Dumb Idea or Brilliant? (pic)

[GaryMayo]

Found this pic on the internet and I don't know if it is dumb or brilliant?

I know of this boat brand and I believe the hardware and wood/fiberglass has sufficient strength to hold teens and lighter adults.

Never seen this done before.

[GaryMayo]

Larger image

[xymotic]

I dunno either :-) It's..... um.... "Interesting"

[Target9000]

Could you imagine falling backwards with your foot in one of those rungs and having it get caught?

[noelex 77]

It's used a lot on the smaller professional wooden fishing boats. They usually have a small step, or steps, at the bow as well.

I have seen it on a few cruising boats, with transom hung rudders.

I think it's a very good idea, but that rudder looks a bit weak to me to support an adult and as has been pointed out the steps should be open.

[charliehows]

good idea if theres at least one more rung below the waterline. Good excuse to make sure the bloody rudder is damn strong too, i guess if it falls off when you're climbing out of the water it'd be a good incentive to beef it up a bit. Wonder if it'd self steer if you tied your dinghy to it running downwind?

[builder dan]

i think you would appreciate them if you fell over the side a great idea for any boat

[Pete7]

I think the average western adult floats verticially with their nose about water level, perhaps a bit higher with a lifejacket. If so they would have quite a job getting out as already mentioned, so more rungs are needed below the water level. What would this then do to the steering if there was more drag on one side than the other? A fold down metal ladder might be better.

Pete

[David_Old_Jersey]

Not unusual around these parts (albeit never seen it done using mast steps) - West Marine even have them! (folding).



As said, whether the rudder can take the weight is a consideration!

[GordMay]

Why not steps or ladder on transom?
Much stronger, and more stable.

[atoll]

i have seen this idea applied on traditional wooden junks,with foot holes cut into the trailing edge of the rudder,and wedges on the stock.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Why not steps or ladder on transom?
Much stronger, and more stable.

Steps on the transom do not extend below the waterline.
Steps on the rudder will do the same as a ladder, less stable, but more KISS.

The steps under the water need to have low drag. A solid sideways D is usually used. With a fit crew they can be quite small.

[savoir]

I vote : DUMB

[denverd0n]

Above the waterline my concern would be whether those things hit the transom when the rudder is hard over. Could cause some damage if they do, and I wouldn't want steps that I had added to become ersatz rudder stops.

Below the waterline my concern would be how the disrupt the water flow, as they must to some extent. Who knows? They might actually make the flow better in some ways, but I would want to be very careful, and do a lot of experimentation in different conditions, before leaving them on their permanently.

And, of course, like others have mentioned, the strength of the pintles and gudgeons would have to be carefully verified.

Beside those concerns, though, I don't think it's a bad idea. Probably gets that first step down deeper than most transom ladders that I've seen.

[Jim Cate]

When I built the auxiliary wind vane rudder for our previous boat I installed steps on it since the vane forced removal of the transom mounted boarding ladder. They worked fine for years, had no discernible effect upon the rudders function and were a good idea IMO.

If the gudgeons and pintles on the subject boat are not strong enough to support a normal size person they will be suspect in any sort of breezy steering situation and should be reinforced anyhow.

Cheers,

Jim