Elegant Yet Tough as Iron
Stanchions, commonly used these days are to keep you in the correct line for the theater. (Which honestly make me feel like I am in a cattle chute, creating an urge to moo). On modern sail boats stanchions are used to span cable around the deck, keeping passengers from falling overboard.
Stanchions on wooden ships are used to support the bulwarks (the "wall" above the deck topped with a caprail, great place to sit while sailing!) They also serve to support the chain plates, which in turn support the rigging to stabilize and balance the masts. Three to four of the stanchions down each side of the ship have a stanchion pin drilled through them to secure dock lines.
Straight line winds blasted the Compass Rose early this spring which caused our main bow line, a 40,000 lb test line, to snap. This put all the force of the wind on our spring lines, ripping the stanchion pins from the post they where attached to the ship.
Our answer? Steel. Steel and iron were commonly used on wooden tall ships so using steel is in keeping with historical accuracy. We had steel plate bent to encase the stanchion and the stanchion pin. And lets face it, while the Compass Rose is an elegant lady she is also a tough old girl! Ok mother nature, try it again! The Rose will be ready this time! More pictures will follow as
stanchion plates are installed.
Ok Mother Nature , try it again!! Our new steel plated stachion posts and pins are complete. Bolted through the stanchion post and bulwarks , into the steel chain plates. I would have to say, the old girl is looking pretty tough!
