Sailboats USA 🇺🇸

Stainless Steel Suppliers

• Suncor Stainless — Canton, MA — the go-to marine stainless hardware source; wire rope, swage fittings, chain, fasteners, tubing, all 316 SS
• Online Metals — cut-to-length 316 SS bar, sheet, and round tube; ships nationwide; excellent for custom projects
• Metal Supermarkets — walk-in locations nationwide; buy small quantities of 316 tube, flat bar, and rod same day
• McMaster-Carr — enormous selection of 316 SS fasteners, tube, fittings, and hardware; ships same day
• Bolt Depot — 316 SS screws, bolts, nuts, and washers by the box; best prices for fasteners
• Marine Grade Metals — stainless and aluminum bar, sheet, and tube for marine projects

Tubing Specifications for Common Projects

• Lifelines: 3/16" or 1/4" 316 SS wire rope (7x19 construction for flexibility)
• Stanchions & pulpit/pushpit: 1" OD x 0.065" wall 316 SS tube (schedule 40)
• Bimini frames: 7/8" or 1" OD 316 SS tube — 7/8" for small boats under 30 ft, 1" for larger
• Bimini support arms: Same tube as frame; heavier wall (0.083") for the legs
• Solar arch / davit tower: 1.5" OD x 0.083" wall minimum — loads are high; don't undersize
• Bow rail / stern rail: 1" OD x 0.065" wall for standard; 1.25" for offshore boats

Fittings & Hardware

• Suncor Stainless — tube end caps, deck flanges, jaw-jaw turnbuckles, pelican hooks
• Sailrite — bimini tube fittings, jaw slides, strap fittings, eye straps — everything for bimini frame assembly without welding
• Defender Marine — bimini fittings, stanchion bases, lifeline hardware
• Schaefer Marine — Wareham, MA — made in USA; stanchions, lifeline hardware, deck hardware
• Wichard — premium shackles, snap shackles, carbine hooks; the best shackles in sailing
• McMaster-Carr — stainless pop rivets, machine screws, pipe fittings for DIY fabrication

Polishing & Passivation

• Passivation after welding is mandatory — welding brings iron to the surface; untreated welds will develop rust spots within weeks in saltwater. Use citric acid passivation solution or Ospho after any weld.
• Star Brite — stainless steel polish and rust stain remover
• TotalBoat — metal prep and passivation products
• Dedicated stainless grinding wheels and wire brushes only — never use carbon steel tools on stainless; contamination causes rust

Cutting Stainless Steel Tubing

• Tube cutter (best for straight cuts) — use a cutter rated for stainless; standard pipe cutters work poorly. Ridgid makes SS-rated tube cutters. Slow but produces a perfectly square burr-free cut. Ideal for thin-wall tubing under 1.5".
• Angle grinder with stainless cut-off disc — fast; use discs specifically rated for stainless (marked "inox"). Wrap masking tape around the tube as a cutting guide for squareness. Keep the disc moving — dwelling in one spot overheats and ruins the stainless properties.
• Hacksaw with 24 TPI blade — slow but portable; works for occasional cuts; use a new blade; wrap tape as a guide line
• Cold saw / metal chop saw — the best tool for production cuts; carbide-tipped blade makes clean, square, burr-free cuts with no heat. If you're building a full arch or rail, this is worth renting or buying (~$200–$400 for a decent unit).
• The Boat Galley — How to Cut SS Tubing Squarely

Bending Stainless Tube

• Manual conduit bender — works for bends >4" radius on thin-wall tube; cheap and available at hardware stores; quality varies
• Hydraulic pipe bender — the right tool for bimini bows and arch legs; makes smooth, consistent bends; rent from equipment rental shops or buy a Harbor Freight unit (~$60–$150) for occasional use
• Professional bending services — many local metal shops will bend tube to your template for $20–$50 per piece; bring a cardboard or wire template of the desired curve
• Always fill tubing with dry sand or use a bending spring before bending to prevent kinking thin-wall tube

Other Fabrication Tools

• Angle grinder — 4.5" grinder with a flap disc for grinding welds and smoothing cuts; a 60-grit flap disc followed by a 120-grit is the standard finishing sequence
• Drill press or hand drill — cobalt drill bits for stainless (standard HSS bits work but dull fast); use cutting oil; slow speed, firm pressure
• Die grinder — for deburring inside tube ends and cleaning up tight welds
• Bench vise — the most useful tool in any metal shop; get the heaviest one you can afford
• Welding clamps and magnets — essential for holding parts in position while tacking; stainless work particularly benefits from holding magnets to maintain angles

TIG Welding Stainless — Key Technique Notes

• Gas: 100% argon shielding gas — no CO2 mix; CO2 causes porosity in stainless
• Filler rod: 316L for 316 SS tube (the "L" means low carbon — better corrosion resistance at the weld)
• Tungsten: 2% lanthanated (gold band) for DC stainless work; 2% thoriated (red) also works but is mildly radioactive
• Purge gas: For tube welds, backpurge the inside of the tube with argon to prevent sugaring (oxidation) on the back side of the root pass. Plug tube ends with tape leaving a small vent hole.
• Clean everything — wipe with acetone before welding; wear clean gloves after cleaning
• Don't overheat — stainless conducts heat poorly and warps easily; use tack welds to set position, then weld in short sections, alternating sides to distribute heat
• Passivate after welding — citric acid solution or Ospho applied to all heat-affected zones; neutralizes oxidation and restores corrosion resistance

Welding Learning Resources

• Welding Tips and Tricks — SS Tubing Guide — Jody Collier's free tutorials; best free TIG resource on the internet
• Welding Tips and Tricks YouTube — thousands of free TIG tutorials
• Sailboat Owners Forum — Stainless Welding First Attempt — real sailors learning; good thread
• Baker's Gas — 4 Boat Welding Projects

If You Don't Want to Weld

• Sailrite bimini frame kits — use riveted fittings; no welding required. Complete 2-bow, 3-bow, and 4-bow kits with pre-bent tube available. See the Bimini section below.
• Local welding shops — most marine welders will fabricate from your design for $75–$150/hr. Bring detailed measurements and a sketch. Supply your own 316 tube for best pricing.
• Martek Davits — pre-engineered solar arch and davit systems requiring only basic installation; no fabrication needed

Measuring for a New Rail

1. Photograph the existing rail from multiple angles before removing anything
2. Measure the base flange spacing — center-to-center distance between each mounting base; these positions must match your existing deck holes unless you're willing to patch and redrill
3. Measure the deck footprint — overall width at the bow or stern, accounting for any taper; most boats are not perfectly symmetrical — measure both port and starboard separately
4. Measure the height from deck to the top of the existing rail — minimum 24" for offshore use per ISAF rules; 30" is comfortable for most adults
5. Note any features: anchor roller integration, forestay attachment, fold-down gate, nav light mount
6. Make a cardboard template of the base flange positions — use this to verify fit on the new rail before final welding
7. Measure the tube diameter of the existing rail — typically 1" on production sailboats; confirm with calipers

Suppliers & Resources

• Sailorman — Fort Lauderdale; large used rail inventory; check for your boat model
• Sailboat Parts — model-specific used rails and stanchions
• Longship Marine — Poulsbo, WA; used stainless rails and fittings
• Suncor Stainless — new deck flanges, stanchion bases, and fittings for custom fabrication
• eBay — Sailing Hardware — search your boat model; used rails from boats being parted out

Rail Repair vs. Replacement

• Pitting and surface rust on 316 SS is usually cosmetic — polish with Scotch-Brite + Star Brite stainless polish; passivate with citric acid
• Cracks at welds or near bases are structural failures — replace or have a qualified welder repair and dye-penetrant test the repair
• Bent tubes from collision damage can often be straightened cold on heavier sections; thin-wall tube at bend points typically needs replacement
• Corroded base flanges are the most common failure on older boats — the flange-to-deck bedding holds water and corrodes from inside; replace flanges and rebed with 3M 4200

Measuring Your Cockpit

1. Decide on mounting location: on the stern rail (most common), on the cockpit coaming, or with deck-mounted legs
2. Measure width at the mounting point — this is your bimini width; add 2" each side for overhang
3. Measure fore-aft length of cockpit area to be covered — determines number of bows (2-bow for short cockpits under 4 ft, 3-bow or 4-bow for longer)
4. Measure height from mounting point to desired top of bimini — minimum 6'2" clearance for standing; account for the arc of the bow when choosing tube length
5. Measure both port and starboard sides independently — production boats often vary by 1/2" or more
6. Note the angle of the mounting surface — stern rail mounts need jaw slides that accommodate rail angle

Frame Kits (No Welding Required)

• Sailrite — How to Build a 3-Bow Bimini Frame — complete step-by-step guide
• Sailrite — How to Build a 4-Bow Bimini Frame
• Sailrite 3-Bow 1" SS Frame Kit — riveted fittings; no welding; complete with all hardware
• Sailrite 4-Bow 1" SS Frame Kit

Assembly Notes

• Kits use jaw slides, strap brackets, and pivot fittings — all attach with stainless pop rivets or screws; no welding required
• Bend tube with a hydraulic bender or rent from a local metal shop — bring a cardboard template of the desired bow arc
• Always fit the frame to the boat before cutting canvas — small adjustments are common
• Once frame is correct, use it as the template for your Sailrite bimini canvas kit
• Tubular frames without welding rely entirely on the riveted fittings — use 3/16" stainless pop rivets, not aluminum, and apply a drop of Loctite 243 to any machine screws

Canvas for Your Frame

• Sailrite Bimini Skin Kit — 2-Bow
• Sailrite Bimini Skin Kit — 4-Bow (Sunbrella)
• See the Canvas & Sewing page for full fabric selection and sewing machine guidance

Design Considerations

• Load analysis first — a dinghy davit must support 1.5–2× the dynamic load of your dinghy underway in a seaway. A 200-lb dinghy + 30 lb outboard = 230 lb static load; dynamic load in a seaway can be 2–3× that. Build accordingly — 1.5" OD x 0.083" wall minimum for the arch legs; 1.25" for the davit arms.
• Mounting points — arch feet must be through-bolted (not just screwed) to a solid fiberglass or reinforced deck area. Add backing plates of 1/4" aluminum or SS plate on the underside of the deck — never mount to cored deck without removing the core and filling with epoxy at each through-bolt location
• Solar panel clearance — ensure the boom at full travel clears the arch by at least 6"; account for sails and travelers
• Dinghy weight distribution — davit arms should be positioned so the dinghy hangs level; measure your dinghy's balance point first
• Width — arch width should allow the boom to swing freely; typically equal to the beam at the stern, less 6–12" each side

DIY Build Resources

• The Howarths — Stern Arch Build Notes — detailed cruiser documentation of a DIY arch build
• YBW Forum — Solar Arch DIY Thread — community discussion, real builds
• Baltic Solar Arches — custom solar arch design service with CAD drawings; good reference for dimensions
• Cruisers Forum — Construction & Repair — search "solar arch" for dozens of build threads

Commercial Arch & Davit Options

Davit Hoisting Systems

• Rope and block system — simple and low-tech; two blocks per davit arm with a 4:1 mechanical advantage; one person can hoist a 200-lb dinghy
• Manual davit winch — small self-tailing winch mounted on each davit arm; more controlled hoisting; typical for heavier dinghies
• Electric davit winch — available from Lewmar and others for offshore boats handling heavy RIBs regularly
• Lewmar — electric and manual davit winches, deck organizers for davit lines