O'Day stanchion manufacturer

[inthesprings]

No worries. Well, the deck may have flexed, but there does not appear to be any fiberglass damage. I also looked down there in some heavy rain and the stanchion bases are not leaking. Backing plates are a great idea. This thing needs them all over the place, but its very very tight down there and its not a flat surface either. Although I will certainly dig out the core and fill with expoxy. Thats certainly easy enough. Thanks for the tips. Love the butyl tape idea. Saw the instructional. Awesome.

-Shawn

[eherlihy]

I was trying to inspect the backing plates for the bow pulpit on my O'day 35 the other day, but was also having a bit of trouble finding them. It seemed that at some point in the past that the pulpit was re-bedded with what I believe is 4200. After I found the nylock nuts holding the bolts in place, I realized the problem; there there weren't any backing plates!

Poking around in the forecastle (or, what ever you call this space)

some more, I found what I believe was an old fiberglass backing plate resting, unused, inside the cabin liner.

Don't start on me about the mickey-mouse crimps on the nav. lights - they're on my "to do" list.

This "backing plate" is 3-18" in diameter, 3/16" thick, is gelcoated on one side, and has three bolt holes in it. The gelcoat color is a match for the cabin liner, and it is clearly made with very heavy cloth. I suspect that this plate was original to the vessel, and cut from a piece of scrap cabin liner material at the factory. It seems that during the re-bed operation, the holes drilled in this piece for the mounting bolts didn't line up, so persons unknown put it down and forgot about it - and the three other required backing plates. I also found an unused stainless washer, just the right size for the bolts, sitting in there too.

A friend of mine gave me a couple of scrap pieces of Ľ" G10. Each of these scraps are big enough to cut two new plates from. My thought is that I would;

• drill one bolt hole in the backer plate
• remove the pulpit mounting bolts
• wipe the area where the plate will be mounted with acetone
• use 5200 to stick the new plate in place
• hold the plate there by replacing the one bolt and washer through the one hole.

Once the 5200 sets, I would then remove the one bolt, pot, and redrill all the holes through the deck properly, ala MaineSail.

"Why 5200 to stick the plates" you ask? Because it comes in a small easy to use tube, and because it has some flexibility to it once it cures. It also has a tenacious grip, and I don't want these plates removed. Epoxy would be great, but I would have to grind where the plates will be mounted, mix, add fibers, mix some more, and then get it to where I need it without spilling, or making a mess, before it begins to kick.

"Why G10?" My thinking is that these are 1/16" thicker, and therefore stronger than the originals, there are no dis-similar metals issues, and the price is right. I considered 6061 Aluminum, but it would be close to $100 (including shipping) to buy enough of it, and then I would have to worry about galvanic corrosion.

That's my theory anyway... Is anyone willing to poke some holes in it?

Thanks in advance!

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by eherlihy

I was trying to inspect the backing plates for the bow pulpit on my O'day 35 the other day, but was also having a bit of trouble finding them. It seemed that at some point in the past that the pulpit was re-bedded with what I believe is 4200. After I found the nylock nuts holding the bolts in place, I realized the problem; there there weren't any backing plates!

Poking around in the forecastle (or, what ever you call this space)

some more, I found what I believe was an old fiberglass backing plate resting, unused, inside the cabin liner.

Don't start on me about the mickey-mouse crimps on the nav. lights - they're on my "to do" list.

This "backing plate" is 3-18" in diameter, 3/16" thick, is gelcoated on one side, and has three bolt holes in it. The gelcoat color is a match for the cabin liner, and it is clearly made with very heavy cloth. I suspect that this plate was original to the vessel, and cut from a piece of scrap cabin liner material at the factory. It seems that during the re-bed operation, the holes drilled in this piece for the mounting bolts didn't line up, so persons unknown put it down and forgot about it - and the three other required backing plates. I also found an unused stainless washer, just the right size for the bolts, sitting in there too.

The incompetence of some POs is amazing.

A friend of mine gave me a couple of scrap pieces of Ľ" G10. Each of these scraps are big enough to cut two new plates from. My thought is that I would;

• drill one bolt hole in the backer plate
• remove the pulpit mounting bolts
• wipe the area where the plate will be mounted with acetone
• use 5200 to stick the new plate in place
• hold the plate there by replacing the one bolt and washer through the one hole.

Once the 5200 sets, I would then remove the one bolt, pot, and redrill all the holes through the deck properly, ala MaineSail.

Bad idea. 5200 isn't strong enough in compressive strength to work properly. As I said above, backing plates should be bedded in thickened epoxy to make sure that the loads are evenly spread to the deck above. You need to use thickened epoxy so that the plate doesn't move under heavy loads. Using 5200 pretty much guarantees that the backing plate will move, since 5200 has fairly weak compressive strength. I'd also point out that 5200 has a fairly long cure time as well.

"Why 5200 to stick the plates" you ask? Because it comes in a small easy to use tube, and because it has some flexibility to it once it cures. It also has a tenacious grip, and I don't want these plates removed. Epoxy would be great, but I would have to grind where the plates will be mounted, mix, add fibers, mix some more, and then get it to where I need it without spilling, or making a mess, before it begins to kick.

"Why G10?" My thinking is that these are 1/16" thicker, and therefore stronger than the originals, there are no dis-similar metals issues, and the price is right. I considered 6061 Aluminum, but it would be close to $100 (including shipping) to buy enough of it, and then I would have to worry about galvanic corrosion.

That's my theory anyway... Is anyone willing to poke some holes in it?

Thanks in advance!

You can use a pre-mixed epoxy putty, like marinetex, for bedding the backing plates. If you chill the epoxy resin and hardener, you'll have decent working times even on fairly hot days.

[eherlihy]

I'm not going to blame the PO... I believe that he paid a yard (top dollar) to do this.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by eherlihy

I'm not going to blame the PO... I believe that he paid a yard (top dollar) to do this.

The PO is still responsible for it...

[mitiempo]

"because it has some flexibility"

You don't want flexibility - the stanchion base, deck, and backing plate should act as one. If you mix epoxy and add colloidal silica or other high density filler to it until you get a mix that will not drip. Cover the backer, put it in place, and hold it with masking or duct tape until it sets. Then drill from the top.

[LookingForCruiser]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

The PO is still responsible for it...

Listen to SD. There are time-honored traditions to uphold here. If you don't curse the PO, then who will curse you when you sell your boat?