Protection for ladder rungs.

[saltydave]

This won't affect me till next season but this year I had numerous complaints from family members about how hard it was on the feet to get out of the water using the stern ladder (which consists of round S/S rungs.
Now I also appreciate the problem because it hurts my feet too.. So what can I do? Possible solutions are to make flat steps that fix to the rungs to spread out the load. I have looked through catalogues and not found ready made steps that I can add.
One bright idea was to use pipe insulation ( the type that goes round copper heating pipes) It is really cheap and can be dumped often if it does not work well.
Anway, anyone got any ideas that are cheap and effective??
Maybe using some appropriate scrap wood and some pipe clips??

 

[jerryat]

Hi Dave,

Interesting. I'm after something similar and believe that Plastimo used to sell flat plastic 'step' designed to be retro-fitted in cases like this. Haven't seen 'em in their catalogue recently (but then mine's well out of date) but perhaps someone knows whether they still do them or if there's an alternative.

Jerry

 

[tcm]

Re: teak step how-to

I wd forget after-market things. I wd specify teak about 2inches deep and half inch thick.

The best way i can think of is to make the wooden steps by starting pieces of wood slightly longer than the width of each of the current steps and making each step fit tightly each end with a small semicular cutout, so each step then tightly fits into the whole length of each rung and "wraps around" the vertical each end a little with that cutout: this way the steps can't spin which they will otherwise tend to do. This much better than "obvious" simple slats bolted on which will have too mcuh reliance on the screws/clips and will come loose eventually

I though about cutting a longitudinal v-groove under each step but this isn't neded and will tend to weaken the teak. Simple plastic pipe clips underneath with a4 screws of course will hold the wood securely, or praps better looking will be couple of small thru-holes drilled up through each step, holes to be finshed with a grinding (not carbon steel - causes rust) drillbit, then use countersunk a4 bolts/set screws fromthe top located underneath with nylock nuts to prevnt them coming off.

If funds allow, you are going to be best getting these made to your drawings first by a joinery shop and then "fitting" (i mean, sanding and filing a bit) yourself. three or four small grooves on the surface of the step will give foot grip. Fully diy will need decent tools, to make the cutout with big drillbit and then cut the wood down. It could easily looks pretty good diy as the radiuses needed are quite generous - sand/file a decent radius on each step so no sharp edges for bare feet. Key thing for a decent looking job is to have all the pieces exactly the same length- else you'll notice as you look down the ladder.

edit: i just realised that the bottom step may easily be different with bent-around ladder. Perhaps not having teak on this bottom run is an option. Or of course, a thicker piece of teak shaped underneath to fit as above.

 

[LORDNELSON]

Re: teak step how-to

Yes, I agree about making them yourself. After a crew member slipped off the wet round steel rung of my counter ladder I made some teak steps with two grooves stop-routed out on the top surface for additional grip (do not forget drainage holes). Had the local s/s welder weld two flats pieces of s/s on the top of each rung with two screw holes in each one and then screwed each piece of teak on. I think this was safer than using clips and since my ladder contains two hinges it was not possible to have the teak longer than the s/s rungs (else the ladder would not fold neatly). Welding was the expensive bit - about £50 including the steel pieces and setting up properly in the workshop to ensure the steps were level in the user position.

 

[saltydave]

Thanks guys,
As usual, very helpful and practical solutions.... That is what makes this forum so great.

 

[steve_cronin]

On our last boat I slit some lengths of transparent plastic tubing, just the length of the rungs, lengthways to fit over the 1" SS tubing. Before fitting I used a single hole leather punch plier to make some lacing holes, at 1" centres but staggered half an inch apart on each side of the slit. These were laced on using 3mm cord and when pulled edge to edge, gripped very well. In my case I set the lacings facing down but with hindsight, they might have given better grip if they had faced up to make treads.

Some rusting underneath occured after a year or two but this was easily removed when the plastic tubing was replaced.

Steve Cronin