Source for ss plates

[Feetup]

Unless you are in a pretty isolated area you should be able to find a Fab shop with at least a modicum of stainless. You could buy some crops of 3/16" or even 10 gauge and learn to use a 5" grinder and a "zip cut". You can cut fairly elaborate shapes with a zip cut if you follow the rules. (which I could post if anyone wants to know.) I work in a fab shop that does about 60% of our business in stainless and we often sell bits and pieces to walk in sailors. The price of stainless fluctuates a lot but generally you should not have to pay too much more than about $6 /lb. for 316, unless there is shop time involved.. There's about 11 lb per square foot for 1/4" stainless plate.
Marine grade aluminum such as 5052 or 5454 would most likely be easier to come by, and although there are dissimilar metal issues, if you do a good job sealing and keep your cabin dry this should not be an issue you can't overcome.

Tim J

[mike d.]

we own 1979 GulfStar 37 ( NO SNEARS AND CHUCKLES) i know alot of people think they are less than a good boat, but they were the innovators of most of the tech used today, back in the 70s. anyway they used 1/8th inch aluminum backers under the stanctions about twice the diameter as the base. i know i'm lucky as they have never been rebedded in 29 yrs and are now just starting to show signs of leaking. i believe they used alm. because of the flex versus stainless steel. anyway the prob. with stainless is that on the under sidetowards the deck where air cannot get to (ie sealant once water gets to it and goes undetected crevice corrosion will start and not be seen until the S.S. bleeds orv it fails when pressure is puit on a stanction at the wrong time.