glass stanchion bases

Guys I resurrected this old thread because I am now at the point in my build to actually fabricate and place my stanchions.

I have not yet settled on a material or a method, but the idea of sealing the deck completely by thru glassing a rod seems like a no brainer IMO. then the choice is whether to just use a full length glass rod and be done with it (the probably easiest and most flexible method) or to use rod stubs as discussed here and slip either an aluminum or ss tube over that, above deck.

I bought some one inch fiberglass rods to use next to my daggerboard trunks as mounts for the blocks for the dagger control lines. (another subject I would like to hear some more ideas on) Anyway, they're pretty heavy, but the temptation is to go with them for the whole boat. So what I am wondering is what wall thickness to use IF I decided to go with the aluminum tubes or ss tubes slipped over stubs method. I cant really make a weight comparison between glass rods and metal tubes until I decide what wall thicknesses (and outside diameters) to use for the stanchions.

Any advice appreciated

 

I've probably already told you, but our boat uses the solid glass rods glassed in, as the entire stanchion. They are a little flexible but they are also quite strong and very durable. They stiffen up nicely once the lifelines are secured properly at both eends. I can't comment on the weight vs stainless, but I'd imagine there would not be a huge difference either way. Glass rods are pretty cheap, no added effort to install, and once painted they look pretty nice too. Piece of cake to drill and install dyneema lifelines too.

 

Hey Groper thanks. Did you say tht yours are one inch dia.?

I have about decided to go with that, I guess The weight gain won't be tht much, since the tube method still has the weight of the embedded rod stubs added in. I was thinking I would be smart to do some kind of weight calc comparison just to be sure what I am getting in to.

The only other consideration I can think of is the demounting issue.. Would be easier to take apart with the stub method. A remote chance in my case anyways.

 

Yes they are 1 inch diameter - or very close to it- havnt put a set of calipers across them. We got our new sails btw too only been out for an hour or so and didn't get much of a chance to set the sails properly as all the rigging was in need of tensioning and adjustment so I spent most of my time running around doing that instead of sailing the boat, but regardless, the sails look great and the boat seems to go pretty well too this pic is a bit distorted with the fish eye lens effect , but you get the idea

 

Looks great!

that aft rail. is it glass also? Can't tell from the photo. if so, looks like a rigid horizontal also glossed on, with some braces to help up port the legs?

it would be easier for me to do that in places, than to try and fashion something from metal. I will definitely need some diagonal braces here and there.

 

The boat looks great Groper, ive really grown to like the vertical window look. The first time I saw a Lagoon 15 years ago I thought it was the ugliest thing id ever seen but once I went aboard I got it, it was way better than the Catana I was sailing on, not a big fan of Lagoons but I sure admire them for the courage it took to think outside the box and run with it, a great example of form following function. I like Bob Orams designs, its too bad he retired but good for him.
Charly, the conventional ss stations are not very strong on their own and are quite easy to fold over at the point where they exit the base, the wall thickness is only about .062 if I remember right so they only work because of the support they get from the lifelines. I think if you glassed in glass stubs it could work ok with stanchions of ss, aluminum or glass tube but you are always going to risk folding them over at the top of the stub, if you used glass tube you could wind the bottom with fiberglass filaments which would help a lot and you would be painting them anyway, commonly available 6061-t6 aluminum tube would be better than ss as it is about 1/3rd the weight so if you went with double the wall thickness you would still be lighter and that alloy is much more resistant to folding over, anodizing is cheap and corrosion resistance is ok, this is the alloy most masts are extruded from. To use off the shelf ss stanchions I think you would need 7/8" stubs. I don't think I would use solid glass rods all the way although it is probably the best way but if you were to break one, which you will at some point, replacement would be a much more involved job. Obviously you do need to do a weight study as always. We have a fleet of Olson 30 keelboats here and the use standard ss tubes in glassed in glass tubes in the deck/hull junction which is a nice clean option which is another strong option down where you are, up here in the north they have to seal these as if water gets into the sockets and freezes in the winter all kinds of bad things happen, stubs would be better than sockets here. I think that either way would be much better than standard bolted down stanchion bases.

Steve.

 

Nah Charly, the aft rail is aluminium - was already part of the boat when we bought it. It will also be demolished when I get around to building a targa bar to hang the dingy...