Stanchions
How it should be made
Picture from Irwin site.
Construction problems:
- Stanchions are empty pipes - and water can easy get in it
- Water is running down to wood block.
- Woodblock has no drain, so water collects there and problem is not visible until it rotted completely.
- Pipe is welded to flange but tot as continues line and has some gaps as well.
- Flange mounted with short food screws to the deck.
What was found:
- During manufacturing workers messed the design and drilled holes in about 1" farther from hull edge, as result pipes did not went to the wood blocks and appeared "in the air". To hide this they added nice laminate but did not fill it and just sick some not even soaked fiber cloth.
- Also this mistake resulted the sealant has to be filled in cavity bout 1/4 inch between flange and deck, it was also point leading to failure.
- Previous owner tried to screw stanchions to toe rail adding some bracket , but it did not help and just put load on wood screws and they was ripped out.
- He put a lot of 5200. It did not help as soon as stanchion was not study.
- Woodblocks completely rotted.
- Nothing keep them to be stable.
What was done:
Earlyer:
All ald fiberglass and rotted wood removed.
I made new oak wood mounting blocks 3x3x4".
Blocks was cut and trimmed to place. Stanchion pipe hole re-drilled 1-3/4".
Hole filled with structural polyester putty. than drilled on place with 1" drill bit.
Flange mounting holes drilled 0.5" drill bit and filled with thickened EPOXY. In meaning to drill and tap for 1/4-20 machine thread for screws 2" long.
I did not planned to work on stanchions in summer any more as soon as it got too hot. So decided to overlay stanchions holes with one layer of glass and epoxy, then later come back.
What was done TODAY:
Sand all mounting place and open stanchion base holes. Drill them out to clean 1" size on the depth equal to stanchions base pipes. ten drill deeper (all through) drainage hole to let water to leak to cabin to be noticed in case if sealant will not keep weather.
Inserted stanchions, Mark flange screws positions, removed them. Drill holes and tap machine thread on 2" deep.
Previously, I filled stanchions with polyester resin as one of Irwin owners recommended. Actually i like the idea, but resin is shrinking and does not make 100% perfect water tight connection with pipe internal surface. I tried to check tightens with air suction method (just suck air with mouth ;-) ) 2 of 6 have small air leakage. to be 100% sure in my construction and do not come back to stanchions in short future, I put 1-1/8 rubber plugs from the bottom of pipes. It was great challenge i tried several methods and found the best is we plug and insert it as far as I can, then put metal hose clamp and compress extending part of the plug to smaller diameter and press it in with hammer and bolt as pusher.
And finally clean all parts with alcohol, dry them and mount stanchions back on 3M4200 adhesive sealant. 4200 used because it is removable and more flexible vs 5200. Secured stanchion to place with 2" long 1/4-20 machine screws.
Final picture of the boat with lifelines will be later.
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