Removing stanchions

My stanchion bases appear to be screwed to the toe-rail only (see pic below). Can anyone tell me whether this is true, or is there likely to be a screw going vertically down through the toe-rail and into the hull as well ? I suppose I'll find out when I try to take one off but if anyone happens to know...

At least these ones will be easy to chuck-up in the lathe to bore out the stanchion stub if I can't get them out. Will be easier than making new ones anyway.

Also, can anyone tell me whether using split pins as shown is better or worse than using stainless bolts instead in this application ?

Boo2

stanchion_base.jpg
 
Same problem, done this on two boats now, both with alloy toe rails and alloy bases, one with alloy posts and the other with stainless steel posts. All absolutely solid, no chance of moving. My biggest concern was damaging the permanent fixtures, ie the toerail etc.

So removed the bolts securing the post to the toerail, cut the post away flush with the top of the base, and using a small cutting disc tool, carefully cut a vertical transverse slot in the base. You cannot cut a complete slot obviously, but can remove enough material to split the base apart, revealing the vertical bolt going through the toe rail, remove this bolt and fit new base.
 
I've just found a new method of removing seized stanchions from their bases. Hacksaw the seized stanchion off flush with the base then use a Bosch rotary file in an electric drill to cut out the first 10mm. Follow up with a Makita 25mm diameter hole saw and keep removing the swarf until the remains of the stanchion are gone. Then clean up with a 25mm diameter wire brush in the drill
 
PetiteFleur said:
Well, if they are Aluminium stanchions in aluminium bases bolted to the toerail with stainless screws and bolted through the deck, just like my Moody 33, then it's practically impossible to remove the stanchion without destroying the base. New bases are supplied with a plastic liner between the post and the base. The reason they corrode solid is aluminium post in aluminium base with stainless bolts & split pins continually washed with salt water = CORROSION in a big way. The only way to remove the post is to destroy the base(probably damaging the post in the process) using a combination of drilling/hammering/disc cutter & any other method you can think of. Liquids and heat I found were not any good. The other problem is access to the nuts inside under the deck, as soon as you turn them the bolt turns as well, sometimes you are lucky and you can get them off. I found I had to drill out the countersunk screws which hold the bases to the toerail.
If you are lucky you'll get the stanchion complete with base off in one piece, if not they will both be damaged beyond repair.
I found it took anything from ½ hr to 4 hours for each stanchion. It took two winters to complete the job.
Bases and stanchions still available from chandlers & internet & ebay. Not cheap if bought from chandlers. Negotiate to get a good deal. Use dichromate paste when reassembling to prevent corrosion between stainless & aluminium.
Goos Luck! If you need more info pm me.
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Good post but the Westerly stanchions and bases are completly diferent on the Westerly and Moody
 
corinthmistral said:
As the stanchions are solid alloy, crop them off flush with the base, centrepunch the centre and drill them out with a series of increasing pilot drills. You will have to invest in a drill of the relevant stanchion diameter assuming you dont have one this size already. If you go slightly off centre it doesnt really matter because you will then have a C shaped remnant that you (should) be able to prize out using heat and tapping with a screwdriver. When you have drilled them all as far as you can you can regrind the drill to a shallow angle to remove as much of the material at the bottom of the stanchion base. Alternatively, as long as you are not too far off centre, just drill them out to an appropriate size and replace with stainless stanchions of a corresponding size.
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I would do it the other way, Westerly bases are available, so why not cut that off and use the original stanchions that are more difficult to find
 
Storyline said:
crumbs - it sounds like it is going to be a nightmare !

The guard rails/wires between the stanchions have started to 'saw' through the holes in the stanchions (why Westerly did not use stainless ferrules/grommets to protect the stanchions I have no idea). Some of them look like that in just a few more years then they will have sawn through completely. I have had this brainwave of just swopping them over (port to starboard) complete with the guard rails and get another few years before replacement.

In view of all the above I might have to think of another way and find some system to stop the wires sawing through any more.

Thanks for all your input :)
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Just use some plastic tubing cut it to length, cut it so it can be slipped over the guard rail, insert into stanchion with a bit of siko on, job done, did all mine when i bought the boat
 
Bilgediver said:
If all the snake oils fail then I saw one friend cut the stanchions off just above the base and then carefully cut a vertical slit in the trapped bit of stanchion using a jig saw (Blade that cuts on downward stroke) they then can be closed a wee bit and out they pop. He had to replace all on a Storm for coding.
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I tried this but struggled to get a blade properly into the remains of the stanchion in order to cut it free.

So I did something similar. I left about an inch of the old stanchions protruding. Then made a single cut downwards with a hacksaw through the stump and into the top of the base. It wasn't necessary to cut far - at most half way down - before the base could be opened slightly and the stump could be wrenched out. After cleaning the cuts in the top of the bases were repaired by welding. If welding hadn't been possible I had thought of putting a jubilee clip around the top of each base to enable it to be re-tightened around the new stanchions. Although the welding and set of new stanchions wasn't cheap, it would have been a nightmare to have replaced the bases.
 
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bert49uk said:
Just use some plastic tubing cut it to length, cut it so it can be slipped over the guard rail, insert into stanchion with a bit of siko on, job done, did all mine when i bought the boat
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I did similar last year. Bought aluminium tube from B & Q. Can't remember diameter but it was slightly larger than the holes in the stanchions. Cut to length, then make lengthwise cut in each bit, either hacksaw or Dremel, carefully tap them into place, having opened them up (easy to do) to place over guardrail and then squeezed close again. Have done one season so far, no signs of wear, easy to keep an eye on. Was going to epoxy/Araldite them in place but thought that would make future removal too difficult.
 
The aluminium stanchions on my boat, gradually either bent, broke or fatigue-cracked.

Over a period of 5 years I replaced them all with stainless-steel ones - this would have been impossible without picking up 4 replacement alloy stanchion bases from chandlerybarge.co.uk/‎

I still have 2 left.

I found, if the lifeline-holes were still available, a mixture of heat and organic acid (sulphamic) gradually allowed you to free them sufficiently to rotate them and then get them out. Penetrating oils and vinegar were useless.
The real problem occured when the fracture line was just above the base. One was drilled out on a pillar-drill.
They have all been replaced with PET liners fitted and split-pins instead of through bolts so the problem won't again arise.
 
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