UK catalogue of stainless steel tube and fittings?

jerrytug

jerrytug

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Hello I want to plan the installation on my stern of a wind genny, and work out the angles and which end fittings to use.
It's a Rutland 913 and I know Marlec sell kits but they are no good (for my yacht) so I plan to DIY.
Could somebody suggest the cheapest place to find out what is available, the fittings must be sold for non-yachting purposes at sensible prices? Many thanks in advance Jerry
 
Kayospruce do all the end fittings etc for the stays and braces http://www.kayospruce.com/product-range.html

They're not overly sensible on prices but where all the trade seem to buy ...

For the upright, 2 inch stainless tube (316 or 316L grade) can be bought almost anywhere quite cheaply - even eBay - normally in 3m lengths which should be enough - how you fix that to the deck depends - you can weld on feet, clamp on what are effectively large stanchion bases or even a hinged arrangement.
 
Thanks Upnorth that looks a good one.
To theoldsalt, yes I see what you mean, a single pole would be ok for the loads caused by the wind. But the way I see it, I will probably end up sticking other stuff up there as well, plus washing lines, awnings, makeshift aerials and all that palaver, plus the high chance of me grabbing it in a seaway, so it's a compromise between the low air drag of a single pole, and the usefulness of a massive gantry off a stern trawler!
 
I did the same thing last year. I found SEASCREW to be the cheapest in the UK. Everyone sells the same fittings from the same manufacturer,

As an aside I found the fittings, which are made in the UK, on sale in a ships chandler in DUABI at less than 1/2 the UK price. I got most of what I needed there and caerried them back to the UK in my luggage. although I had to buy the Stainless tube and some extra fittings in the UK.

Seascrew turned out to be the cheapest and everyrhing was liosted on their website.
 
Viv

Any chance of some pictures or diagrams of your arch - I need a general purpose arch, primarily to fit 3-400W of solar, but also to act as a set of davits. Would be useful to see what you have done.

Thanks

Neil
 
neil1967 said:
Viv

Any chance of some pictures or diagrams of your arch - I need a general purpose arch, primarily to fit 3-400W of solar, but also to act as a set of davits. Would be useful to see what you have done.

Thanks

Neil
Click to expand...

Panelsandradar.jpg

All made from proprietary fittings and one inch tube, except for the brackets holding the panels, which I had made. It is partially supported by the radar pole and was never intended to carry the weight of davits and a dinghy. Perfectly possible to do so and I have seen several that do, but I would not have built it quite like this in that case.

It was originally designed to allow the panels to tilt by sliding the aft supports up and down the forward ones. In practice this was a) unnecessary, as we have plenty of power, and b) a little too flexible. The aft supports are now longer and attached to the transom, with a brace to the forward one.
 
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