Actually, the stanchions are very rigid with no flex. I am grateful this is the case. They seem to be as strong as before. However, I did not give them a pull test like we used to do in my Navy days with a test device designed to do a calibrated weight test. My gate stanchions were just fine so did not mess with those. I was pleasantly surprised to find the screws on the two smaller legs did not just pull out of what I figured would be a soggy core. I have been gratefully surprised that every time I have done some sort of repair that involved the deck that I found the core to be dry and solid. I have installed an Anchor windlass (which my install is on the website under Hunter 37.5 projects), did the stanchions, and a few window leaks. I do take measures to ensure my repairs are as waterproof as I can be with epoxy resin before I reinsert the fasteners. I did not use camphor. However, I am a strong proponent of 3M 4200 in such an application. I use a straightened paper clip to clear the weep holes whenever I think about it. I spent 30 years in the Navy on submarines responsible for a myriad of equipment and preservation thereof. Here is what I learned from all those years in the Navy. If the Navy uses it, it works. If it is environmentally friendly it doesn't work. Now please don't respond with all the tree hugger stuff, I take every measure I can to keep our waterways and environment as clean as possible. Just sharing my experience from serving in vessels that spend most their life in a very inhospitable environment as well as being one who had to maintain many of the equipment and machinery that enabled those vessels do operate in that environment. I love this website and all the information sharing in it. Keep it going my fellow sailors.
