Suggestions for fixing a bent stern stanchion

[Green Horn]

Hi everyone,
Can anyone tell me how to fix this or who I could take it to for repair? Thanks!

[Keith]

You might be able to pull it back to the approximate shape with your winch but you will never be able to fix the existing crumpled tube. My suggestion would be to try and pull it back into relative shape then have a welder sleeve in a new piece to replace the crumpled section.

Good Luck

PS I have to ask how did it happen?

Keith

[Steve Laume]

It would be easier to figure out in person but I would probably cut out the kinked section first. You could then bend the upper and lower sections to align them properly. At that point you could insert a wooden dowel and tape it in place. This would enable you to remove the entire pushpit and take it to a welder. He would know best, how to repair it at that point. I would think an insert to back up the joint and a new piece of tubing for the lower part. That way you would only have one joint and you could hide it behind the clamp on fitting.

Stuff happens, Steve.

[Green Horn]

Thanks for your feedback gentlemen. I was able to use the winch to get it a little closer to what it was....but I do see a welder in my future. My boat was being towed out of the Norfolk ship channel (long story involving a corroded u mixing elbow) by the Hampton volunteer fire Dept. The tow was free so I can't complain but man did they tear up my boat.

[Steve Laume]

I hope you get your boat fixed and there is no other damage than the pushpit.

There seems to be a good or bad story behind this occurrence. I would love to hear what happened but if you don't care to share, that is fine as well.

It seems like the free, tow was pretty costly, Steve.

[Green Horn]

The story of the bent pushpit, busted deck light, busted anchor cotter pin frame and a huge gash in my finger is a result of my u mixing elbow being so corroded that while I was motoring through large waves in the commercial ship channel the coupling that connects the elbow to the riser disintegrated and my alarm went off. I shut off the engine and called uscg and they sent Hampton volunteer fire Dept to me. The guys were nice and trying hard but as we rounded a corner into a marina they didn't have clearance and the pushpit caught a piling and you see what happened. It was a free tow so there wasn't much I could say. Frustrating for me because I'm trying to take my boat down the ICW and I keep running into issues.
The mixing elbow is on me though...I saw that it didn't look good (it's supposed to be replaced every 5 years but hadn't been replaced on my boat since 2004- I recently bought the boat).
Anyway, that's what happened.