from the old forums
1.
Mark – I did this a couple of years ago – it’s not fun, but when you finish, you’ll be glad you did. I found several bolts almost corroded in half and several stanchions mounted with lag screws! To get to the nuts, you must remove the top 2 or 3 ceiling strips. Some of the nuts can be reached with a socket on a u-joint plus extension. Others, you cannot get a wrench around due to the hull angle. Those I clamped with a set of vise grips and then turned the bolt from the top. When remounting, leave a healthy “gasket” of polysulfide caulk under the base and let it set for a week before tightening the bolts. Also – while you have the stanchions off, you may want to remove the teak caprails and rebed them – you will have a much drier boat inside if you do. Good luck………..
2.
So I just finished tearing into my headliner and interior to get at some stanchion bolts that are through the caprails and in this weird little toerail area etc, etc.
I’m sure as heck not putting the short and poorly mounted design back on the boat so I got some new bases from Spartan marine, 316 SS and not welded but CAST. Strong as an ox. Four bolts instead of two. Can except taller stanchions than the original knee-high.
Now after resealing the entire hull-deck joint, moving chainplates outboard, and rebedding the caprails…someone tell me why I would want to put a bunch of holes back in the most leak-prone area of the boat? Answer: I don’t!
Here is the challenge:
Can anyone give me a good reason(s) why I shouldn’t mount the new stanchion bases just inside and against the toerail?
Disadvantages:
-Slightly less area moving along side of coach house
-More stubbed toes
-More subject to water (flowing to drains)
Advantages:
-Much easier access inside
-No holes through teak|sealant|hull deck joint area
-More likely to rebed at regular intervals due to easier access
-Additional strength; should a catastophic fall occur the stanchion would bend into the top of the toerail/caprail giving additional support at a critical time
This seems to me like a no-brainer which is why I post to you wise folks. It’s too easy to be right!
-Todd
S/V Defyn Gravity
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