straightening bent pulpit

[catalac08]

My pulpit was bent when I bought the boat (cat) and the charming irishman I bought from had the spinnaker pole across the pulpit and the lashings disguised the bend in the tubing. Time has come to straighten this out but my first attempts were a miserable failure. Had a very heavy 3x3x3/8 inches angle to clamp against and tried to straighten this using 4 inch G clamps without any success at all as the clamps just squirm off when very tight on the round surface. Looks like thick wall 1 inch tube.
Is there some particular way of approaching this or tool to use - there are many mounting screws with hard to access undr deck nuts so I do not want to remove the pulpit.

Any ideas on this?

 

[KREW2]

I have just had to straighten mine, once its sprung it's almost impossible to get back. I took mine off, pain I know but it was the only way. Even after straightening the bolt holes did not line up by about 2/3ml so I had to make a spanish windlass to pull it into alignment. BTW wear a gumshield if it springs off it can do a lot of damage.

 

[rogerthebodger]

If the tube is kinked the only way is to cut a section out where the kink is and wend in a new piece. The new piece of tube can be helded in place with a piece of split tube inserted at the ust to align the new tube concentric with the old.

If you dont have TIG welding equipment and the skill take it to some one who has.

 

[catalac08]

thanks for suggestions tube is not kinked but the bend goes across a t join where a vertical tube goes down to the deck so a fair welding job done that way
Wondered if there is some kind of tool perhaps usedf in car body straightening that would do this, alternatively a small hydraulic vice?

 

[Guest]

My Snappie had a bent pulpit - after stuffing Bembridge L/boat up the ***** - he was towing me on short hawser and ran aground ahead of me !!

Anyway - even with metal specialist at Yard who did repairs to the boat ... still it never looked the same ... it's tuff stuff ... and like most pipes never goes back exact as original. They warned me of it as well ...