Telescopic Ladders and Sea Water

[Talulah]

You know how frustrating it is when you lend someone a brand new item that you've never used but they return it in a 'used' state?
Well last night I had a very frustrating evening dimantling my telescopic ladder as some sections had seized together refusing to open.
The ladder had been used to get ashore whilst the boat was drying out on piles. The bottom few feet of the ladder being immersed in sea water. These aluminium telscopic ladders don't like sea water and if not cleaned properly and left in a shed will seize up.
The good news is that a Telesteps ladder can be completely dissassembled, the insides of the tubes cleaned (paint roller is good) and reassembled. Some telescopic ladders cannot be dissasembled. Cleaning the outside of the tubes does not solve the problem.
I have now fixed the ladder but adamant it will not be lent out again for such a purpose.

 

[Kelpie]

Thanks for the head up. I'll be buying a telescopic ladder to go along with my beaching legs, hadn't realised how vulnerable they are to saltwater but of course it does make sense.

 

[Concerto]

My telescopic ladder is still very new, it still has not left the box yet despite being in the back of my car for a month. It will be kept onboard for occasional use. Will bear in mind about salt water in the tubes.

 

[prv]

I've seen home-made wooden beaching legs with steps built into them. Would it be possible to add folding mast steps to the Yacht Legs type?

Pete

 

[tcm]

You know how frustrating it is when you lend someone a brand new item that you've never used but they return it in a 'used' state?
Well last night I had a very frustrating evening dimantling my telescopic ladder as some sections had seized together refusing to open.
The ladder had been used to get ashore whilst the boat was drying out on piles. The bottom few feet of the ladder being immersed in sea water. These aluminium telscopic ladders don't like sea water and if not cleaned properly and left in a shed will seize up.
The good news is that a Telesteps ladder can be completely dissassembled, the insides of the tubes cleaned (paint roller is good) and reassembled. Some telescopic ladders cannot be dissasembled. Cleaning the outside of the tubes does not solve the problem.
I have now fixed the ladder but adamant it will not be lent out again for such a purpose.

Hum, aluminium sliding inside aluminium shouldn't be near seawater. Some of them have rubber feet - another no-no for wet smooth surfaces....

 

[LadyInBed]

Same issue with telescopic boat hooks!

 

[Talulah]

Hum, aluminium sliding inside aluminium shouldn't be near seawater. Some of them have rubber feet - another no-no for wet smooth surfaces....

The issue is when the water is still lapping at the boat and you want to get on/off. The bottom of the ladder is then emersed. Would be fine if the ladder was only used whilst the tide was out. There is band of plastic sleeve about 20mm wide on each section of tube to seperate this tube from the outer one encassing it. What happens is the outer tube gets corrosion build up on the inside surface creating too much friction for the tube to slide over the plastic sleeve.

 

[Kelpie]

Hum, aluminium sliding inside aluminium shouldn't be near seawater.

Better not tell the Yachtlegs people then...

Re the suggestion about adding folding mast steps, that might work on the upper section, but you wouldn't be able to add them to the lower section as it still has to telescope inside the upper part.
Perhaps something could be arranged using the spare adjustment holes instead.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

Stick the bottom few feet in a black bin bag .... check for holes first!

 

[savageseadog]

You really don't want to take chances with telescopic ladders, the last think you should put on one is salt water. I had one telescope with me on it, I was very lucky not to be badly injured.