Worn stanchion eye

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matthew99

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The stanchion eyes are worn where the SS guard wire runs through. The action of suspending fenders has caused it to saw through the alloy(?) of the stanchion. My thoughts are to bed 8mm plastic fuel pipe in the worn hole using epoxy and re-thread.

Are there any other solutions out there?

Thanks,33
 
I have recently dealt with the same thing. Used aluminium tube from B&Q, 8mm diameter IIRC. This was slightly too big, so cut a lengthwise slot in each piece. Cut to the right length for the width of the stanchion. Most needed to be hammered in, so at least won't fall out. I was going to epoxy them in place, but I don't know how long they will last and at least I can just drive them out if they need to be replaced in the future. I actually suspect they won't last last terribly long, but replacing some every winter won't be a big job. They are not perfect aesthetically, but I don't think anyone, other than me, will notice.

HTH
 
When I renewed my aluminium stanchions a couple of years ago, I also threaded on some nylon tubing (from a pneumatics supplier) so there was no friction between the stainless wire and the Ali stanchion. Remember - Stainless+Aluminium+Salt water = CORROSION !!
I cut a spiral cut in the 100mm long tubing so it could be wound on and one end secured with amalgating tape.
 
PetiteFleur said:
When I renewed my aluminium stanchions a couple of years ago, I also threaded on some nylon tubing (from a pneumatics supplier) so there was no friction between the stainless wire and the Ali stanchion. Remember - Stainless+Aluminium+Salt water = CORROSION !!
I cut a spiral cut in the 100mm long tubing so it could be wound on and one end secured with amalgating tape.
Click to expand...

My solution was similar in that I renewed the lifelines and got the rigger to put bits of plastic tube on the wire before he put the terminals on.
 
I haven't tried this, so it may not be feasible... My first thought is always to improve the original situation, if possible. Could you find a thin-walled stainless tube to fit through the hole (bedded in insulating paste) and swage a flare on each end to hold it in place? That would not only make good the ovality but also offer a harder working surface. Even if you don't use an insulating paste, the aluminium will corrode rather than the stainless until any gap is full of the resultant corrosion product.

Pipe flaring tools usually clamp onto the pipe end to flare just the end, but I'm sure it could be ersuaded to grip the stanchion to do the second flare.

Rob.
 
Yes, why not? I was wondering whether it would be necessary to finish off with a ball peine hammer to flatten the protrusion off and clamping a ball bearing should have a similar effect. Maybe other "refinements" would come to mind after initial fitting so as to get both ends dressed off the same - I'm not really certain that the ends would necessarily deform simultaneously despite having equal pressures on them. Probably be best to dress off with a file once fitted. This could be the first use I've found for a Dremel, polishing the belled ends so as not to wear the wire.

Rob.
 
The black plastic piping used for central heating installations is very hard wearing and is still good in my stanchions after about 10 years.
 
Hi and thanks for all the replies,

The 8mm pipe seems a good option and easy to adapt - I favour nylon instead of metal since there may be corrosion issues (SS and alloy) although Skip hasn't come across any issues.

I would like to know how to bed the piping in the eye. An epoxy such as Araldite is my first choice - are there other possibilities? I've attached a photo to show the amount of stanchion sacrificed.

Whilst I'm on the forum I'd like to ask whether there are any solutions to clean up the stanchions since a fair amount of annodising has worn away. I've managed to get all the stanchions off and it could improve the looks of the boat, perhaps without a great deal of effort.


Many thanks in advance
 

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