[C320-list] Pushpit mounting

[Allan Field]

Dave - I mounted a GPS antenna and an XM radio marine antenna to the aft
stanchion, port side.  Here is what I did.

I unhooked the 2 portside lifelines where they hook to the aft stanchion
with the pelican hooks.  Sitting down in the port side locker (the one made
for a bicycle but not the bike rider!) I put a wrench on the nuts (there are
3) at the base of the tube that the pelican hooks attach to.  I needed
someone else topside to then back off the 3 bolts, using a large Phillips
screwdriver, while I held the nuts from below.  The 3 bolts pass through the
tube base, then the deck, and then are backed with 3 large fender washers.

Once these 3 bolts were backed off and removed, I was able to pull the tube
away and from the boat and slightly down alongside the rubrail so as to
expose the underside of the tube base.  I then drilled a hole through the
deck.  There was no metal backing plate in the deck.

At this point, one should then re-epoxy the hole then drill a new hole for
the antenna wires through the cured epoxy.  I did not do this.

This is where the real fun starts.  Using a carbide drill bit (1/2-inch) and
an electric drill, I drilled a hole into the tube base from the bottom up.
I have a portable scaffold so did this while standing on the scaffold next
to the hull.  Make sure you wear eye protection and good gloves as the S/S
shavings get very hot.  Drilling this hole at high speed took about 30
minutes of continual drilling.  The base is thick as is the steel.  

I then drilled 2 very small holes, just large enough to pass my antenna
wires through, into the stanchion where it runs parallel to the deck.  The
first hole, for the GPS antenna, is about 6 inches back from the turn in the
tube and the second hole for the XM is about 12 inches further back.  I
fished line up to the holes from the bottom and, using a surgical hemostat,
stuck the hemostat into the holes to grab the line and pull it through the
hole.  From here on out, the job is easy.  Using the line as a messenger,
pull the antenna wires down through the tube base and into the deck hole,
slide the tube base back into position after a generous application of
sealant, get your helper back to work from either in the locker or topside,
replace the bolts, nuts and washers, and run the antenna wires to wherever.

Hope this helps!

Allan S. Field
Sea Shadow - #808
Columbia, MD



-----Original Message-----
From: C320-List-bounces at catalina320.com
[mailto:C320-List-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Dave Anderer
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2006 3:03 PM
To: C320-List
Subject: [C320-list] Pushpit mounting

Does anyone know off-hand how the pushpits are mounted to the boat?

I want to pull one off to mount a GPS antenna and run the wires 
internally.  There are just 7 screws, but what do they go into?  If into 
tapped plates glassed to the hull - great!  If into individual nuts, 
which then fall off and get lost between the hull and the liner - not great.

Thanks.

Dave  #642

[By the bye, I finally have the new SS shaft installed.  Solution was 
finally to just let the yard do it.  Took them about 4 hours to lift the 
boat, drop the rudder, and install the shaft.]

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