CP 19 stern rail on pulpit broke

[Billy]

Guys,
I need help! about two weeks ago, after a hard rain, the tarp covering my boat filled with water. The weight pulled the mast down enough to bend the stern pulpit center rail. The railing creased and eventually snapped. So I am now looking to fix this. I have built a crutch to hold the mast so it is no longer resting on the rail. Mine is an older CP (aluminum railings).

Does anyone know how I can get a replacement rail in aluminum? it has a slight curve to it so it needs to be bent.

I contacted Gerry at the factory and he said maybe an old 23 rail he had lying around  would work but he didn't know where I could find a alum. replacement. If the 23 rail doesn't work I may need to upgrade to SS. He also mentioned that the pads will not cover all of the holes from the old rails and something will have to be figured out for that.

any insight or suggestions would be very helpful. I do recall someone on this site upgrading from Alum to SS.

Thanks,
A sad boat owner!

[Salty19]

Ouch, sorry to hear this. On some older threads it was reporting that snow fall caused the tarp to a. Bend mast or b. push stanchions through the deck.  At least either of these didn't happen!  Should be an easy fix. Cut out the bent section out and have a new bar welded in. Should be able to find alum bar stock easily.

A bet a small radiator shop could weld something for you in no time, and for cheap.  Or you could go custom stainless and get those cat bird seats!!! 

Another idea is to not use a cross bar at all but rather have tangs welded or eyes bolted to the rails after cleaning up the cut area and make a lifeline (in my case, Hutchins made them for me using OEM parts so everything matches) across the rear. See my pics for an example.  This makes it real easy to climb aboard from the water using the ladder.  Just a thought.

[Billy]

thanks I'll check some local metal shops.

However, on the alum rails, they are not bolted, they are riveted in place. It's no problem for me to cut a piece and rivet it back in, it's just more of an issue to get the curve in the rail. Alum creases when I try to bend it. Maybe a machine shop could do this for me.

As to leaving it out, the rail comes together w/ a tee (think like a pvc plumbing) I could maybe get an elbow bracket and install a life line, would make getting in easier. I have a swim latter mounted on the starboard side of the stern though.



Ahh the catbird seats, believe me I already thought of this and your boat! If I do replace the entire stern pulpit you can bet that I will entertain this! May go w/ teak seats though (just like the 27s & 35s)!

[rdcvsmith]

Hey Salty,

Are the "cat-bird" seats (as you call them) a truely viable option on a 19 ?

The Hunter 24 I took lessons on a few years back had those raised corner stern rail seats, when I wasn't sailing I really felt it was the absolute best seat in in house!

It sounds like SS would be mandatory for such a modification (for strength I'm assuming).
Has anyone here done that with an older 19 ?
Venders? Price? Problems?

-Ray

[skip1930]

Your mast is laying on the stern pulpit? So you keep your boat on the hard unless sailing?
Aren't those alum pulpits made up in pieces and screwed together? Or are they welded? My buddies alum is of individual pieces.
Anyway when I ordered a Hutchins stern rail is welded ss for my CP-19 it was dropped shipped to my home in Wisconsin from Southern California.
Came bolted to a piece of ply wood  [ that I used to make a second drop board assembly ] and came by U.P.S.

skip.

[Billy]

Yea Skip,
I keep her on a trailer. Too many places to go to keep it in one place. Plus the dock fees are ruthless!
The alum is riveted not screwed.  So I think I can just replace the center piece.

I went to the factory this morning and talked to Gerry. He said I need to talk to a metal shop. The company they used for rails back in the early 80s has long since closed. Or up grade to ss.

Or upgrade to a new boat! The pilot house is awesome! Very open and the visibility is not as obstructed as I thought it would be. It's like a rigid Bimini.

[MKBLK]

Salty19 - I was just browsing this post trying to learn a thing or two and clicked on your photos... WOW! What a beautiful boat. I had to cover the keyboard to keep the drool out! Congratulations on maintaining such a work of art. Incentive for me to maintain and upgrade my recently purchased 16 (and dream of a slightly bigger Com-Pac someday).

Cheers!

Marty K.

[Salty19]

Ray-

Yes the seats are viable.  We use them all the time when conditions are fairly calm (ie winds below 10, waves under 1').  Tricky part is steering but with a tiller extension it's no problem (the foiled rudder also helps reduce weather helm).  Normally here in the small lake it's calm enough to use them often.

MLBLK-Thanks for the kind words.   If I didn't know any better I would have thought you are suffering from three foot-itus!

[shamblin]

sometime one can patch a broken aluminum tube by cutting away the bad part and then sliding a section of next larger size aluminum tube over the break and riveting it in place.  heavy pop rivets might be stronge enough? you can bend an aluminum tube around a rubber car tire. 

[Billy]

Thanks Shamblin!

I found a metal supply that can sell me a new rail for $20. Picking it up tomorrow and will try to install tomorrow evening.

I was wondering how to bend it and thought of a tire. You can bet I will now be trying that! If I crease it and ruin the tube I will try your patch idea....OR bill you for $20!!!

Just kidding!

Seriously, if the new tube is too shiny I may just go with a patch. I think it may look better than having one really shiny rail while all the others are dull.
Billy

[MKBLK]

Billy,

I'm not an expert in bending tubing, but I believe that by filling the tube with sand it should help prevent kinking. If I'm wrong, hopefully someone else will say so.

Marty K.

[Billy]

Marty, good to know. I think I will try this. After all, what could it hurt?

I just bought the tube this AM.

They told me to use a pipe bender and not to try the tire trick. They said it will almost definitely crimp the metal. So I guess I will be making a trip to Lowes on the way home from work. Hopefully I can just rent one.

[MKBLK]

Billy,

Hopefully you get this on time, but if you know an electrician or electrical contractor, he/they can bend it for you... no worries!

Marty K.

[skip1930]

Muffler shops roll-bend pipe all the time, maybe they have gigs for small diameter pipe as well. Just a thought.

skip.

[Billy]

Well,

Turns out the pipe I bought for the center piece is too short as it is all one piece. I will need to replace the entire stern pulpit and short of finding someone who has already replaced theirs w/ SS I too will have to replace w/ SS.

If anyone knows of a 19 or 23 (they have the same size railings) owner that has upgraded please let me know. Or a REALLY old beat up boat that has been abandoned or neglected I could by for parts.

If that is the case, what are your thoughts about having just the rear stainless and not the rest of the stanchions and bow pulpit?

And if I do replace all the rails will it look silly in the front without a bowsprit? the bowsprit is almost $600. All this is going to cost me $1500 and that is if I install it myself.

I'm really unhappy about this and I don't know what to do. I could have gotten an ida rudder and a brand new spinnaker for less than what this is going to cost me.