Stainless-steel rails and pulpits

Jun 5, 2010
1,107
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
I am looking to have custom-made rails built for Diana. Does anyone know of East-Coast (preferably Connecticut to Virginia) makers of these who may be relatively economical? All three of these rails are pretty simple (like two bends, two welds each); I just don't want to order them from the big names and pay for shipping. Any suggestions of vendors or other resources will be appreciated!

BTW-- as I am typically didactic (like no one's figured that out!) I have to remind people that the term 'pushpit' for the stern pulpit is a gross misnomer. Both of them are properly called 'pulpits'. The term comes from where the minister stands to deliver a sermon; it does not come from 'pull' in front and 'push' in back. However do these things get started? :banghead:
 
Sep 8, 2014
2,551
Catalina 22 Swing Keel San Diego
Take it from a welder, you really won't find anything 'economical' when it comes to having those made. In each case they are 'custom' built to order. The only way around that is have the factory jig. Most shops charge between $60 to $100 per hour plus materials. Your best bet is to find a local home-based hobby fabricator (someone who does not run a brick-and-mortar shop) who has a tube bender. You should only be using 1 inch stainless tube, most people will have that common size die for the bender. look for someone who is into making tube chassis for race cars and such, it does not have to be a 'marine' shop. He will have to set it up on the boat and weld it in place; without the factory jig there is no other way to ensure it will fit. Metal like to move when you weld it, and it will move a LOT. Try putting out a want ad on CL. Good luck!
 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,131
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
You know, you cautioned on the term Pushpit a while ago. I completely forgot and I just used it today in another post. My bad. As far as the construction, I think I'd do as suggested and look for a local welding shop with a decent reputation. They should be able to get 316 SS without an issue. They should be able to recommend a polishing/finishing shop if they don't do it themselves. A good template should serve to see the bases line up. BTW, I did a number of projects like this and found my source near a local airport. They did a lot of aircraft work, so I never worried about quality and they were reasonable.
 
Jun 5, 2010
1,107
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
Take it from a welder, you really won't find anything 'economical' when it comes to having those made. In each case they are 'custom' built to order. The only way around that is have the factory jig. Most shops charge between $60 to $100 per hour plus materials. Your best bet is to find a local home-based hobby fabricator (someone who does not run a brick-and-mortar shop) who has a tube bender. You should only be using 1 inch stainless tube, most people will have that common size die for the bender. Look for someone who is into making tube chassis for race cars and such; it does not have to be a 'marine' shop. He will have to set it up on the boat and weld it in place; without the factory jig there is no other way to ensure it will fit. Metal like to move when you weld it, and it will move a LOT. Try putting out a want ad on CL. Good luck!
This is good advice, sort of what I am already trying to do. I put in the post to find if anyone else had discover a suitable go-around by knowing who's who, you know. Lippincott Canvas, right in the yard, does rail bending; I'm asking him to get involved as well. The reality is that though these rails I want are simple, the back and front ones include some pretty tight bends that might be beyond the average handyman who doesn't do this all the time. My cousin Rick bends tubing too but doesn't happen to have a tubing bender at present (and if where he works gets involved, it'll be a formal job $$$). I also know a guy along the Shore but we had a falling-out on how he wanted to be paid for welding my mast step and I lost my parts, had to make them over, and got them done round the corner with a first-class job after all that.

The bow rail is only two pieces, each a side of the assembly; I will tack in a piece of angle between them and maybe just bolt it (for the step-through/seat). The stern rail is pretty standard but for its forward legs' bases. The other one is the fixed-dodger rail, made like the bow one in two pieces and then tacked together with stock fittings. This design enables me to do the 'ugly' fits and final assembly.

I agree with you about 1" tubing but most pulpits are 7/8" which would be okay with me for this. The forward legs of the stern rail have to be 1" to socket into (or onto) the deck-mounted foot (sawn-off end of old coaming-mounted stanchion) and to accept the 7/8" tubing of the deck crane (like the Forespar one only cheaper). Nothing special there-- McMaster-Carr have the correct sizes in stock.

I admit there are a lot of unique ideas in this setup and I will post photos when they're done. Thanks for your thoughts. ;)
 
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Jun 5, 2010
1,107
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
JC, have you considered salvage?
I have, Grizzard; though so far no good. Right now I have the original pulpit, which had an unfortunate and permanently-scarring close encounter with a piling (the PO). I do not like the 3-legged design (though my dad apparently drew it, typically intending for it to be inexpensive) because there's no step-through/seat and because the stem fitting must behave as a rail support as well (I prefer these two functions to be separate for all sorts of reasons).

If anyone wants this, let me know; but it's a real fixer-upper.

I also have one I salvaged off a Kells 22, which is too broad and round and has forward legs fastened with clamp-on fittings. I grabbed it because it was available but haven't found a way to use it. I had an option on another but it turned out to be aluminum (no; thanks).

The design I have in mind is very like the later H27's rail, having four legs that fit into sockets and a turned-down front that acts as the step-through/seat. The J80's and J105's are very similar. I have asked around for any of those, including at the J dealer next door who had only a pretzelated one to offer; otherwise it'd be a special order from Rhode Island ($$$).

Still looking; but thanks for the thought! ;)
 
Jun 5, 2010
1,107
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
You know, you cautioned on the term Pushpit a while ago. I completely forgot and I just used it today in another post. My bad. As far as the construction, I think I'd do as suggested and look for a local welding shop with a decent reputation. They should be able to get 316 SS without an issue. They should be able to recommend a polishing/finishing shop if they don't do it themselves. A good template should serve to see the bases line up. BTW, I did a number of projects like this and found my source near a local airport. They did a lot of aircraft work, so I never worried about quality and they were reasonable.
LOL about the 'pushpit', Rick! Didn't mean to lay the guilts on you!

I have a really good welding shop nearby but they're significantly expensive. Nevertheless I've used them for many things and they're very reliable (did a gorgeous job on my stem fitting and the mast step). I'm just scared to death of the $600 bill for something they don't ordinarily do out of something they don't ordinarily stock. The airport idea is good and I know of such a place nearby. Thanks for the thought. ;)