Making a gangplank (passerelle)?

[nigelmercier]

I want a new gangplank for my boat, between 2.4m and 3m long. I figure I can disguise it as a longboard (a long surfboard) to get it on the plane to Tenerife.

In the past I have just used a length of timber, but these are very heavy, so I'm thinking of something with slats. It will need to support me (110kg) plus luggage/shopping (30kg).

Nothing too intricate, I'm by no means a carpenter, but I've got a good selection of tools.

Anyone got any plans?

 

[maxcampbell]

No expert, by any means, but instead of slats, what about a hollow structure with thin ply skins - like a door, but with a bit more inside (even foam)? You could glass sheath it to keep the water out.

 

[Mistroma]

Have you thought about bridging ladders. There are some on eBay, variety of widths & lengths. It should be simple to hinge a pair.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heavy-Dut...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4abc529923

There were much stronger items on sale but I can't remember what they were called so will try to track them down.

I did find Quad bike loading ramps, so might have been those. Just search for loading ramps or bridging ladders if they look interesting.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230mm-Wid...63?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item3f1f6c592f

 

[Bobobolinsky]

I used an ally ladder, which I got on freecycle, with Buffalo Board bolted either side. Ladder had one rung missing, so I made a new rung from ally plate

 

[macd]

Whatever it is, it sounds a cumbersome thing to take by plane. The most popular DIY option, as mentioned above, is a an aluminium ladder with an appropriate board (ply is the most common) riveted along it...simple enough to knock up in a few hours. The makings must be freely available in Tenerife.

 

[nimbusgb]

Motorcycle loading ramp eBay for £40 ( Wider version - 300mm the 230mm one is damned narrow to walk on with arm loads of shopping )

To which I have added a couple of stainless top hat fittings and a T bar from bigship.fr

The ramp came in a cardboard box and weighs 7.5 kgs or 8 kgs with the box so just chuck it in the hold as part of your normal allowance.

 

[fuss]

I think it needs to be 3m as I think 2.5 might sometimes be a bit short... cant remember now how long mine is.
I use a bit of wood with holes for shock cord. The good thing about this is that I can use it sometimes as a workbench across the cockpit.

 

[vyv_cox]

Whatever it is, it sounds a cumbersome thing to take by plane. The most popular DIY option, as mentioned above, is a an aluminium ladder with an appropriate board (ply is the most common) riveted along it...simple enough to knock up in a few hours. The makings must be freely available in Tenerife.

That's what I have, except that I attached the ply using tie-wraps for easy conversion back to a ladder, should it ever be needed. I epoxied the ply and scattered International non-slip granules into the wet epoxy.

Attachment of the inboard end was more of a problem. The socket for attachment of the swivel pin is easy, Force 4 stock them. At the time I did it the swivel and yoke assembly was listed on the Accastillage Diffusion website but this turned out to be in error, they only intended to show the socket. However, to their credit, they located the supplier for me and supplied one. It took a bit of engineering to fit it to the ladder but it has been very successful.

 

[macd]

3m sounds pretty long. Mine is 2.6m overall, including fitting to boat. That's a on a 43-footer with a moderately raked transom. I wouldn't want it any longer.

 

[danielefua]

A very smart idea for a gangplank can be found on the page of another registered user of this forum (I am pretty sure he will not be annoyed by my suggestion... ):
It is a pity that the description is not in English but the pictures are self explaining.

http://sybrancaleone.blogspot.it/2009/04/una-passerella.html

Daniel

 

[nigelmercier]

There were much stronger items on sale but I can't remember what they were called so will try to track them down...

Youngman Boards? I've emailed Youngman to see if they do a 300mm wide one.

A very smart idea for a gangplank can be found on the page of another registered user of this forum ...

Neat, but isn't one of the hinges going the wrong way?

I did wonder about a ladder, but I'm not sure that they are designed to be used horizontally. Doing it this way would mean I could make it out there, so is a bonus.

 

[Fantasie 19]

Whatever it is, it sounds a cumbersome thing to take by plane. The most popular DIY option, as mentioned above, is a an aluminium ladder with an appropriate board (ply is the most common) riveted along it...simple enough to knock up in a few hours. The makings must be freely available in Tenerife.

+1 ... why make it here when there must be hundreds of builders planks in Tenerife???

 

[macd]

I did wonder about a ladder, but I'm not sure that they are designed to be used horizontally.

They're not. But they work well enough if you can forego suing the manufacturer for any defects.

 

[danielefua]

Neat, but isn't one of the hinges going the wrong way?

Those hinges lock in the straight position. The base structure comes from a low price commercial "aluminium folding multi-position ladder that can also be used as a work platform".

Daniel

 

[Mistroma]

Youngman Boards? I've emailed Youngman to see if they do a 300mm wide one.



Neat, but isn't one of the hinges going the wrong way?

I did wonder about a ladder, but I'm not sure that they are designed to be used horizontally. Doing it this way would mean I could make it out there, so is a bonus.

We used one of these folding ladders in the yard over winter and kept it covered when not in use. Ours corroded at all the hinges despite regular WD40, oil and cover. We decided not to take it with us on our travels because of the rust problem. Perhaps ours was a very cheap version but worth looking at the hinges as they aren't usually alloy and will be prone to rust.

It was also pretty heavy (without ply boards) and too long. I see that the pics. show that the last section was removed to make it shorter and lighter. Good idea and easy to bolt back again and use as a ladder if needed.

I'd worry about strength as well. I think mine was only rated to 150ks, but that's in the upright position and will be much lower at 90 deg. to the ground. It was OK as a platform 2 sections wide (up to 150kg. limit) so 3 sections might be fine.

It looks as if the eBay ramps can be sent to Spain for about £20 and that doesn't sound too bad, but I expect Canaries will be more.

UPDATE: I've just remembered that the centre hinges lock against the hinge pin and this makes it safe to use as a working platform. The other hinges fold in the opposite direction and that means that they will collapse if the lock fails. It is a feature of the way it folds up, I hope this makes sense. The rough diagram below might help, hinges are shown but larger locking mechanism left out to make hinges easier to see.

 

[Chalker]

I'm using a telescopic aluminium ladder. The 3.6m size extended to only 3m seems to be plenty strong enough, it happily takes 14 stone bouncing in the middle.
Swivel made from 7/8 and 1" tubing and fittings attaches to the pulpit or pushpit.
Surface is a set of aluminium checker plate panels.
All fits into the bag that came with the ladder.
Seems OK and we'll be trying it in anger over the next few years

 

[geem]

I want a new gangplank for my boat, between 2.4m and 3m long. I figure I can disguise it as a longboard (a long surfboard) to get it on the plane to Tenerife.

In the past I have just used a length of timber, but these are very heavy, so I'm thinking of something with slats. It will need to support me (110kg) plus luggage/shopping (30kg).


Nothing too intricate, I'm by no means a carpenter, but I've got a good selection of tools.

Anyone got any plans?

You could always make me an offer for the one I have in the garage. It came with my boat but I don't use it. Also has a demountable handrail. Proper bit of kit
I will see if I can dig out a photo if your interested?

 

[pcatterall]

I want a new gangplank for my boat, between 2.4m and 3m long. I figure I can disguise it as a longboard (a long surfboard) to get it on the plane to Tenerife.

In the past I have just used a length of timber, but these are very heavy, so I'm thinking of something with slats. It will need to support me (110kg) plus luggage/shopping (30kg).

Nothing too intricate, I'm by no means a carpenter, but I've got a good selection of tools.

Anyone got any plans?

Like many others I use an ally ladder. I have two lengths of light ply which I can tie or cable tie between the sides. The ply is stored on a bunk when not required and the ladder becomes.........a ladder!
But a wooden one need not be too heavy. If you use something like 3x1/2 inch timber or ply for the sides then just quite light ply on top it shouldn't weigh too much.

 

[Roberto]

It is a pity that the description is not in English but the pictures are self explaining.

http://sybrancaleone.blogspot.it/2009/04/una-passerella.html

Daniel

hi Daniele

actually there is one, sort of
buried deep in the confusion of the blog

http://sybrancaleone.blogspot.fr/2009/04/eng-light-foldable-aluminum-gangway.html


also, credit is to be given to the link I posted from hisse-et-oh, that's where the original idea came from I just copied it


ciao (and thanks ) r

 

[lenseman]

I have the motorcycle ramp as sold on e-Bay for about £40 amd it is designed to take a load horizontally.

No problems with it at all and only slightly thinner that any ladder but I do like the folding one, shown in photographs, from the other yachtsman.


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