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Securing Companionway ladder

Nova

1983 30+, Kemah, TX
The companionway ladder in my E 30+ is not very secure, it has a habit of leaving its place at the most inopportune time (like when I am stepping up into the cockpit!) and if your not quick causing serious bruises. Hopefully none of you have experienced this, but if you have how have you secured the ladder? Mine is held by a simple sideways "L" bracket on top and the bottom of the ladder just rests in a raised decorative pocket for the ladder uprights.:mad:
 

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newpbs

Member III
Tighten and Realign

The picture is very helpful. I have the exact same set up in my boat. I have never had the ladder come lose on me. It looks like the bracket needs to be realigned and tightened. Also, are the pocket brackets, on the cabin sole clear of debris? If the ladder is not seated in the pocket bases there might be an issue there too.

Hope this helps. You need to have this secured before someone gets hurt.

Good Luck

Paul
 

u079721

Contributing Partner
Same setup on our 38, with no problem. I would also suggest raising the top bracket mounting position. If that doesn't do it, I would next fashion some new ovals for the cabin sole that are deeper - as it rather looks as if the edge of yours have worn away to wear they don't really have much of a lip anymore.
 
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bob smith

Junior Member
I had the same problem with my ericson 27. The screws that secured the bracket to the companion way kept coming loose. The screw holes in the wood had worn so bad that the screws would not stay tight. I had the stairs come loose and fell all the way into the floor. I installed pintal hinge like my spare rudder mounting had. solved that issue for good.
 

mherrcat

Contributing Partner
Same setup on my 30+ and never had the steps come out. The brackets at the top are the same, and I don't think mine slide all the way in either; maybe just a little more than what your picture shows. I would check that the slots at the bottom are not caked up with dirt or something as Paul mentioned.
 

Second Star

Member III
My E 28+ uses pintles and gudgeons at the top of the ladder. It works very well; in fact it is a bit of work to release it.
 

Nova

1983 30+, Kemah, TX
Thanks for the tips. The ladder uprights are sort of rounded on the bottom and the pocket edges are also worn. I can fix these but it just seems that the ladder should be "fixed" in place more securely. I would hate for the ladder to fall or come loose in heavy weather or from under my First Mate.
 

Emerald

Moderator
How about a pair of barrel bolts on the top outboard sides of the ladder? Instead of mounting the metal receiving end, you would just drill a hole into the side of the ladder for them to engage in. A bolt on either side sliding in from opposite directions should lock the top of the ladder nicely and still be easy to remove. Here's a link for what I'm thinking of from West Marine:

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=10112&subdeptNum=11319&classNum=11383
 

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Resetting the ladder hardware.

All, This is a little off topic but relevant in part. A friend, owner of a 1977 E27 had the same problem and when we talked it over, I offered to make the ladder able to swing out of the way for ease of access aft of it. I removed the wedges identical to those seen earlier in this thread and reinstalled them on a length of mahogany, say..... 1 X 3 or 4 X the width of the companionway tread. I mounted the wedges to the varnished board and to that, added a piano hinge on the upper back edge. I attached that to the original location, the companionway tread, and relocated the wood ladder leg "keepers" on the cabin sole accordingly. One of the steps coincidentally aligned perfectly with the forward edge of the sliding hatch inner fixed frame (abutting the headliner). That allowed us to add a hook to the step and an eye to the hatch frame (the aft side so as to prevent one's head from getting whacked) and that was it. He now has a secure ladder, the result of resetting the wedges with the added ability of being able to swing the ladder up, hooking it out of the way while accessing the engine room space. Does this make sense to anyone else but me??? Sorry if it doesn't, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
 

Emerald

Moderator
Does this make sense to anyone else but me??? Sorry if it doesn't, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA

I think I got it - let me translate it back to you and see if I really understood this :p

Take a board and mount it horizontally across the back edge of the existing companion way ladder thereby connecting the two vertical sides. Attach one side of the piano hinge to this board, the other side to the surface directly under the compaion way entrance, and then screw a hook and eye on the bottom leg off one side and the corresponding point on the cabin top like on the old screen door on the back porch so you can lift the thing up from the bottom, swing it up thereby blocking ingress/egress of the compaion way, but securly latched in place so you can now access the engine compartment.

Did I get it right Glyn?

:cool:
 

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Lifting ladder.

David, You hit the nail right on the head. The only difference being that I attached the hook to the underside, front, middle of one of the steps. That way the load is balanced and centered when temporarily hooked in the up position. Glyn
 

Randy Rutledge

Sustaining Member
The ladder brackets are only half way down in the brackets on the boat.The brackets should be almost flush.
I have the same setup on my e29 and no bracket on the floor and have never had the ladder come out of the bracket. Even the time I think we cleared the keel out of the water going off the steep side of a five foot wave. Find out what is keeping the bracket from seating all the way and you will solve the problem.
 

Sven

Seglare
The ladder brackets are only half way down in the brackets on the boat.The brackets should be almost flush.
I have the same setup on my e29 and no bracket on the floor and have never had the ladder come out of the bracket.

I'm with Randy on this one. Both our E23 and our E39B are like Randy's.



-Sven
 

Blue Chip

Member III
I'm with Sven & Randy. I think you are working too hard on this. Our 32-200 has exactly the set-up you talk about ..."doughnuts" on the floor, and brackets by the companionway...BUT yours are misaligned...just move the brackets down so they capture the "hooks" on the ladder and you are in business.
Frankly, I'd just make it right and see what happens. IF, and I say IF you still are not happy then get creative, but in 20 yaers the ladder has never popped out on Blue Chip.

Remember the old....K I S S theory.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
One small caveat regarding moving the brackets "a little bit"...
You need to have the screws take a strong bite in the teak when you redrill, so it would be prudent to fill the old screw holes with thickened epoxy if the new holes are nearer than, say, a half inch. The bracket should (somewhat) cover the old holes anyhow.
:nerd:
LB
 

bayhoss

Member III
New Holes

One thought on new mounting holes that are very near the old ones. Take a small dowel or remove the head from a wooden match, cut a small groove in it lengthwise (more on that later). Cover the dowel with wood glue and hammer it in. After the glue dries you can drill as close to the old hole as you please and have plenty of strength.

If you do this you MUST cut the lengthwise groove in the dowel. Glue is liquid and will not compress. Driving the dowel into the old hole is like a piston in a cylinder. Failing to allow a path for the compressed liquid to escape will cause the recieving wood to crack. But if you do it correctly, and tap gently, the area will be as strong as ever.

Best,
Frank
 

Mark F

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Hi Nova,

If the upper brackets are secure I would be tempted the move the "doughnuts" on the cabin sole forward. Or remove them altogether.
 

Nova

1983 30+, Kemah, TX
Its done!

All good suggestions and carefully considered. As I am still limping, I chose to go with a pintle hinge. After installation I found the companionway ladder to be very secure. It takes a little more effort to align and reset once removed to get at the engine box but I don't think it will come from under me again and that is worth the extra effort to get it back in place.

Nova's refit is underway again after the post "Hurricane Ike" party circuit has been exhausted. Cabin is completely stripped of vinyl and decayed teak vineers, hot water heater has been pulled out, diesel is running, and renovation of the 12V electircal system is currently underway. Adding some cabin lights, an automatic bilge pump and new stereo system.
 

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mherrcat

Contributing Partner
Your original latches look to be in better condition than mine. If you still have them and want to get rid of them I would be happy to take them off your hands...

:)
 

Blue Chip

Member III
ladder brackets.

Have you solved the problem yet? Happened to be at the boat with a new lens to play with and remembered this discussion. Attached is the result. It's probably too late...but...
Also threw in a pic of our solution to storing the hatch boards. two go on each side in brackets...slick!
 

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