Catalina 350 International Association

Our starboard stern pulpit got caught in the bow pulpit of another boat late this season and bent at the base of the forward post and along the top rail. Not much, but more than I want to leave as is. A few questions...

1) I have read mixed reviews about rebending stainless rail. What experience does anyone have with this?

2) Catalina Yachts does not have any stern pulpits in inventory, or the pattern. Evidently, the pulpit vendor never provided the pattern, was a pita to work with and no longer has a relationship with CY. Catalina Direct has found a vendor that will fab a new pulpit, but I have to ship both the starboard and port pulpits across the country, total cost for new pulpit and shipping estimated at around $3k. Does anyone have any better suggestions? \

3) Any possibility I might find a C350 that is being parted out? If so, where?

The boat is currently covered on the hard in Vermont.

Thanks, Ken

I have no personal experience straightening bent SS but second hand reports that I've aren't good.

If I were in your shoes and faced with $3K to replace, I'd start calling local SS fabricators and see if they could cut out the damaged part and replace it.
I have a friend who had a custom swim ladder made. If you have no luck locally let me know and I'll get the contact info. for the company he used.

We had a similar experience. The boat in the slip next to us, clipped our stern rail when backing out of their slip. While having new bottom paint put on later that year, we had a welder cut out the bent section and weld in a replacement, and I must say if I didn't tell you where the repair was, you could never find it. Cost wasn't all that much, but I would have to go back in my records and see what it was. Whether or not that could work for you probably depends on where the bend is and how severe it is.

Hi there,

Like the others, I had a stanchion damaged by another boat dragging at night onto my boat. There is a local stainless steel fabricator in Bellingham WA who did it quickly and at low expense - perhaps $200 if I recall. He also quoted for inserting an extra stanchion in the safety lines so we could board midship easier rather than the long aft line openings now in place. There is already a molded base location to attach them to which for some reason Catalina did not use - a pity! Maybe they were saving on the cost of adding one on each side. I did not proceed with the extra stanchions due to cost.

So I would find a local SS guy some place near your boat. The stern ladder is a valuable extra as well if you are having him do the repair.

Cheers, Geoff. Taeko 1V, #392, Semiahmoo WA