Worst nightmare

10k for a passarelle? Strewth! I've got a manual one I don't use which slots into a socket on the swim platform. Currently got it stuffed up the starboard side of the lazarette. I suppose I'll keep it in case I sell one day but I think this boat is a keeper!
 
Kingfisher 5 said:
10k for a passarelle? Strewth! I've got a manual one I don't use which slots into a socket on the swim platform. Currently got it stuffed up the starboard side of the lazarette. I suppose I'll keep it in case I sell one day but I think this boat is a keeper!
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I was thinking of doing a thread on it
 
Bouba, must be karma for your anti EU views that you've ended up with that berth :)!

Anyhow, regarding cross lines, I am ready to be flamed about this again, but where I am nobody in our row row of dozens of boats has cross lines. The boats simply sway left and right, in unison, with the wind (in a raft). My GRP guy tells me that he's repaired lots of cleats where cross lines have been used. If you think about it, if you're the only one in the row that does have stern lines you will be putting huge pressure on your cleats as you're not just trying to prevent the lateral movement of your own boat, but all the others as well.
 
Bouba said:
I have a river berth. That’s why I have to move to a port every winter, there is a risk of flooding in the river:disgust:
The SoF isn’t one of those places where you just park wherever you feel like, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to charge hundreds of thousands for very short leases:(
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Well the suggestion of a large plank(s) to make fender boards is about the best solution to put your mind at rest. Although I do find the whole concept of having a secure berth that allows you to bang into neighbours, metal or not, rather an odd concept.
 
petem said:
Bouba, must be karma for your anti EU views that you've ended up with that berth :)!

Anyhow, regarding cross lines, I am ready to be flamed about this again, but where I am nobody in our row row of dozens of boats has cross lines. The boats simply sway left and right, in unison, with the wind (in a raft). My GRP guy tells me that he's repaired lots of cleats where cross lines have been used. If you think about it, if you're the only one in the row that does have stern lines you will be putting huge pressure on your cleats as you're not just trying to prevent the lateral movement of your own boat, but all the others as well.
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Absolutely true. But in our row, some are crossed others are not. Also being the last boat and more exposed mine slews more.
But look what just arrived in the post less than two minutes ago!



It’s the mother of all cleats!! It will be for crossed lines as I will install it in the middle of my swim platform.
I was thinking of doing a thread on it
 
Bouba said:
It’s the mother of all cleats!! It will be for crossed lines as I will install it in the middle of my swim platform.
I was thinking of doing a thread on it
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Feel free to open a new thread of course, but you might be interested to have a look at this one first, and possibly expand on that.

Anyhow, the main problem with cleats on GRP boats isn't the strength of the cleat itself, but rather of the surface where you are going to install it.
You'd better check in advance how solid the GRP is, wherever you are thinking to install it.
I've seen swim platforms whose surface I wouldn't have trusted for a tender eyebolt, let alone a cleat...

Besides, it's always a good idea to fit a thick marine plywood plate underneath, in between the GRP and the steel plate.
This allows a better load distribution, and reduces the risk of cracking the external gelcoat, or even the GRP itself.
You can see a couple of examples in the thread I previously linked.

Last but not least, beware of sandwich construction, if that is what you've got in your boat.
The sandwich resistance to compression (i.e. when tightening the nuts) is pretty poor, and fitting a cleat without damaging at least the gelcoat is practically impossible, unless you prepare/strengthen the area in some way, like cutting the internal side of the sandwich and rebuild it with solid mat and epoxy resin, which ain't a trivial job.

PS: as you can see in the above thread, retractable cleats are a popular choice for swim platform installation.
Are you sure to want that thing in the way of your bare feet at all times, also when anchored somewhere...?
 
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MapisM said:
Feel free to open a new thread of course, but you might be interested to have a look at this one first, and possibly expand on that.

Anyhow, the main problem with cleats on GRP boats isn't the strength of the cleat itself, but rather of the surface where you are going to install it.
You'd better check in advance how solid the GRP is, wherever you are thinking to install it.
I've seen swim platforms whose surface I wouldn't have trusted for a tender eyebolt, let alone a cleat...

Besides, it's always a good idea to fit a thick marine plywood plate underneath, in between the GRP and the steel plate.
This allows a better load distribution, and reduces the risk of cracking the external gelcoat, or even the GRP itself.
You can see a couple of examples in the thread I previously linked.

Last but not least, beware of sandwich construction, if that is what you've got in your boat.
The sandwich resistance to compression (i.e. when tightening the nuts) is pretty poor, and fitting a cleat without damaging at least the gelcoat is practically impossible, unless you prepare/strengthen the area in some way, like cutting the internal side of the sandwich and rebuild it with solid mat and epoxy resin, which ain't a trivial job.

PS: as you can see in the above thread, retractable cleats are a popular choice for swim platform installation.
Are you sure to want that thing in the way of your bare feet at all times, also when anchored somewhere...?
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I’ve started to reread the cleat thread. But, very briefly, I’m using one cleat in the center. The cleat will not be on the swim platform but on the stern of the swim platform (so the cleat will be lying on its side parallel with the sea). This is why I opted for the cleat in my photo, the stresses will not be in the usual place on a cleat, so if I use a pop up the stress will be on the spring mechanism. And a regular cleat the horns will pose a lethal weapon to any swimmers jumping off the platform. This cleat has the horns turned down. Also, when the boat is out of the water it’s easy to access the platform.
The problems are, the swim platform is only bolted on the hull, so will I be over stressing the transom? I use oversized springs on my cross lines to mitigate the stress transfer. The other problem is that the end of the swim platform is only a few inches high, so not a lot of meat to take stress.
I hope that is all clear;)
 
EU_Cruiser said:
This probably sounds stupid but why not tie the boats together so that they swing together? Even if you use a bar as support - like a towing bar.
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No, it’s not stupid. But it’s also not my boat, and if the neighbor sees this thread, he may not be very accommodating :(
 
Bouba said:
I hope that is all clear
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It is. I understand the cleat type choice and the placement on the vertical border of the platform, though in principle I would prefer to have 2 cleats on the sides rather than one in the center, if feasible.

Ref the two potential problems...

1) platform bolted to the transom: I assume the platform is completely overhanging, innit?
If so, the builder should have taken into account the pretty substantial load that the whole platform must be able to withstand, both downward and upward, when cruising in rough seas.
If a spring line load would be enough to rip off the bolts on the stern, I wouldn't trust the whole platform also for normal usage, to start with!

2) "meat" on the attachment point: if the internal/lower side of the platform is open (hence reachable), as I would guess from your pic, it shouldn't be difficult to strenghten the area with some additional GRP lamination. You can only do it with the boat on the hard obviously, but aside from that it's no big deal.
By and large, I wouldn't trust the existing lamination unless it is a) solid (no sandwich), and b) 6mm thick at the very least.
The principle of thickening the whole area underneath with marine plywood still stands, anyhow - even if the GRP would be 6+mm thick.
 
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Bouba said:
I hope that is all clear;)
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very clear indeed.
you should sent it back or ebay this thing, definitely not fit for purpose, and definitely not a good idea to get all these forces like that in a thin piece of grp which is eventually bolted onto the hull.
Imho, that's a NO NO


V.
 
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Bouba said:
What does one do if Vas and MapisM disagree with each other:confused:
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Toss a coin? :D :p

Jokes aside, if you have a chance to take some pics of the bolts securing the platform to the stern and of the platform size/shape/thickness, that would help for a better evaluation, as I'm sure Vas would agree.
 
MapisM said:
Toss a coin? :D :p

Jokes aside, if you have a chance to take some pics of both the bolts securing the platform to the stern, and the platform size/shape/thickness, that would help for a better evaluation, as I'm sure Vas would agree.
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When the boat comes out the water in May.
Now all I have left is seven months to have nightmares about what Vas says:ambivalence:
 
MapisM said:
Toss a coin? :D :p

Jokes aside, if you have a chance to take some pics of the bolts securing the platform to the stern and of the platform size/shape/thickness, that would help for a better evaluation, as I'm sure Vas would agree.
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sure, afterall I've not seen this boat, just on pics...

Bouba said:
When the boat comes out the water in May.
Now all I have left is seven months to have nightmares about what Vas says:ambivalence:
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Bouba, it's simple, just resent brexit and I'll agree that the cleat is fine and you can tow QE2 on it, happy?
 
vas said:
Bouba, it's simple, just resent brexit and I'll agree that the cleat is fine and you can tow QE2 on it, happy?
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V, that's a very indecent proposal, if I've ever seen one.
Not speaking specifically of Bouba now, but if there's one thing we can learn from Brexit is that once a Brit has taken a position about it, he's not going to change it regardless of any evidence that didn't exist at the time of his first decision.
I witnessed very few exceptions, but that's what they are: exceptions, that only prove the rule... :rolleyes:
 
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