Soft Stantions

[lightyear22]

On my 76 C&C 24 a couple of my stantions are kinda soft when moved. One is particularly bad with spider web like cracking around it. What can I do to strengthen the stantions. I read where you can reinforce them with wood blocks underneath. What can be done with the topside with all the cracking? Lucky enough it is not leaking, for now.

Thanks
Andrew

[sailortjk1]

Sounds like water has penetrated the deck core.

[sailingfool]

Remove the stanchion, dry or replace any wet deck core, overdrill the bolt holes and fill with an epoxy/silica paste, chisel out the spider cracks and fill with gelcoat, wet-sand and do again. Redrill the mounting holes, and re-install the stanchion being sure to use a SS or aluminum backing plate the size of the bottom of the stanchion.

Or have a yard fix it.

If you have not done so, you should have surveyor test the rest of the deck for any moisture. Those babies have great hulls, not much the years can do those. Many years ago we tripped our '76 C&C 30 over a rock at 6+ knots under spinnaker and had only a divot in the lead keel to show for it.
Good luck.

[TrueBlue]

Originally Posted by lightyear22

"Lucky enough it is not leaking, for now."

Eventually it will, after the core rots, allowing trapped water to migrate through the core to the lowest level penetration in the bottom layer of deck-coring. This may be a headliner attachment, light fixture, or nearby hatch.

The quick-fix cure would be to remove the stancheon, and inject epoxy into the core surrounding the stancheon base. Then re-bed & screw the stancheon base to the deck, after epoxy is cured. The best fix is to remove the rotted core, dry out & reglass both inside & outside membranes.