Index

Split Pushpit, Lifeline Gate & Stanchions.
INDEX - design criteria, construction, fitting, gate, padding, Emunah Stanchion, Removable Pushpit, Liberty Call pushpit.

PUSHPIT DESIGN CRITERIA (1998) - I think a pushpit is one of those things where art follows function.  I designed this pushpit to be proportional to the hull and parallel to the major hull lines so it looks good.  It has to be pleasing to the eye, comfortable to lean against, functional and extremely strong so a person can stand or sit on it.  I tend to do the odd acrobatic stunt while onboard!  Don't ask.  To fit this criteria I decided on a split pushpit with a transom gate made of SS lifeline closed with a pelican hook instead of a one piece pushpit that is actually easier to make.  A split pushpit creates relatively easy access to the outboard engine, has easy boarding from the transom ladder, has rounded edges for safety and leaves room for a future split backstay tension adjuster. 
NOTE - While I like a pushpit corner seat like those on a wide transom boat these days, I rejected them for an SJ23 due to the narrow stern.  There just isn't enough buoyancy to carry four adults in the cockpit, let alone a crew sitting on the pushpit.  I realize it may afford a grand view but it will raise your head above the bottom of the jib, defeating the purpose of sitting that high.  You really should stay within the safety of the cockpit when sailing solo, which means keeping your feet on the cockpit sole.  I wouldn't necessarily discourage a person from installing a seat, just remember to manage your expectations.

The following guidelines are specific to the design: 

• Use 1" OD (25 MM) stainless steel ornamental tubing to match the pulpit.  Ornamental tubing is well within the strength requirements and the thinner walls bend relatively easy, making it possible to create a kink free 3" radius bend.  A 3" radius bend fits perfectly around my head as shown below, making a very comfortable rest. 
  NOTE - It is very difficult to describe in XYZ terms the dimensions and angles of this pushpit since it rests on a curved surface.  This is more about art than structural engineering!  For the purpose of this description the horizontal sections of the pushpit are called rails and the vertical sections are called legs.
• TOP RAIL - The top rail, to the right of my head, is parallel to the top of the transom.  
  - The top rail to the left of my head is parallel to the toe rail.  The tops of both rails are 17.5" above deck. This is slightly higher than the height of the lifelines (16.5") so the pelican hooks can latch just below the top. This way the life line forms a gentle curve, parallel to the toe rail.  The lifeline attachment ring leaves no sharp projections.
  - When bending the stainless tube ensure that port and starboard upper rails have a symmetrical spread of 103⁰ each.  I found this to be a painstaking job given the compound angles.
• LOW RAIL - The lower horizontal rail is parallel to the upper rail and 9" above deck, making it very comfortable to lean on or against. While not totally required it sure adds comfort.  Now we're getting somewhere.
• AFT INSIDE LEG - The angle of the aft inside leg (behind my right shoulder) parallels the side of the companionway, about 13⁰ off vertical.  Or you could parallel the slope of the tiller cut out which is easier to copy.  Your choice.  The cut out and the companionway are almost parallel.  The fore/aft angle is about 10⁰ aft with the boat floating.  The horizontal bend between the rails is 103⁰. 
• MID LEG - The angle of the middle leg is about 10⁰ aft with the boat floating. It can easily support the weight of a person standing on it or leaning against it.  The location of this post creates minimal restriction to access the outboard engine. 
• FORWARD LEG - The fore/aft angle of the forward leg, behind my left shoulder, is 105⁰.  The sideways angle follows the curvature of the hull.

Cut all legs over length by a few inches.  This gives you the extra material to fit the pushpit at precisely the correct height and angle to the deck.  This is real painstaking work so take your time.  It is easy to build the first pushpit "perfect," but real difficult to build a second perfect pushpit that is a mirror image.  For this reason, fit the side with the shorter legs first.  Long legs can always be cut shorter, but short legs, never! 

• FEET - Make the feet from 1/8" thick stainless steel flat bar, (1x2)", welded to the bottom of each post so it is parallel to the deck for secure bolting.  Each foot has three 1/4" holes drilled it.  A 1/4" holes through each end to bolt to the deck or through the toe rail and one immediately under each tube to relieve the internal air pressure for welding.  It can be left open as a vent hole or to run electrical wiring through if you wish.  I sealed mine with goop.  Later I may run wires through it for navigation lights. 
• Use plenty of Sikaflex marine sealant or butyl rubber under each foot and under the bolt heads or the cockpit lockers will slowly fill with water.  Use 2" long bolts to facilitate assembly with nylock nuts and the biggest fitting washers you can find.  The washers will help to retain sealant as you tighten the bolts. 

FINAL FIT - When you look over the pushpit (across the cockpit) the port and starboard rails and legs MUST be parallel to each other.  (This step is very important because the dock watchers will scrutinize your workmanship). 

• The tubing may be polished to match the pulpit but I doubt you can match the shine of the factory finish.  I'm quite sure the factory finish is chemically polished because that process produces a chrome like finish.  The welding is sure nice.  The other polishing technique is to buff the metal with lapping cloth which could be quite an ordeal, given all the curved surfaces.  Polishing will improve the resistance to corrosion by removing the microscopic fissures that trap debris.  I think polishing would be easier with the units still off the boat.

TOOLS - It is a tricky task to fabricate two symmetrical units and then mount them on a curved deck so they are parallel to each other, the deck surfaces and the cabin lines.  One screw up in the mounting stage and all your perfect bends during fabrication go down the drain.  It think I can quite safely say that I measured ten times for each bend or cut, maybe more.  There are three tools I found to be very handy.  

1. A pointer stick that can be temporarily clamped at any angle to the tubing to simulate a mid rail or leg.  This is a very quick and accurate reference guide to aid in positioning tubing at the correct place and angle.  I don't know of a commercial made tool so I made one from a hose clamp tightened over a piece of bent flat iron.  A miter bevel works well but it doesn't stay in place.
2. A fine point "Sharpie" to mark the tubing.  The ink washes off SS easily with acetone.  Writing on masking tape works well too but remember to wash off the adhesive before welding.  A pencil is next to useless.  Several years after this job my son showed me a Sharpie designed for Stainless steel.  Sure wish I knew about this back then.
3. Another handy tool that I currently own but didn't know about at the time, is a Unitek Magnetic POLYCAST Protractor.  It measures angle in degrees relative to the center of this planet (gravity), similar to an inclinometer.  The ~1⁰ accuracy is very useful for transferring angles from port to starboard to measure symmetry, provided the boat is absolutely level.

CONSTRUCTION - Bending SS tubing must be done with a bender designed specifically for the properties of SS.  It pulls the tubing around the mandrill, instead of squeezing it around the corner that is the technique used for bending conduit.  SS benders are almost always power assisted or assisted with a long lever for mechanical advantage.  It takes a lot of force to bend SS tubing.  The one I used was mounted on a waist high work bench and came with a 6' long lever.  Ridgid makes a geared ratchet portable tube bender that just might work for you.  I have no experience with this tool but it looks promising.  Keep in mind that the bending radius is set by the diameter of the mandrill and the inside of the mandrill must match the diameter of the tubing.  It takes skill and a lot of setup time to produce good results.

Most of the tubing I've seen has a longitudinal line on the outside.  I think this is a result of the manufacturing process.  If your tubing doesn't have a reference line, draw one with a "Sharpie" (felt pen).  Use the line to assist you for marking a reference.  The line can be used to determine the start and finish of a bend and the correct axis of the bend.  Without it, you will be spending tons of time orienting the tubing with each bend, which is very frustrating to say the least.  You will be doing lots of double checking anyway and this reference line sure makes the job easier.  The line also helps to keep you oriented to the tubing as it is all too easy to confuse port for starboard, fore for aft and up for down.  Another slick trick is to mark each unit with tape for port/starboard and fore/aft reference.   I learned this on my second unit which I bent in one third the time of the first unit.

FITTING to the DECK - Unfortunately I never kept my plans because I built the pushpit before I ever decided to publish these Tech Tips.  They were written on restaurant napkins and scraps of paper.  As I recall, I started fitting each corner assembly to the transom first, then worked my way forward.  I adjusted the position and angle of the first assembly till it was parallel to the companionway opening and the cockpit lines.  Then I adjusted the position and angle of the second assembly till it was parallel to the companionway, cockpit lines, and being symmetrical to the first unit.  A tricky business to say the least.  You might have to juggle both assemblies a bit to make a happy compromise for symmetry.  Symmetry and parallel is very important though.  It might help to attach both units to a straight plank placed across the top to lower the assemblies on the deck.  While the exact lengths of the legs were marked with masking tape, I cut each 1" longer than required just to be safe.  I placed them on the deck to determine if there were any inaccuracies.  I used this technique to incrementally cut each assembly to the correct deck height so they were symmetrical.  A very painstaking, tedious process.  If I were to fabricate them again I would make plywood moulds to form the tubing around and attach two posts to the toe rails to run alignment strings across the cockpit.  This would give me a reference line elevated from the deck surface without the need to constantly measure with a tape. 
Having figured out the dimensions at home I did all the tube bending at a shop where a friend loaned me the use of their bender.  Coffee for the guys was cheap!  In the absence of a mould the feet were welded in place with Panache backed into a welding shop.  It was raining at the time and no welder will stand in a puddle of water while the stick is lit!  So I just backed her in through the overhead door.  To say that my project captured the interest of the entire shop is the understatement of the year.  Fact is, with Panache in the shop they couldn't do anything else anyway and with this many "experts" running around you just can't go wrong.  Two guys holding SS in place while the welder tacks it is not to be discounted.  I was directing the show and ordered coffee, again!  Once I got the two pushpits home I hammered the feet slightly till they fit flush to the deck.  As a weld cools it has a tendency to shrink and pull metal away from the original position.  Afterwards I ground each weld smooth and polished the metal.  You should be able to reverse engineer this pushpit from the photos and the description here.  If you would like more detail pictures, just email me quoting this Tech Tip.

CONCLUSION - After sailing several years with the split pushpit I can report that life on board is easier with increased safety and comfort in the cockpit.  Access from a dinghy or dock to the cockpit is quicker as it is now a simple matter to release the pelican hook in front of me.  I am still amused when another SJ23 owner steps on board and is amazed with how easy it is to open or close a gate.  The hazardous corner posts are replaced with smooth tubing that is strong enough to stand on and is definitely comfortable to lean against.  As a surprise, the cockpit has become a bit roomier because the lifelines are now slightly further outboard.  I can now sit on the coaming and rest against the life line for a better view forward.  This is definitely one of those situations where all the little modifications combine to create a significant improvement for safety, comfort and convenience.  PS: It also looks better than corner posts. 

In these photos I have yet to fabricate the life line gates.

Click here to see Liberty Call's split pushpit, proving that it can be reverse engineered.

NOTE - Back in the days when Clark owned San Juan, a company called Railmakers Northwest built all the rails, stanchions, etc.  They did nice work and had patterns for the tooling, so pulpits and what-not just bolted on.  They are still located on the Everett, Washington waterfront (near the boat ramp).

_______________________________________________________

LIFELINE GATE - I never did like the way the original lifeline dropped to the deck when the single pelican hook over the transom was released.  Lying free on the deck, the line was in the way and I found it a real nuisance to pull the lifelines taught again, especially since I have netting tied at the bow.  I always thought the Clark brothers could have done a better job of the lifelines for a boat as classy as an SJ23.  At the time of this project, Panache floated at a mooring and I found it "difficult" to crawl from my dinghy, over the gunwale, without getting hung up on a lifeline.  It was awkward, to say the least and quite a balancing act in lumpy water.
To solve the problem I transformed the aft stanchion (forward end of cockpit, 18" tall, 1" OD) into a lifeline gate by bracing the forward side with a SS rod angled into the deck.  The angle brace supports the stanchion, relieving the mounting plate of stress when the gate is open.  The gate being the space between the aft stanchion and the pushpit.  The braces were welded to the stanchions, something I now regret.  While they work very well, attaching them with a bracket equipped with set screws would have been so much easier for ongoing maintenance and winter storage.  To terminate the forward life line and maintain tension I fabricated a stainless fitting (bolt with half ring welded to the head).  The tension in the forward line is adjusted with a turnbuckle at the pulpit.  The tension of the gate line is adjusted with a threaded Pelican hook latched to the metal loop welded at the top of the pushpit.  Always close this Pelican hook facing outward to prevent accidental release by rubbing against it in the cockpit.  I quite often find these hooks closed the opposite way and reverse them for safety.  Its amazing how many sailors are unaware of this simple act.  For comfort and safety, the lifelines gates are cushioned with foam tubing covered with Acrilan or Sunbrella cloth as shown below. 

Lifeline covered in vinyl can be a hazard in the long run due to hidden corrosion.  One day when you need it most, the line lets go.  Not good!  So consider replacing them with Dyneema which is real easy to splice.  But you still need chafe protection at each stanchion hole in the form of a vinyl tube. 

____________________________________

LIFELINE PADDING (1998) - Shortly after installing Panache's pushpit in 1998 I realized that leaning against the life line for an extended length of time was not comfortable.  So I decided to add foam padding over the lines adjacent to the cockpit; (hollow foam water line insulating tube or a foam noodle covered with blue Sunbrella).  You can see one here and above.  They work very well but with years of body pressure against them, the life line wire eventually wore through the foam, leaving the sharp line against my back again.  Aaarch, nothing lasts forever I guess!

(2022) I recently replaced the foam and this time inserted a vinyl tube inside the hollow foam with the life line run through the vinyl tube.  The vinyl tube should spread the load over a wider area to keep the pads comfortable and make them last longer.  I also soaked the cloth in hot water and scrubbed off the Lichen growth which shows you how long I've had these pads.  Maybe 34 years is forever after all.

With Canada having converted to metric in 1975, the foam insulating tube today is a tad thicker than the previous imperial version which means it fills the Sunbrella tubes fully, resulting in a softer pad.  Sometimes change is a good thing. 
 

Emunah gets Stanchion Bases Resealed, (Randy Cook)

Its been a very long time since I resealed my stanchions to the deck.  With time the sealant under a stanchion will dry and leak.  Fortunately they are mounted on solid fibreglass so you won't be dealing with wood rot in the deck.  Unbolt each from the deck and remove the old sealant.  If a stanchion is bent, now would be a good time to straighten it!  While you are at it, check the welds for tiny cracks.  Fatigue bending and dock ramming over the years has a way of stressing metal.  This being the case inspect the deck for cracks and repair with epoxy as required.  To install them, clean all surfaces with acetone and apply a layer of butyl rubber "tape" over the foot print to seal the stanchion to the deck.  Apply a "thin rope" of butyl rubber under the head of each bolt as well.  Tighten each nut while preventing the bolt from turning.  This retains most of the butyl rubber under the head.  Try to torque the nuts evenly.  If you apply the butyl rubber correctly (and you don't ram into docks anymore) this is likely the last time you will ever do this job.  The following photos come courtesy of Randy Cook when he overhauled his stanchions in 2017.  This is the first time the stanchions were removed since the factory.

Split Pushpit, Removable (Kevin)

This split pushpit shown belongs to Kevin from Kentucky.  His design is simpler and easier to fabricate than Panache's above.  It is also easier to bolt in place.  The fact that it is removable makes it very useful for winter storage.  I like that.

LIBERTY CALL gets a Split Pushpit (2019).

"I finally completed my project using the last of the material in my garage.  A local welder tacked it together at a reasonable price.  The polishing and installation was fairly easy.  Polishing compound with a buffing wheel took most of the burn marks off.  Then rubbing the SS with 00 steel wool and Comet cleanser created the final finish.  The pushpit adds a nice touch to Liberty Call and is very functional.  Glad I got it done."

Dennis Wolfe
New Bern, NC

PS: The bimini is an off the shelf unit from a chandler.  See Tech Tip C14. 

Return to Tech Tip Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Have a Question?