Mainship Pulpit

[Granpap]

Purchased a 2003 Mainship pilot 30 a little while ago. Just anchored in about 40’ and noticed when retrieving the anchor, there seemed to be a little bend in the pulpit. The anchor wasn’t stuck on the bottom. The weight of the anchor and chain at 40’ is what caused the bend. Is this normal on the Mainship?? Thanks

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. Congrats on your new boat. I don’t have any experience with that boat but that doesn’t sound right to me.

 

[Mainship Pilot]

Granpap, I have a 2004, with 120' of chain, I added over 100' after I saw it came with 15', LOL. I have noticed a couple of surface cracks on my pulpit, but as a second owner didn't think much of it. The reality is we don't anchor much except inside harbors, maybe in Laguna once in a while, mostly on the mooring in Avalon.

 

[Comodave]

Is there any support under the pulpit? If not maybe add a stanchion from the bottom of the arch to the stem.

 

[BruceK]

I recall but can`t find a thread about a defective pulpit repair. Mainship? I can`t say. It was a boat in charter and there were questions about who pays, incl the charter manager. I think the quality of the repair itself was in question.
I had a pulpit repair on my Integrity, the result of a PO replacing the Muir windlass and NOT repairing the old mounting holes. Shipwright said we were luck not to break the pulpit planking. The ss pulpit frame had to come off to do the repair, quite a big job.

 

[Granpap]

Thank you all so much for the replies! I anchor pretty much the same way as Mainship Pilot.I also have a couple of surface cracks on the pulpit and noticed some screws came loose underneath the pulpit. I have an estimate for repair for about 4 to 5k to stiffen the pulpit. For now, I think I’ll keep an eye on it. After all the replies, I have a much better feeling. Thanks again!!!

 

[Roustabout]

I've recently seen a MS Pilot with significant moisture and wood deterioration in the pulpit core (likely plywood or balsa). Investigate by sounding the pulpit by tapping with the butt of a screwdriver and see if you can hear solid sound versus hollow (dull) sound. Hollow sound indicates where the core is soft and/or delaminated. A moisture meter will also indicate if there is hidden moisture in the core. If you pull a fastener or two and probe at the hole into core with an awl or a wire, pull it out and see if moist or solid.

Bottom line is that if core is deteriaoted the pulpit can flex due to force applied by anchor rode tightening or even a person standing on pulpit at forward end. The surface cracks are the tell tale evidence of a flexing problem.

 

[Granpap]

Thank you, Roustabout. I did find some rot when I replaced the windless and repaired as needed. I will check other pulpit areas in a few days when I return to the harbor. Information was helpful. Thanks again!

 

[Sleeping Bear]

My 34 did the same flexing, I added support underneath, couple of one inch stainless tubes down to the hull, have no more flexing now.

 

[rgano]

My 2005 MS 30 Pilot II has the windlass mounted under a hatch to a solid fiberglass shelf - no wood involved and well back form the pulpit. When I needed to drill some mounting screw holes through the pulpit, I found that as I occasionally pulled the drill bit back out to clear it that the wood under the fiberglass was heavy and reddish-colored, and dry. Minute flexing might be expected of most any pulpit, but something you notice from afar would be concerning to me.