boarding ladder /flexible coupling

[bajo]

Would 304 1'' stainless steel be ok for making a boarding ladder for a 22ft GRP sailboat ( buying from e-bay ) and what should I beware of. I am looking to use a flexible coupling in a 1GM 10 engine installation, would a Vetus Bullflex coupling be totally adequate or should I borrow and get an Aquadrive 20000.coupling
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[GeorgeTina]

Hi
Don't know about the SS for the ladder but I fitted a R&D flexible coupling to my 2GM20 last year. Less vibration and it was MUCH quieter. Cost about £40 if I remember.

 

[Tranona]

I have a Bullflex on my 1GM. Replaced an R&D because my shaft is rigid with cutlass bearing on the inboard end of the stern tube. With the R&D the bearing eventually wore. Advantage of the Bullflex is that it can tolerate up to 2 degrees misalignment, although I lined mine up as if it were a solid coupling. No problems after 3 years. As you may know the 1GM likes to move around a lot and the movement is not concentric with the output shaft. The diffrerent engine mountings deal with most of the movement but the Bullflex isolates it from the prop shaft. Drawback is that it is expensive compared with an R&D but if you get the benefits I did well worth it - and cheaper by far than an Aquadrive - which is often impossible to fit on a small boat because of lack of space aft of the coupling.

 

[vyv_cox]

Re: boarding ladder /flexible coupling

304 stainless is OK for something that only occasionally goes into the water. It will suffer a little more pitting than 316 but occasional polishing will solve that.