Stantion idiots..

[BillyK]

I've always hated the stantion design on sailboats. Mine included. i cringe when every dock boy i encounter pushes with his body weight on the top of my stantion to defend from the dock. i have to always tell them to please push at the rail, not the top of the post. Cost is a factor, but i'd really like to see a hard rail all the way around that gains its strength through the entire system, rather than a tall thin post that will ultimatly crack the rail or bend because it taps a dock or some kid pushes on it. Its not just the kids either, i've had seasoned "sailboat" yard guys push on the top of stantion with their foot to move the boat. Drives me insane!

this is a little bit of a vent, but man, it just seems that i have to protect our girl constantly from idiots that should know better.. i've replaced 2 bent stations that she had when i purchased her and i have one more to go.. i have a few horizontal cracks to repair as well from stantion pressure.

My question is am i the only one that feels like this? there's a sailor across the dock from me that i see him put his body into his lifelines to defend the dock from his own boat... i cringe when i see the stantions bend. What is your approach to dealing with someone doing this to your girl?

 

[Cool Beans]

What is your approach to dealing with someone doing this to your girl?

Placing fenders before hand should help negate the need to be held off from anything. . .

Where exactly would you expect them to grab your boat? I've never had paid help assist me, but I've helped others tie up to the end of my dock (perks of being "the guy on the end", lol) and I'm not putting myself anywhere near the toe rail. A helping hand is better than a crushed hand (or foot) against the dock And I'm not reaching over to the coach roof rails either. To far to reach, and I would have to support my weight at least partially on the boat which makes it hard to pull in. . .and risks me being pulled into the drink. . .

I will say though, the only boats I've not grabbed the life lines on, are the ones who have a few fenders out AND have lines ready to be tossed to me. . .

Preparation and explicit instruction might be key here

 

[thinwater]

Mostly, what Cool Bean said:

a. I've never bent a stantion.

b. Fenders help. Coming in under sufficient control that they have no reason for anyone to forcefully grab helps. Using lines helps. No one is going to risk pushing on the toe rail if the dock is nearby.

c. Lifelines are to suport a net of lines, not to provide firm railings, which would be heavier and occationally in the way. I think many sailors would be happier with real railings, but that's not what they are. Real railing would bend too if they hit a dock (pulpits do) and are VERY expensive to repair--would they be better to live with?

d. If the dock boy is grabbing the stantions AND fender and lines are in use, correct him and tell his supervisor to train him on boat handling. I have expereinced dock boys that simply have not been shown how to guide a boat in or how one is levered in or off a dock in contrary winds using lines and fenders.

 

[petersea]

first let me say I don't have "dock boys" in my world but if there are fenders and lines AND the boat is under control there should never be a need to "defend" off the dock. If some one needs to push with " body weight" then there are other issues going on here that need corrected. Got to think that needing that much force the damage prevented would be equal to the cost of a stanchion. Prevention being the best "defense".

 

[JollyRogers]

I'm on Lake Michigan and water levels were very low this year. At the end of the season I was on one of my lst sails. As I entered my slip my boat slipped beneath the pier rub rail and ripped a stantion out of my deck. I almost threw up when I saw the damage. I now have to learn how to do fiberglass repair. Once done I plan to go through the boat and reset each stantion with stainless steel backing plates to strengthen them and repair any leaks as well. I am looking forward to learning this and attempting to reset these stantions. Of course I have a back up plan in the event I get in over my head.

 

[sandpiper10471]

BillyK - I totally agree with your sentiments. I am also angered that manufacturers don't instal substantial backing plates right off the bat.
Of course good boat handling skills and fender preparedness reduce the need for fending, but many well intentioned do-gooders still manage to grab the rails and heave on them. I just quietly and respectfully ask them to grab the toerail instead.

 

[NYSail]

I agree... hate when people grab stanchions and push. Typically I do not have people helping me dock and when I do I am there telling them where to grab...however at year end or at launch I see the yard guys grabbing my stanchion. So last year I replaced all of them with new from Gaurhar.. the ones with the removable tubes. So now when my boat is being serviced by the yard I remove the stanchions and life lines..... No problem now.

Good Luck

 

[okawbow]

Most stantions and lifelines are nothing more than trip hazards. They are too low and too weak to really stop someone from going overboard. False security if you ask me. I don't have them on my boat, and no one has gone overboard yet.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I fully agree. My wife got mad at me once for telling the guys at a gas dock to get their hands off the stanchions. My rely was: "Sweetie, next time we rebed the stanchions, you can do them!" Well, not really, but you get the drift...

 

[Squidd]

12 v Electric cattle fence shocker wired to stantions...Bare SS lines....you get the picture...

 

[kloudie1]

One of the beauties of some older Hunters (like my 34) is the way they bolted the stanchion base to the heavy aluminum toe rail and not the deck.. Leakage is not an issue. Not a perfect solution, but works pretty well.

 

[bffatcat]

You say stainless backing plates for stancions? What were your stancions backed with?

 

[Deadline]

I lost a stanchion two years ago when I drifted accidently in heavy current into the nose of a docked Coast Guard cutter, which effectively T-boned me. It was spectacular and stupid on my part, but it was an accident.

 

[tommays]

Or you could just spend a few hours and make them serve there intended function

As i have always failed to see the point of having a railing system on a boat you fear will break when you use it ?

 

[BillyK]

even the most prepared docking has people pushing on my stantions.. fenders out and all.. guys use them to maneuver the boat around the dock or slip and i cringe every time.. so even with fenders out, and a perfect approach theres someone out there pushing at the top of the pole.. i just wish people wouldn't do that, and that i wouldn't have to tell them not to.

 

[Squidd]

12 v Electric cattle fence shocker wired to stantions...Bare SS lines....you get the picture...

I'm telling you...

You won't have to tell them nuttin...

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

I just gotta say this, mostly in fun- I noticed a few who did- but they are

STANCHIONS

Big grin

And I totally agree with Tommays. If they won't stand being pushed on, how do you expect them to stop you when you FALL on them?? If they aren't strurdy enough, FIX 'em.

 

[Shell]

This thread is so full of anger from the simple statement of please don't pull on my stanchions. By the tone of some, 'It's the boat owners fault" that the stations are not better built. A lot of sailors really are a - holes.

 

[Cool Beans]

Anger? Nah

I see some rib jabbing and suggestions is all

For the cost, I don't think you can get much stronger than as designed. You can engineer them to be strong enough to survive impact loads, but the reinforcing at the hull and deck makes it very impractical. . .unless you have a steel hulled boat, that wouldn't be that bad

 

[FastOlson]

Yup. The Problem is Real !

I "imagineered" some nice braces for all of our mid-ship stanchions, and double-braced our gate stanchions on each side. This is one of the best upgrades we've ever done.

I have some pics in a thread over on the Ericsonyacht.org site.
If interested, let me know and I can look up the link for you.