Broken Stanchion- Help!

[Aqua Vitae]

Took our recently acquired Watkins 27' out and broke a stanchion. It broke at the plate, breaking off the supporting steel bar as well (now 3 pieces, plate, stanchion, and support). What do we do now? We have all 3 pieces, so welding is possible, but is it recommended? What would be the effects on the stainless? Are there OEM replacements? Found aftermarket stanchions at Mauri Pro, but replacement would necessitate replacing all (not an option due to finances) or dealing with an oddball stanchion.
Help!

Ryan

[knottybuoyz]

There's a few welders here who can better advise you Ryan but if it's good stainless it should be weldable. Look in the Yellow Pages for a local trade school that teaches welding. You might be able to get it done there for a box of donuts and some Red Bull. (Students live on that stuff). Our friend Jim had all his SS railings done by the school shop class and they did a pretty decent job. FWIW

[Ex-Calif]

If the stanchions support the lifelines and the lifelines stop you, crew and kids falling overboard and a stanchion broke I'd wonder about the rest of them.

Presumably your stanchions are 27 years old and have lived in a salt water environment.

If it broke under the full weight of a 300lb bubba, great. If it broke due to corrosion when 5 year old Katie leaned on it you might want that welding school to make you a boats worth.

OK $0.02 mode off...

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by knottybuoyz

You might be able to get it done there for a box of donuts and some Red Bull.

Either you really are a devil, KB, or you've been to North Carolina.

TaoJones

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Wilmington Piper

Took our recently acquired Watkins 27' out and broke a stanchion.

Help!

Ryan

I won't ask if it was you or your sister who took out the stanchion, Ryan.

Be glad it didn't happen when you were miles offshore en route to Beaufort - another good reason to favor the ICW.

TaoJones

[Aqua Vitae]

Hmm, I wonder if I ever said we took the ocean route for the majority of the trip. Well, no, it broke a week beforehand, and we just favored the starboard for the trip up. Stupid? Probably, but we are here anyway, safe and sound.

I have tested the other stanchions for play, they all are substantial enough for both me and the sis. I knew the first (aft) port stanchion to be weak because I had noticed it and knew the port side to be favored for boarding by the previous owner. As it is, a bigger friend broke it (I am a mere 160 lbs).

Thanks KB, I will try the local welders and definitely the school. I will talk with a master welder about reinfrocing all the stanchions. After all, we will need this boat to make it to the Bahamas. Getting back, I couldn't care less about.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Wilmington Piper

" . . . we will need this boat to make it to the Bahamas. Getting back, I couldn't care less about.

I love this attitude, Ryan, and congratulations on getting the vessel up to Beaufort. When you guys get down to the Bahamas, I think your "I'll-deal-with-it-when-it-comes-up" attitude will serve you well. (But do tend to the stanchions ASAP. )

TaoJones