Sadler 26 Stanchions

[Jobs a good un]

Hi everyone,
I am viewing a sadler 26 soon and just got the survey through done by the current owner back in 2021. It details hairline cracks around some stanchions and recommends "the stanchions should be ground back to sound laminate, repaired with resin, matting and colour matched gelcoat." I was thinking to do the repairs and then replace the stanchion bases with metal feet. Has anyone done this and can give me an idea or cost? Second, there are stress cracks on the bow above the water line where the anchor has been moving in the locker. They suggest grinding back 3mm or to sound laminate then rebuilt with gelcoat resin. Again, any experience and idea of cost? Thanks, any info would be much appreciated

 

[Neeves]

This will sound harsh - but its to help you.

I assume you have a modern phone.

Then

A photo is worth 1,000 words, your post is maybe 150 words.

Photographs will allow you to have the best advice possible. Or we could guess.

Jonathan

 

[Sandy]

Hi everyone,
I am viewing a sadler 26 soon and just got the survey through done by the current owner back in 2021. It details hairline cracks around some stanchions and recommends "the stanchions should be ground back to sound laminate, repaired with resin, matting and colour matched gelcoat." I was thinking to do the repairs and then replace the stanchion bases with metal feet. Has anyone done this and can give me an idea or cost? Second, there are stress cracks on the bow above the water line where the anchor has been moving in the locker. They suggest grinding back 3mm or to sound laminate then rebuilt with gelcoat resin. Again, any experience and idea of cost? Thanks, any info would be much appreciated

Sounds a lot of work where there will be better boats for sale.

 

[Supine Being]

Have a word with Mike Lucas and he can advise you: Deck Fittings – Lucas Yachting . It's a poor original design, to be honest. (Edit: have a look at the cracking and consider whether water ingress is likely. If it has got into the double skin, you need to know about it. One to ask the surveyor about).

The stress cracks around the anchor locker bit shouldn't be a big thing. I think the previous owner of the Sadler 26 that I owned had it done before I bought it.

They're cracking little boats and worth a bit of investment to sort out if you think you'll keep it for a few years.

 

[footsoldier]

They're cracking little boats..........

Very droll.

 

[doug748]

Hi everyone,
I am viewing a sadler 26 soon and just got the survey through done by the current owner back in 2021. It details hairline cracks around some stanchions and recommends "the stanchions should be ground back to sound laminate, repaired with resin, matting and colour matched gelcoat." I was thinking to do the repairs and then replace the stanchion bases with metal feet. Has anyone done this and can give me an idea or cost? Second, there are stress cracks on the bow above the water line where the anchor has been moving in the locker. They suggest grinding back 3mm or to sound laminate then rebuilt with gelcoat resin. Again, any experience and idea of cost? Thanks, any info would be much appreciated

I might do what the present owner has probably done; factor the repair in my offer and then ignore it and go sailing.

The stanchion cracks are likely (but you should look carefully) in the gelcoat. Cosmetic gelcoat repairs are not the thing to experiment with unless you are very gifted, in my experience many professionals make a right mess of them. I have several star cracks etc on my deck and have been pondering them for two decades, they have caused no problems and have gotten no bigger. Later you may want to put larger custom stainless pads under your stanchions which would hide some of it, whilst adding rigidity. A few hundred pounds to have them made up, depending on complexity, and fit yourself

The anchor well damage I can't quite picture so, as Neeves has said, a photo would help. My only proviso there is to be careful that the damage has not been caused by a collision. Most well layup would not be damaged by a light anchor banging about The kit needed to do a bit of internal constructional GRP work would cost maybe £100.

.

 

[Crowblack]

The stantion bases on the 26 went through three different applications although the basic design of thr GRP moulding stayed the same. Early boats had a plastic type insert which the stantion pushed into, (believe inserts available from Mike Lucas) then later ones were just inserted into a GRP hole and secured with a screw horizontally through the GRP. Later boats still after about 89 had a stainless mounting added to the top to reinforce the mounting - again the stantion pressed into the hole of the stainless upstand through into the GRP socket.

This last one more successful and has been replicated in various forms by fabricators to fit to earlier boats.

There have also been personalised variations on this theme and probably the strongest I've seen was where a fabricator had made a saddle type stainless construction which not only covered the immediate area on top of the mounting hole but also went down approx three inches each side of the toe rail and was additionally secured by a fixing through the GRP toerail, pic attached.

Damaged stantion bases have no connection to the foam filled area of the boat so water can't find it's way into them from there.

Agree this wasn't one of Sadlers finest bits of design but it's easily repaired and shouldn't detract from what is a fine little cruising boat that has done many long distance passages - - - there's a bilge keel one in the Caribbean at the moment.

The gel coat cracking at the bow is well known and easily repaired particularly as most hulls are white. Most owners in addition to securing the anchor to stop it flopping around in a sea have fitted boards to the inside of the well cheeks to stop it happening again.