Stanchion Base Plate Bend?

[Sea Drifter]

I have covered my ODay23 with a heavy tarp for many years using an A-Frame 2x4 structure, and with the tarp hanging down over the stanchions and lifelines. I now see that while the stanchions themselves are straight, there is a “lift” in the base plate (see photos) that looks like a drain. The stanchions are now leaning inboard. I never did see how to easily take out the stanchions for the winter.

Are these plate “bends” caused by the weight of the snow/ice pooling in the cover? If so, is there any way to straighten out these base plates without extensive boat “surgery”?? I do see some gruesome postings on losing the nuts inside if the bolt/screw heads are taken out.

Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[justsomeguy]

It seems as if it should come off in order to straighten, and it looks like an easy fix...

 

[Brian S]

Well, on the positive side of things, if you took the stanchions off to straighten the bases, you have a great opportunity to re-bed them and make sure they won't leak any time soon...

Brian

 

[Sea Drifter]

Justsomeguy, Brian,

Thanks for the response! I have read that it is very difficult to get the stanchion plates in asthey are just bolted in under the deck and the nuts are between the deck and liner ... and the nuts fall down and you can't retrieve them, nor reach in to put on new ones!

I have been careful to keep Cap'n Tolly sealant run around and under the plates, so leakage isn't an issue (yet!).

I'll poke around more underneath over the weekend, and see if there is any easy access!

If you know anymore, please post as you see fit!

 

[Brian S]

I can see how a headliner would make this job really difficult. Sorry I don't have any experience on a 23 that would help you...

A friend of mine has a Precision 18. Last summer, a microburst came through the lake, and rolled the boat towards the floating dock, far enough that the midships stanchion hit the dock, levered inwards, and punched a freakin' hole through the deck! Luckily the deck isn't cored, so it's just a matter of taking things apart, grinding down, and laying up some glass...

Brian

 

[Sea Drifter]

Brain, Thanks for the response. It is interesting that on my boat, the metal flanges have twisted up, but the stanchions have remained straight, and I have no deck leaks or twists. Maybe I'll just use a crowbar for now, put in lots of sealant, and then use some cross bracing in the winter so nothing gets worse! I'd hate to see a whole coring/glassing job underway .. that would cost more than the boat!

From old photos of the boat from 1991, I see that this may have been going on (very slowly) over many winters! 22 years ago the stanchions were straight and pointing slightly outboard!

 

[Indysailor]

My boat has cutaways in the headliner that look to me as though they were done at the factory. I say this because the headliner was glued securely around a couple of them, as if no one had ever tried to get to the bolts. Just a thought.

 

[Joe Roc]

On my 28 I removed all the stantions and replaced the bases. It was A CHORE. I did it alone but it's really a two person job. I then bought new posts the fit inside the bases and are secured with set screws. In the winter they pop right out and the bases stay put. Prepare to tear up your knuckles in tight spaces. Good luck

 

[rs8684]

Sea Drifter, I read your post yesterday, and went home and looked at my 23'. Guess what? I have a bend as well! Never noticed it before, and I've had my boat for 2 years now. Don't have the slightest idea how it got there, it might have always been there for all I know. I'll give it an attempt to fix and rebed, I'll send you an email so we can compare strategies!

Rick

 

[Sea Drifter]

Bend diagram and possible solution

Rick,
Thank you for the note and seeing the same thing on your ODay 23! I did look more over the weekend, and was surprised to find the stanchions were welded to the base plate - not removable!. However, from inside the cabin, it feels like the nuts are just covered over with the hull fabric/foam liner and should peel back. I have asked the yard to look at this ... my only concern is if the plates are put in a vise or machine press, will they get "flattened out" and lead to hole mis-alignment and not fit back in! All four of my stanchion base plates are bent up a little (I always thought it was for drainage), but the mid stanchion port side was really bent over in the heavy snowfall this winter. Look at the diagram I have atttached! If the bolts aren't frozen to the nuts, it should be fixable with two men ... we'll see ..!..and I'll post more!

 

[Joe11688]

Lifelines look great on a boat and they can give you something to hold on to if you slip off your boat. With that said, I learned a long time ago to never put a lot of strain on the stanchions if I can help it.
If you ever towed a kayak on a downwind tack during windy conditions with the sea kicking up, the kayak will always have a tendency to turn sideways and roll over. If you ever tried to get the water out of a kayak by getting it on board and tipping the water out of it while your boat is sailing along, you'll know what I mean.
One day I got the bright idea of wedging the kayak between my cabin and the first lifeline stanchion and although it was kind of in my way as far as visibility is concerned, it caused a bigger problem later on. My stanchion started leaking.

The stanchion nuts and backup plates are easy to get at in the cabin on my boat but it takes two people to do this job and it can be a pain in the butt. Usually the bolts will break when you're trying to remove the nuts.
After that episode I leaned to never put any unnecessary strain on my stanchions.

Fortunately, my lifeline stanchion pipes are removable from the bases. Each pipe is held in place with two machine screws and at the end of the season, I remove the pipes with the lifelines attached and store down my cellar.

 

[Ward H]

Yesterday I was working on the deck of my 25. Thinking of this thread I checked my stantion bases. I noticed that one of my stantions has the exact same bend. In fact 3 out of 4 are bent to some degree. Worse, the same 3 show signs of cracking at the weld. Luckily, access to the nuts in the cabin is very easy plus there are large backing plates.
The yard has a scrap 25 they are stripping and are check those for me. If not they offered to tig weld the craps but they can't polish. I may just purchase new ones from Rudy after I recover from all the spring work.

 

[Sea Drifter]

Interesting to se it on the ODay 25 Too!

Ward,

Thank you for thinking of this thread! I will check more closely for possible cracking this weekend and hopefully get a better view of the backing plate (if there?) and the nuts!

If removable, this should be an easy "fix'... although I'll contact Rudy if not!

Regards,
Tony

 

[Sea Drifter]

Repair was fairly easy!

To all who replied to me..!....

On the ODay 23 it is easy to get at the bolts and nuts of the lifeline stanchion backing plate (mid cabin one). The fabric hull liner inside the cabin peels off easily, and the nuts and backing plate are exposed. (The plate above deck is welded to the stanchion so it can't be unscrewed). The stanchion and plate were taken off, and the yard took them into their shop and straightened them out. A small "lip" is still present in the outer plate, and that must be for structural reasons. It was not a big task, and easily done in the yard's shop. I haven't recieved the bill yet. Then we'll see...!!

 

[Sea Drifter]

Cost to straighten the stanchion!

To all who replied to my posting.....

Please see my posting above on what was done to straighten out the stanchion on my ODay 23. It was not a complicated job, and I was charged for only 1 hour of labor by Three Belles Marina in Niantic, CT (formerly Bayreuther Boat Yard). They were very nice to me on this!

I spent more time researching the project than it took to do the job!

Sea Drifter II