Water in stanchions - how to rebed?

[rusbet]

We noticed a little puddle of water next to one of the stanchion plates on the teak cap rail.* We kept mopping it up and water would reappear.* So today we removed the stanchion and water gushed out.* How in the world can water get inside a hollow stanchion that is bedded to teak rails top and bottom?

Questions:
1.* should stanchions be removed periodically to let out water?
2.* our stanchion has a top plate that is flat.* The bottom plate is convex.* With what material should we bed the stanchions and how (Is 3m 101 ok?) Should there be a way for water to escape?

Thanks a bunch!
Rusbet - 1986 Monk36

 

[awpptdt]

* Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink, oh how the boards they do shrink. You know no matter how I have tried to keep water out most of the time it never works. Now I leave a way for it to get out, I had a station swell and split due to water freezeing inside of it. Drill a small 1/8th" hole at the base on the down hill side, rebed it and forget it. J.T.duncan

 

[Carey]

awpptdt wrote:

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink, oh how the boards they do shrink. You know no matter how I have tried to keep water out most of the time it never works. Now I leave a way for it to get out, I had a station swell and split due to water freezeing inside of it. Drill a small 1/8th" hole at the base on the down hill side, rebed it and forget it. J.T.duncan

I have never had one split, so I likely won't bother drilling drain holes. I guess that the worst that could happen is the loss of an 18" section of 7/8" tubing. I wonder how it got into yours? I honestly think it would be impossible in mine for water to enter from above. I suppose it could occur as a result of condensation, but ...

*

 

[Nomad Willy]

rusbet,
This is a guess but I'm quite certain it's how it happened. Rain ran under the rail and over to the flat top plate of the stanchion tube. There is a spot or spots that are not water tight around the upper plate and water got in there. The bottom stanchion plate seems to be water tight as the water stayed in the tube until you removed it. If the water can get from the inside of the tube to the underside of the bottom plate the wood rail will suffer in the long run. If the water can't get to the underside of the bottom plate drill (as mentioned before) a small drain hole near the bottom of the tube. If the tubes are open top and bottom take them off, take them to a SS welder and have plate plugs installed top and bottom and drill the drain hole in the bottom.

 

[Carey]

nomadwilly wrote:

*

rusbet,
This is a guess but I'm quite certain it's how it happened. Rain ran under the rail and over to the flat top plate of the stanchion tube. There is a spot or spots that are not water tight around the upper plate and water got in there. The bottom stanchion plate seems to be water tight as the water stayed in the tube until you removed it. If the water can get from the inside of the tube to the underside of the bottom plate the wood rail will suffer in the long run. If the water can't get to the underside of the bottom plate drill (as mentioned before) a small drain hole near the bottom of the tube. If the tubes are open top and bottom take them off, take them to a SS welder and have plate plugs installed top and bottom and drill the drain hole in the bottom.

Mmmm... Lost in translation? I'm thinkin!!!

*

 

[Marin]

The stainless rails on our Arima and the stainless bow rail on our GB have drain holes at the bottom of each stanchion just above the base. In the case of the Arima the tops of the stanchions have the set-screwed-on T-fittings with the longitudinal side rail run through them and the stanchions inserted into the leg of the Ts. So I guess it's possible for water to get in between the T-fittings and the rail--- there's no sealant--- and then run down into the stanchion tubes.

The GB stanchions are welded to the underside of the horizontal rails. So I don't know how water could get inside these stanchions but they have drain holes nevertheless.

 

[Phil Fill]

We had a leak where the water followed the hand rail around to enter the tube, down the tube to the screw holes.* So I used clear 5200 where the hand rail connected and no more leak.

 

[Arctic Traveller]

I never knew ours could leak until one cold winter day I noticed several "Ts" were lifted off the uprights.* Turns out they were full of water, and the water froze and lifted the fitting.* Somewhere "upstream" water was getting in one of the T's and ran down into the upright.* Never did find out where...................Arctic Traveller

 

[C lectric]

Either drill a small hole on the downhill side of the stantion or caulk/bed in a manner that seals the screw/bolt holes but not seal the entire stanchion base.

I've seen boats with split vertical stanchions due to water freezing inside over the winter. The ss tubing may be cheap but the stanchion removal, repair and reinstall will not be, particularily if you can't weld it yourself.

Water can wick uphill some distance so if the bedding at the stanchion top is not perfect water may well find its way in. It may take years for any amount to get in but if it can it will. It your rails have fittings at the joins they are never sealed.

I have wood rails atop ss stanchions and as I've been removing , rewelding, and reinstalling I've been using some silicone rubber sheet, from McMaster Carr, 1/16" thick that makes a great gasket that I've cut to fit between the rail and stanchion top plate. I dip the screws themselves into the caulk, Boatlife. I also , on the bottom plate have not totally sealed the base plate to the hull so any moisture can weep out.

 

[rusbet]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

Just so I am clear, a small hole is drilled in the base of the ss stanchion? If so this would not work for us, I think, as the ss plate would be below the hole and that area would still collect water. Just to refresh, we have wooden hand and cap rails. The stanchion is SS with a rectangular flange on the top and bottom. The tube and flanges are one piece. Each flange has four holes for screws.

I hate the idea of removing every stanchion in order to check if there is any water. Would drilling a 1/8" hole under the stanchion base plate (in the section where there is bedding material) be reasonable?