Passerelle and Gang-Plank

[AntarcticPilot]

What's the difference, if any? And if there's no difference, why do people use the French term rather than the native English one?

No personal interest - I have neither!

 

[Slow_boat]

I think a gangplank is just that, a plank you use temorarily that can be used for other things, a fender board for instance. A passerelle I understand to be a dedicated, probably permenantly attached, specially made, single use item.

 

[sarabande]

passerelle is directly from the (non-nautical) French for footbridge.

A gangplank is an access platform placed between two ships/boats.

A gangway is originally the opening in the side of a ship, or in the bulwarks, by which entrance or exit is gained. By extension it is the access platform between a ship and the shore.

[yrs pdntclly...]

 

[photodog]

Passerelle is for posh people with big boats.

Gang plank is for pirates. Ooh Arrr!

 

[FullCircle]

I recently sold my Benenzoni Passerelle for £325.
I expect to replace it with a gangplank for £10.

 

[KristiferColumbus]

What's the difference, if any? And if there's no difference, why do people use the French term rather than the native English one?

No personal interest - I have neither!

My brother is the chief executive & part owner of a pretty impressive company that makes those passerelle things & there is no doubt there is some pretty impressive Engineering that goes into them.(He has done the Mayor of New York's boat & is full of boasts about some pretty impressive clients.Russian olygarks etc etc,traveling all around the world).
A lot of the bigger ones stow away neatly & extend over several sections.Going down to natty little pontoons at water level.They are also remote control & goodness knows what else.

 

[Woodlouse]

Does a passerelle have wheels on the end?

 

[LadyInBed]

Passerelle is for posh people with big boats.

A bit OTT even for a French MoBo

the Passerelle Eiffel in 1861

 

[Tranona]

Does a passerelle have wheels on the end?

Some do and some don't.

If you are cruising in parts of the Med where the majority of the mooring is stern to a stone quay you will appreciate why passarrelles are designed as they are. Of course you can use a plank, but if youy like to be secure on your trips to and from the shore you will consider the money spent on a good quality one well worth it - particularly if it is a condition from SWMBO to keep the boat!

 

[KristiferColumbus]

Does a passerelle have wheels on the end?

Some do,you can have whatever you want if you have got the money & who is going to argue with the sort of customer than can afford that sort of thing?.....
You say you want one to provide access to your hot air balloon tethered off the stern sir,certainly no problem!

 

[Talbot]

most passerelles are pivoted and secured at the inboard end, and the other end can be suspended so that it does not necessarily rest on the shore. This enables trips on and off the ship, but helps minimise the risk of unintentional four footed visitors with untidy eating habits.

Some passerelles are even designed to have an alternative role as the davit for launching the tender/jet ski what have you.

 

[vyv_cox]

Does a passerelle have wheels on the end?

Mine does, but it's a long way from being posh. It's a ladder with plywood attached to the upper side with tiewraps. There are two small wheels attached to one end, which are very worthwhile. The bigger problem was attaching the other end to the boat but fortunately I managed to buy a purpose made yoke and socket in France.

 

[Abraxas33]

Street Cred

Mine does, but it's a long way from being posh. It's a ladder with plywood attached to the upper side with tiewraps. There are two small wheels attached to one end, which are very worthwhile. The bigger problem was attaching the other end to the boat but fortunately I managed to buy a purpose made yoke and socket in France.

Another vote for a ladder/plywood/cable ties and wheels. I once read that real cruisers buy a ladder in Gib and modify and improve the beast as they move eastwards. Mine is now a Mk 27 version and anyone looking at it would say "Now there's a guy with too much time on his hands".

Conversly to purchase a ready made passerelle is considered very bad form

 

[Tranona]

Conversly to purchase a ready made passerelle is considered very bad form

I agree if you have time on your hands, but after 7 years with assorted planks SWMBO cried enough and the one I bought (in the UK as it happened and much cheaper than buying in Greece) was a bargain!

I can now waste my time on much more important things like drinking beer while re-covering the steering wheel, learning how to make endless reefing lines (badly) and so on.

 

[Ubergeekian]

What's the difference, if any? And if there's no difference, why do people use the French term rather than the native English one?

Ensign colour.

Blue ensigns have passarelles (also cravats, lots of empty gin bottles and a wife who is shagging her tennis coach) whereas red ensigns have gangplanks (also towels, empty beer cans and a wife who is knitting some warm socks).

 

[Carmel2]

So you have bought your 150K yacht. It has E series this, Epirb that, Kevlon sails and a €10k+ annual mooring, and yet an unsafe plank of wood or a converted ladder seems to be a good option, why?

I'll get my coat................

 

[silver-fox]

What's the difference, if any? And if there's no difference, why do people use the French term rather than the native English one?

No personal interest - I have neither!

Beats Me!

I stopped sailing for 10 years and when I came back someone had renamed my gang plank, awning and stern locker!

So now I am the proud owner of a passerelle, bimini and lazerette.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Thanks for all who have replied! I must admit that after reading all the responses - including those who differ from me - I suspect that there really is no difference; a gang-plank can be as high tech as you like, and most are actually designed for the job, with treads and fixing apparatus as required. Note that the somewhat more substantial and high-tech article used by big ships is called a gang-way!

So, it appears that the use of the term "passerelle" is probably an effect of increasing numbers of UK sailors sailing in the Mediterranean, where gang-planks are more widely used than in the UK, and where it is natural that people pick up the local term.

 

[Jamesuk]

What's the difference, if any? And if there's no difference, why do people use the French term rather than the native English one?

No personal interest - I have neither!

Gang Plank - 2*8 wooden/without flair

Gang Way/ Passerelle - made to measure with flair and made using expensive Carbon/teak/Alloy

I think the Millionaire spending £2000-£20,000 on a Carbon "Gang Plank" would rather call it a Passerelle (French) or Gang Way (British). But each to there own of course.

Sunsail and Neilson do Gang Planks 2*8 on their older boats. On the newer ones they have Gangways/Passerelle that are made for the boat by the yacht builder

On Sir Donald Goslings Super yacht MY Leander they have hydraulic Teak Gang Ways that fold up into the ship to appear as part of the super structure.