www.iFourWinns.com

My boat has been under shrink wrap since last October. I'll probably be removing the shrink wrap in about two weeks in preparation of spring launch.

I have been wrestling with how to address rebedding the stanchions. I understand the very best approach is taking the headliner down and whatever else needs to come down in order to back off the bolts to raise the stanchions to get the silcon under the stanchions. Has anyone done this on this forum that has a 328 or has anyone seen what it takes to do this task on a 328?

I am also considering just bedding around each stanchion as soon as I take the shrink wrap off while everything should be dry from wintering and avoid taking down headliner etc.

Any thoughts?

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

Unfortunately I don't know how to tear down the inside, but will watching closely as I would like to know as well. How do you know your stanchions require re-bedding? Do you have leaking or can you just see that they are working loose?

I've seen a few places on the net where re-bedding was done with butyl tape instead of silicone, might be worth looking into as it seems to be a superior solution, allow more stretch of the bedding material before failure.
Here is a good link that explains the differences and how to:
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/63554-bedding-deck-hardware-butyl-tape.html


Steve.

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1969 Chris Craft Commander 47
1999 Four Winns 328 Vista - SOLD

Hi Steve,

I have no visible signs of leaking in my cabin from the stanchions or any noticeable loose ones. Actually, I have never rebedded stanchions in any previous boat I had owned. However, I am aware that marine surveyors commonly find higher moisture readings around stanchion areas when they are performing surveys for potential boat purchasers and this can sometimes make purchasers nervous on proceeding with the deal if they are told the moisture content is above average and repair should be considered.

I was looking a rebedding our 328 simply as as precautionary measure, but I really don't like the idea of dropping headliners etc., if some other way would be deemed acceptable to address the stanchions. I would be curious as to what percentage of boats actually get their stanchions rebedded?

P.S. - Thanks for the link, I'll read it over.

_________________

Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

When you say "stanchions" I think you are referring to the railing? Our 2003 328 had the rail removed and replaced by the dealer after a houseboat hit ours while parked in the slip. At no time did anyone go inside the boat to install the rail!! The screws are machine screws too and the nuts must be held fixed by a nut plate. So if you want to rebed you should be able to do it all from the outside. The dealer did the entire job in less than an hour!!

My $.02 though.... I would not rebed without some evidence of a leak or some high moisture reading. That's a lot of work for a DIY and you -could- do some damage while working around the gel oat.

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2014 Vista V435
2011 Glastron GT180
2013 Sea Doo RXT-260

Bill,

Thanks for that info. I didn't know the nuts for the stanchions were affixed to a mounting plate on the underside of the decking. That sure would make tightening them up easier from just the topside of deck.

I think I'm going to inspect each screw on each stanchion when I remove our shrink wrap and make the decision to rebed or leave alone at that time.

Mike.

_________________

Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation