Rum_Pirate
Well-Known Member
Looking astern.
- Thread starter Rum_Pirate
- Start date
VO5
Well-Known Member
NIce sweep of deck you have there Rum Pirate.
I am pleased to see you have a proper boarding ladder too.
I am pleased to see you have a proper boarding ladder too.
Rum_Pirate
Well-Known Member
It requires a certain knack and agility to use it.NIce sweep of deck you have there Rum Pirate.
I am pleased to see you have a proper boarding ladder too.
VO5
Well-Known Member
I am a fan of really traditional stuff.
A few weeks ago, I sauntered past a skip nearby....
These are receptacles I cannot resist looking into.
I only do it when SWMBO is not with me...she gets embarrased, you see..
To my astonishment some wasteful person had disposed of the most magnificent solid mahogany door, weighed a ton it did.
I mustered some help to get it to my garage, and there, with a circular saw I cut a 4" strip off the vertical edge which I then sliced again into two strips about 3/4" thick.
These I cut into 15" lengths to make steps.
Then I drilled the holes for the ropes and added treadmaster to the treads, then varnished the wood part.
The result is the most fantastic rope ladder with 8 steps.
A proper little pilot ladder it is.
VO5
Well-Known Member
Ah ! I forgot to tell you further.
I added a tail to the bottom rung to which is added a length of 5/16" chain to which is added another tail.
Then the catenary is slid under bow to the keel and both ropes adjusted so the chain presses tight across under the keel.
Like this it does not wobble when using it.
I added a tail to the bottom rung to which is added a length of 5/16" chain to which is added another tail.
Then the catenary is slid under bow to the keel and both ropes adjusted so the chain presses tight across under the keel.
Like this it does not wobble when using it.
Rum_Pirate
Well-Known Member
VO5
Well-Known Member
Another point.
The beauty is...
If you want to deploy for swimming, you can submerge the bottom steps.
If you want to use it to climb aboard from a rubber boat you can raise it so the lowest step is just above the rubber.
As the chain is 3 ft long, it is not only suitably heavy but there is ample room for adjustment.
The chain itself is in a plastic sleeve to minimise chipping on the bottom edge of the keel.
The ladder is supported at the shrouds using the spinnaker topping lift and restrained on the other side using the spinnaker halyard, or vice versa.
Aha!
The beauty is...
If you want to deploy for swimming, you can submerge the bottom steps.
If you want to use it to climb aboard from a rubber boat you can raise it so the lowest step is just above the rubber.
As the chain is 3 ft long, it is not only suitably heavy but there is ample room for adjustment.
The chain itself is in a plastic sleeve to minimise chipping on the bottom edge of the keel.
The ladder is supported at the shrouds using the spinnaker topping lift and restrained on the other side using the spinnaker halyard, or vice versa.
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