Stanchion bases

[Porthandbuoy]

I need to re-seal Ladybird's stanchion bases. At the moment they are on teak pads, of which some are split and letting water down behind the lockers.

So what's best? Seal the metal base to the deck with a polysulphide sealer? Fit a rubber gasket? Replace the teak pads (which will probably split anew)? Any other recommendations?

 

[TradewindSailor]

Teak pads do a pretty good job of spreading the load and can look smart. However I prefer not to have any wood on deck. I built up the bases on my boat with epoxy filler. The deck is stiff in this area so it hasn't cracked.

What is very important though is to drill the bolt holes oversize, say +4mm, for a depth of 8mm or so to allow a good amount of caulking around the bolts. The bolts will move. A thin layer of caulking will shear an let in water.

 

[Tranona]

If you need pads to level the deck then use epoxy coated ply. Problem with teak is that it can split along the grain. Bed in polysyluphide sealer and as suggested coutnersink the top part of the hole to get a good seal around the bolt.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

Thanks for the tip about drilling oversize holes; never thought of that.

How do you reckon tufnol pads would stand up? Tufnol winches seem to last and I may have a source of some offcuts from an electrical engineering works.

 

[30boat]

Thanks for the tip about drilling oversize holes; never thought of that.

How do you reckon tufnol pads would stand up? Tufnol winches seem to last and I may have a source of some offcuts from an electrical engineering works.

Tufnol will be perfect and look a bit like wood to boot.

 

[Tranona]

Yes, Tufnol would be great if they are just flat bases. If they are wedge shaped tufnol is messy stuff to machine. I used epoxied ply pads to take up the camber of the deck and they have been there since 1988 with no problems.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Reply #2, here: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6031.0.html