Repairing stanchion base?

[Cardo]

Today, we sadly became entangled with the bow roller of another boat and managed to twist one of our stanchions, causing one of the three screws in the base to get pulled out.
Essentially, the thread in the GRP has been trashed. Checking the various other stanchions, I noticed one of the stanchion bases on the other side of the boat has a similar issue, though not as severe.

I'm sure this is something that happens fairly often, so there must be a solution! Well, I hope there is!

So, how does one go about stiffening up one's stanchions?

 

[VicS]

Today, we sadly became entangled with the bow roller of another boat and managed to twist one of our stanchions, causing one of the three screws in the base to get pulled out.
Essentially, the thread in the GRP has been trashed. Checking the various other stanchions, I noticed one of the stanchion bases on the other side of the boat has a similar issue, though not as severe.

I'm sure this is something that happens fairly often, so there must be a solution! Well, I hope there is!

So, how does one go about stiffening up one's stanchions?

Just threaded into the GRP .......

Through bolt them with good size backing pads and a plate or penny washers under the nuts.
If its a cored deck the core will a have to be removed and replaced with something more substantial.

 

[cliff]

Today, we sadly became entangled with the bow roller of another boat and managed to twist one of our stanchions, causing one of the three screws in the base to get pulled out.
Essentially, the thread in the GRP has been trashed. Checking the various other stanchions, I noticed one of the stanchion bases on the other side of the boat has a similar issue, though not as severe.

I'm sure this is something that happens fairly often, so there must be a solution! Well, I hope there is!

So, how does one go about stiffening up one's stanchions?

One doesn't. If you hit something and pull out a screw you have suffered minimal damage however if one stiffens up the attachment and then hit something else one could rip out a section of your deck - major damage - or at the very least break the base.
If however you do want to stiffen up the attachment point check for access below deck and if available make up some stainless steel plates drilled to suit the bases and through bolt the bases through the deck and the stainless steel back up plates. If foam core or balsa core decks you will need to remove the core material and replace it with epoxy to take the compressive forces when tightening the bolts.
Alternatively use large stainless steel washers below decks in place of the plates - either way you are guaranteed to rip out a section of deck and possible the gunwales or hull if you hit something solid but you will have stiffened up mounting base.

Plan "C" - remove the bases and plug the stripped hole(s) with something like Tufnol rod epoxied in assuming the fibreglass there is reasonably thick (10+mm) - replace base and drill a pilot hole for the remaining screw.

Sometimes it is NOT a good idea to reinforce something too much as subsequent damage can be more than if left "standard"

 

[knuterikt]

It can happen..

It's a bit unclear to me what parts that got damaged.

Normally a stanchion base is made of metal of some kind (stainless steel or aluminium)
Like this in alumnium

I needed some extra ones to make a opening port, took off one of the old ones and got foundry to cast me some new ones (had them make two extra..)

But since you are talking about holes/threads in the GRP it sounds as it was the fasteners that let go?

I would expect stanchion bases to be through bolted..

You can use epoxy (with additives) to repair holes in GRP to make new hold.
You can read more here http://www.westsystem.com/ss/bonding-hardware/
and here http://www.westsystem.com/ss/assets/HowTo-Publications/Fiberglass-Boat-Repair-and-Maintenance.pdf

You can use other makes of epoxy also

 

[VicMallows]

One doesn't. If you hit something and pull out a screw you have suffered minimal damage however if one stiffens up the attachment and then hit something else one could rip out a section of your deck - major damage

I like the logic ... and agree

 

[Cardo]

My apologies, I supplied some misinformation! So, the stanchion bases are actually bolted down, not screwed into the GRP. Sorry! What has actually happened is the bolt, which is held in place with a small washer, has been pulled into the GRP deck.

I'm thinking remove bolt, fill in hole made by accident, then replace bolt with bigger plate/washer.

What should I use to fill in the newly made hole?

As for stiffening up the stanchion, I meant to get it back to how it was before! The bases are solid, whilst the stanchions themselves have some play (but clearly not enough for my clumsy parking! )

Edit: Ahh, fill in with epoxy, it would seem!

Thanks all!

 

[cliff]

One doesn't. If you hit something and pull out a screw you have suffered minimal damage however if one stiffens up the attachment and then hit something else one could rip out a section of your deck - major damage

I like the logic ... and agree

Came to me in one of my more lucid moments..... just before nurse gave me my evening meds - she is getting sneaky these days - mashed them up in my strawberry mousse tonight.

 

[knuterikt]

One doesn't. If you hit something and pull out a screw you have suffered minimal damage however if one stiffens up the attachment and then hit something else one could rip out a section of your deck - major damage - or at the very least break the base.

The reason for having stanchions is to keep crew on board, wonder what happens if you fall against the guardrail and it's supposed to go loose with a little bit of load.