Hi all, I need a new or used port-side aft lifeline gate stanchion. Anyone know where I could find one, or have one made?
This disaster happened in a slip that was too small.
Hi,
These guys might have something in stock. At least worth a call.
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Garhauermarine.com - they have standard size stanchions and they’ll normally do some customizing.
A local machine shop should be able to fix it for you
My stanchion base was damaged too when something similar happened to me
I have been told that, once bent and straightened, SS tubing does not have the same strength. Any mechanical engineers out there with an opinion on that? I find it a bit confusing since it had to be bent in the first place to make the thing.
Thank you for this recommendation. Wonderful people. They have the Freedom blueprints and are making a new gate for me at a very reasonable price.
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The short answer:
Controlled manufacturing process start as straight tubes and are bent using specialized tube benders with internal mandrels. There’s heat treating and annealing involved that relieves internal stresses and restores ductility and corrosion resistance.
Accidental damage is uncontrolled. When your stanchion gets bent, the bend is usually sharp/kinked at a weak point. This creates an oval, localized wall thinning, and heavy cold-working in a very localized area. Cold working work hardens the steel in that area making it very hard and brittle at the same time.
Straightening that damaged section then adds a second heavy cold-worked hardened area already fatigued. This can introduce Micro-cracks and reduced fatigue resistance.
That said, you can maybe fix a minor curve using gradual pressure with minimal work-hardening.
If you have kinks or a significant bend, just replace the stanchion. The part has lost a meaningful portion of its original strength and toughness.
Heating to aid straightening is risky and can reduce corrosion resistance and discolor the Stainless Steel. And then it looks ugly. This happened to my Bow Pulpit where a tree fell on it and bent it pretty good. I bent it back and used heat to slowly bring it back to shape…but it was never the same, and it is discolored.
So there you have it.
So, this is our first time in this chat and we’re looking at purchasing a 1992 Freedom 45 CC. We’ve been sailboat owners about 5 years (1987 MacGregor 26D) and we’re ready to step up to something we can live aboard and do some serious sailing. Do you have any words of advice?