is quite foreign to their primary purpose.
At that time I also placed G10 plates under every stanchion base on the boat -- and also our pulpit bases. All the backing plates were bedded in epoxy mush.
Link to my project (now wishing I had taken more pix!) : Stanchion Bracing
Do you have a big backing plate that spans the large bolt and the 2 smaller ones? Or just washers?
My O’Day 322 has some beefy aluminum backing plates under the stanchions. A pain to get the bolts in from the top, and lined up with the holes in the backing plates, but it is fairly stout.
I snagged my docking loop on my gate stanchion (which has a brace) while backing out of my slip one day. It bent the SS stanchion, and drove the brace through the fiberglass deck.
I used some Six-10 thickened epoxy to fix the hole, and added a large washer on the brace leg since it didn’t have much of a shoulder on top of the fiberglass. But the backing plate worked great!
I have guys that sit around and drink beer on my dock. They always get up to give me a hand when I come in… on a stiff cross-wind day, I really appreciate their help. But I usually say “hey, hand me the docking loop on the hook, and I am good“. That way they can help, without yanking on my stanchions.
Greg
My O’Day 322 has some beefy aluminum backing plates under the stanchions. A pain to get the bolts in from the top, and lined up with the holes in the backing plates, but it is fairly stout.
I snagged my docking loop on my gate stanchion (which has a brace) while backing out of my slip one day. It bent the SS stanchion, and drove the brace through the fiberglass deck
.I used some Six-10 thickened epoxy to fix the hole, and added a large washer on the brace leg since it didn’t have much of a shoulder on top of the fiberglass. But the backing plate worked great!
I have guys that sit around and drink beer on my dock. They always get up to give me a hand when I come in… on a stiff cross-wind day, I really appreciate their help. But I usually say “hey, hand me the docking loop on the hook, and I am good“. That way they can help, without yanking on my stanchions.
Greg
Upon close inspection, you can see the glass is crushed around the washer
This is an excellent idea! This solves two issues at the same time and I have some scrap G10 on hand. I will still look into some exterior bracing. Perhaps some steel cable from the top of this stanchion, to the bases of the two next to it. I have most of the parts on hand already
Yup. Even my O'Day was built better than this
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,727
People panic when they think that they have to stop 10k lbs before it hits the dock. It doesnt matter if I'm yelling at them to not touch the boat
A diagonal brace of some sort will add significant strength to the stanchion. I'm leaning more towards a cable so I don't have to drill more holes in the deck and because I have most of the hardware on hand
I can't envision a diagonal cable brace. Got a diagram?People panic when they think that they have to stop 10k lbs before it hits the dock. It doesnt matter if I'm yelling at them to not touch the boat
A diagonal brace of some sort will add significant strength to the stanchion. I'm leaning more towards a cable so I don't have to drill more holes in the deck and because I have most of the hardware on hand
dj
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,727
Such a design is interesting. If I grab the middle stanchion at the top, with the diagonals and push it, what will happen to the forces at the deck? Will the stanchion not bend in the middle?
Fore and aft is my primary concern when people try to stop a moving boat
I can lower the attachment point. I have yet to bend a stanchion. The deck has always taken the brunt of the beating
Interesting, that's never been my experience, it's more pushing the boat away from a dock.
dj
My biggest problem with stanchions is people grabbing them to mount the boat. I think I would have to electrify them to stop that. Or I could ask them to grab the shrouds. Number one seems like more fun!
Lube up your stanchions!
The stanchion to board the boat is a double one so it's got a fair amount of strength
I'm pretty good about getting the boat off the dock using the motor and/or wind. Docking not so much but I'm getting there
Yes but It's a floating dock that's chained to the bottom so it moves. One time there was only 10-12' between the docks. I went from the opposite side, got the boat sideways and let the wind push it into place. Throttling forward and backwards while adjusting the angle of the boat was no easy task but I managed to do it. Nothing like drifting into a slip sideways!
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,727
You do what you have to do.
I came into a slip at Van Isle near Sydney, BC. The head dock handler was on the dock to help. As I approached, I noticed how narrow the fairway was. I made my turn a bit late. The handler was about to grab my bow pulpit. I shouted "Leave It! I'm going to make another approach."
Backed out and managed to time the turn better. This way, I missed side-swiping the Big Power yacht I was parked next to. I got his kudos for the second attempt. He said, "Most boaters would just have come in, and I would have had to try and pull them in so they didn't scrape the other boat.
Every safe landing is a good landing. There are no pictures or a scorecard.
I came into a slip at Van Isle near Sydney, BC. The head dock handler was on the dock to help. As I approached, I noticed how narrow the fairway was. I made my turn a bit late. The handler was about to grab my bow pulpit. I shouted "Leave It! I'm going to make another approach."
Backed out and managed to time the turn better. This way, I missed side-swiping the Big Power yacht I was parked next to. I got his kudos for the second attempt. He said, "Most boaters would just have come in, and I would have had to try and pull them in so they didn't scrape the other boat.
Every safe landing is a good landing. There are no pictures or a scorecard.
There's no shame in a second approach, unlike a failed one
Have you tried attaching a spring line to the end of the floating dock that you can pick from the bow (or even midship) as you come in, attach to a midships cleat and be done with the drama?
dj