additional stanchion

[JGOMEZ]

I have owned a 1976 E27 for sereval years, and always questioned Ericson's decision for not installing a lifeline stanchion between the two existing stanchions. This would be located in the area where the shrouds attach to deck, and thereby pushing lifeline outboard and creating more room to walk. Has anyone installed that third stanchion? Alternatively, any recommendation or not for connecting lifeline to upper shrouds, so as to pull lifeline outboard?

Joe Gomez

 

[Nick Reynolds]

E 27 Extra Stanchion

Joe,

I will be interested in other opinions regarding this issue. I bought a 1974 E 27 about three weeks ago, and this is one of the issues we have identified that I plan to address. (After fixing the weak deck under two of them, and the other with the broken stanchion!)

I am debating whether to remove the lifelines altogether, or figure out a way to add a stanchion. I do not like the idea of hooking the lifeline to the shrouds, I think that is a poor practice.

I would also like to add a lower lifeline, but may just do that with a rope of some kind. Partly I want a place to hang my fender-tenders so they do not hang on the lifelines, since this makes it tough to get the gates closed.

Thanks for the discussion.

 

[jwolfgra]

I considered adding a lower lifeline on my e29, but when doing some quick measuring realized that the lower lifeline would interfere with the winch handle for the Primary winches. Didn't see an easy way to address that. Has anyone added second lines and if so, how did you address the clearance problem for the winches.

 

[Nigel Barron]

Lower Lifeline

I added a lower lifeline a few years back, as a close reading of the PIYA requirements indicated that you could not have more than 18 inches between the deck and the lifelines. I was getting ready to head to Victoria for Swiftsure, and figured this was as good a reason as any to add them.

I chose to use thick nylon webbing, as this is a lot more comfortable to hike into, connected together with Spectra. It has worked great, and the crew appreciates something more than just wire to hike into.

Nigel
Ericson 27

 

[Nick Reynolds]

E 27 Stanchions

I like Nigel's idea of using the webbing material for the lower lifeline. I will probably try that.

Indeed, the only reason I was hesitating to remove my lifelines was that I had reviewed the PIYA guidelines, and they require lifelines. While I am not much of a racer, I would like to do at least one or two of the offshore races, like the Bridge to Bridge on the coast here between Astoria and Newport Oregon.

Thanks for the picture, Nigel

 

[Nick Reynolds]

E 27 Stanchion - more

I forgot to note that the comment by jwolfgre looks right-on based on Nigel's picture.

I think I will just skip the lower lifeline on the gated (after) section of the lifeline. Nigel doesn't have winches on the cockpit coaming, but I do, and it looks like it will interfere with the winches.

There is no deck to stand on in that area anyway, and opening two gates could be a pain. It seems to me that just one lifeline in that area would probably work fine.

Now that I have made a decision on that lower lifeline, I guess I just need to get to work! I am still up in the air about the additional stanchion.

 

[Walter Pearson]

Joe,
I'm not sure whether it may have been a factory or dealer option, but my E27 was provided with that middle stanchion sometime in its past. (It does not look like a PO job). It would be hard to imagine not being without those stanchions. The base for those are a lot more sturdy than the others and is used a lot for attaching lines, etc.

The deck is not provided with a pad in that area, so teak wedges were used to match the deck angle. I made new wedges and it took a couple of tries to get the posts to the proper attitude.

If you add them, be careful of the position on the starboard side because the fasteners may line up with the bulkhead and I would not think screws going into the plywood endgrain are good enough for holding a stanchion base. Actually, mine did just that and I had to do some surgery in that area to get proper throughbolts in and then covered up.

I also put specially-made angled washers underneath on the added backing plate which keeps the fasteners from becoming bent to the deck angle (like the original ones).

Walter Pearson
'76 E27 "Mejagay"
Washburn, WI

 

[JGOMEZ]

Walter,

Thanks so much for your input on the third stanchion. I have seen several photos of E27's, but none had that stanchion. I had no idea that it was an option. I'm curious, what year is your E27?

Reagrds,
Joe

 

[Walter Pearson]

Joe,

Mine is 1976. If I understand the hull number coding - made in December. It has inboard Atomic-4, wheel steering with cockpit divider and endboom sheeting, split backstays, opening hatches forward and aft of mast, interior grabrails. I think that covers some of the differences I've noted in E27s.

You are right about the middle stanchions being rare. Did not realize it until I just looked at all of the E27s for sale on Yachtworld. Had to go to the E28s to see them.

Walter Pearson

 

[Nick Reynolds]

I noticed that in the Maintenance and Mechanical forum there is a good picture of an E27 that ran the lifelines outside of the shrouds. That really doesn't look like too bad of an option.

The post is by SteveS, about handrails.