I'm sure there must be a simple solution, but I'm struggling to find it!

[MapisM]

Sorry folks, I feel ashamed asking for help on this stuff, while Vas is managing to convert a wooden boat in a sort of Space Shuttle...
Anyway, at risk of appearing silly for not having thought about it myself after the first sensible suggestion, here goes.

Just to explain the context a bit, I had an opportunity to grab an old but as good as new manual passerelle, beautifully built in polished s/steel, and I'm thinking to use it to access the boat while moored stern to in my home berth.
Actually, the boat already has a hydraulic passerelle attached to the upper part of the transom, meant also for lifting the tender, and it works fine.
But there is also a very convenient transom door, directly connecting the large swim platform with the cockpit.
So, instead of going up to the top of the transom and then down again into the cockpit, I was thinking to fit this manual passerelle at the border of the swim platform, leaving it on the dock on the other side.
This would allow a very straight access, all on the same level - a solution which btw also some friends of ours a bit older than ourselves would surely appreciate.

Now, the ideal attachment point on the platform happens to be in the same corner where the swim ladder is placed, together with its fixed handles.
Which is fine, because obviously the swim ladder will never get used while berthed, and the passerelle will be left on the dock when going out.
But there's a sort of conflict between the handles and the steel cylinder which should support the passerelle.
The pic shows where this support should ideally be placed.
Trouble is, if I would just screw the cylinder where it is in the pic, it would always be in the way while using the swim ladder, impeding also to sit on the swim platform between the two handles.
So, here's the simple question after all this premise: which do you guys think would be the better way to lock securely the cylinder in that place, but with the possibility to remove it easily and leaving a "walkable" surface underneath?
The handles are very solid btw, so I was thinking along the lines of screwing the cylinder on a wooden plank, to be secured to the handles, without making any other holes on the teak, but I can't think of an easy way to secure/release the wooden base from the handles...

Many thanks in advance for your suggestions! :encouragement:

 

[Bouba]

I wouldn’t put it there. As the boat moves from side to side, the passerelle, which is resting on pontoon, slews side to side. It will hit those ss handles

 

[vas]

Bouba, if I got it right, the pivot will be this thing on the boat, he'll just off load the whole passerelle and (hopefully) lock it on the dock when he leaves and refit it in the hole when he's back.

P, what's the platform made off (I know GRP) but how thick is it, what's behind sort of thing.
I'd get a much smaller piece fabricated and drill a hole in the platform and bed it in flush to the teak.
This way, when you fit it, it will be fine and stable and when you remove it you'll only have a small discreet piece of SS to remind you of it.

comeon P, you can drill a hole can't you ?

V.

 

[lambohill]

Slotted dowel.
Simply fit stainless slotted dowels into the 3 existing holes and drill platform with the sockets to suit.
Obviously less would do. But it will be neat and lift clean away.

@ Bouba, I'm guessing looking at photo, but passerelle likely clears the handles one the upper spigot is fitted.

 

[Portofino]

Use a recessed female fitting - see the red high lights and the end of the Passerelle can be tapered so,s to mitigate the issue Bouba has highlighted .

View attachment 70340

 

[lambohill]

Use a recessed female fitting - see the red high lights and the end of the Passerelle can be tapered so,s to mitigate the issue Bouba has highlighted .

View attachment 70340

I guess the passerelle is already fabricated thus no tapered, and the spigot is high enough to clear the handrail. So it cannot be female recessed without work?

 

[MapisM]

comeon P, you can drill a hole can't you ?

LOL, I had to expect that, I guess...

To clarify the doubts:
- yes, the cylinder is meant to support the passerelle, which on the dock side has two wheels, and on the boat side has a pin which fits exactly the cylinder hole.
- making a hole in the swim platform and insert the passerelle directly into it is impossible for two reasons: firstly, under the grp+teak floor (which is very solid, but not as thick as the pin length, which is 10cm or so), there is the box of the swim ladder, which slides out from the swim platform. Besides, even if it would be possible, the handles would get in the way of the passerelle, which is going to clear the handles instead, if raised by the steel cylinder.
- @lambohill: by three holes, you mean those visible on the bottom flange of the cylinder? If so, there are others around the whole circumference (6 in total, IIRC), but your reasoning still stands anyway, if I understood it correctly. Could you just elaborate a bit on slotted dowels and their sockets? I've never used them before.

 

[[2068]]

Why not fit it a little to the left, so it's not between the rails and doesn't impede the swim ladder.
The old people can surely manage a jink to the left without tripping up.
Can they ?

 

[Portofino]

The Passerelle is as is in the pic .It folds in 1/2 for storage .
Point is the Male end is tapered so,s when it rotates you don’t get the same potential intrusion on space like as if it was a rectangtangular at the fitting end .
So MapishM,s ladder hand rails should not get a conflict when the boat ( in a marina berth ) swings about .

The LHS red circle is another possibility position for lower pontoons .
The current place in the pic was for normal Med berth hieght

 

[MapisM]

@ Bouba, I'm guessing looking at photo, but passerelle likely clears the handles one the upper spigot is fitted.

Correct, here's the boat end of the thing:

 

[MapisM]

Why not fit it a little to the left, so it's not between the rails and doesn't impede the swim ladder.
The old people can surely manage a jink to the left without tripping up.
Can they ?

Yup, but that's not the point.
The reason why that's the ideal location has mostly to see with the tender, and also with spring cleats - neither visible in the pic, but trust me!

 

[Portofino]

LOL, I had to expect that, I guess...

To clarify the doubts:
- yes, the cylinder is meant to support the passerelle, which on the dock side has two wheels, and on the boat side has a pin which fits exactly the cylinder hole.
- making a hole in the swim platform and insert the passerelle directly into it is impossible for two reasons: firstly, under the grp+teak floor (which is very solid, but not as thick as the pin length, which is 10cm or so), there is the box of the swim ladder, which slides out from the swim platform. Besides, even if it would be possible, the handles would get in the way of the passerelle, which is going to clear the handles instead, if raised by the steel cylinder.
- @lambohill: by three holes, you mean those visible on the bottom flange of the cylinder? If so, there are others around the whole circumference (6 in total, IIRC), but your reasoning still stands anyway, if I understood it correctly. Could you just elaborate a bit on slotted dowels and their sockets? I've never used them before.

Then put a female fitting somewhere else like I did .
note me too had a swim ladder in an awkward place .

 

[lambohill]

LOL, I had to expect that, I guess...


- @lambohill: by three holes, you mean those visible on the bottom flange of the cylinder? If so, there are others around the whole circumference (6 in total, IIRC), but your reasoning still stands anyway, if I understood it correctly. Could you just elaborate a bit on slotted dowels and their sockets? I've never used them before.

even 2 would do. What I mean is a say 40mm pin in a 40mm socket. You can buy s/s dowels or female ends, and then male or s/s threaded bar to sit within.

They come in the 'M' sizes which will match your drill holes. M10 will be sound.

google will show you a lot of suppliers. Or simply use a local 'fixings' supplier to construction.

 

[Portofino]

Correct, here's the boat end of the thing:

Drip feed the info
Thought you have not bought it yet , that why I suggested a tapered boat end like my pic .
Increases the options with regards the boat swaying about and the proxiy of other stuff @ boat end like hand grabs etc .

 

[Portofino]

even 2 would do. What I mean is a say 40mm pin in a 40mm socket. You can buy s/s dowels or female ends, and then male or s/s threaded bar to sit within.

They come in the 'M' sizes which will match your drill holes. M10 will be sound.

I,ll tell you why that won,t work
Two much force on M8r what ever tiny surface area ,
As the boat sways and in the L axis rotates ( waves ) - thinking twisting forces those tiny dowls will rip out of the bathing platform.
You need a proper female fitting recess as the pic I shown in a suitable place not interfering with stuff underneath like your ladder .
Blimey guys !:sleeping:

 

[lambohill]

I,ll tell you why that won,t work
Two much force on M8r what ever tiny surface area ,
As the boat sways and in the L axis rotates ( waves ) - thinking twisting forces those tiny dowls will rip out of the bathing platform.
You need a proper female fitting recess as the pic I shown in a suitable place not interfering with stuff underneath like your ladder .
Blimey guys !:sleeping:

mmmmm....
3 M10 s/s if these shear, your platform will be a Hi/lo....

The passerelle is not fixed to the dock. 3 M10 as my post is an overkill. no chance of shear. I could do the maths, but no point. 3 M10 at say 75mm pitch is more stable than the c. 30mm single pivot, I guess you prob didn't see my note about 3 number fixings at 10mm

 

[jfm]

Just fit a flush "upside down hat" into the teak, between the handles, with a say M10 threaded hole. Completely flush. Fit with 3m 5200 and self tap screws, if no access underneath.

Then get a s/s fabricator to weld a round s/s disc/plate (with 10dia hole in centre, to the bottom of your boss or upstand thing in your picture. And weld an m10 x say 25 long set screw in the hole, so that a m10 x 20 stud is sticking out, downwards, from centre of disc.

Then you can remove the whole boss/upstand thing, by unscrewing it, when you're not using the passerelle.

 

[MapisM]

What I mean is a say 40mm pin in a 40mm socket. You can buy s/s dowels or female ends, and then male or s/s threaded bar to sit within.

But that requires access to underneath the platform "floor" to install the sockets, correct?
This would be impossible in that area, unless removing the whole box of the sliding swim ladder, which would be a proper pita...

 

[MapisM]

Just fit a flush "upside down hat" into the teak, between the bangles, with a say M10 threaded hole. Completely flush. Then get a s/s fabricator to weld a round s/s disc/plate (with 10dia hole in centre, to the bottom of your boss or upstand thing in your picture. And weld an m10 x say 25 long set screw in the hole, so that a m10 x 20 stud is sticking out, downwards, from centre of disc. Then you can remove the whole boss/upstand thing when you're not using the passerelle.

Not sure of two things:
1) upside down hat, wazzat...?
2) I don't know exactly how much thickness I've got under the surface to play with, before hitting the steel box of the sliding ladder. I would think just 10mm teak+5grp, or something like that.
I'd really prefer to avoid drilling any holes if at all possible, exploiting the existing handles also for securing the cylinder...

 

[lambohill]

But that requires access to underneath the platform "floor" to install the sockets, correct?
This would be impossible in that area, unless removing the whole box of the sliding swim ladder, which would be a proper pita...

No. It is a top fix using of the shelf stuff. No fabrication.
I will see to post products.