400: Adding a side entrance to 400S2

[Whomda]

Having people (and the occasional animal) get on the boat on the stern is a pain in the ass. We have winds, and the stern swings out a little, and yes there's step carved into the hull but it's still tough, especially for seniors.

I'm considering changing the lifelines to have an opening at the side of the boat, like the 450, and putting steps on the dock.

Does anyone have any advice on this?

Is there hardware to do it without changing the stanchions, that is, to just cut the lifelines in half and add hardware?

Thanks

[Sailmonkey]

Suncor stainless offers just the hardware you need to add a gate to your lifelines.


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[roverhi]

You should have an angle brace on the lifeline stanchion to take the side load. Without it, the lifeline will go slack when the gate is open. You should be able to make one up using a short piece of tubing and bimini hardware. It would also be be best to add a stanchion to frame the gate. Garhauer makes braced stanchions.

My boat has a gate aft of amidship without a braced gate aft side of the opening. It's dangerous because the aft lifelines go slack when the gate is open. Have nearly gone overboard a couple of times when i forget and brace myself against the slack line. Now just don't use the gate. Not a big thing with steps to deck height.

[Red Sky]

Hey Peter. Missed you at the Friday lunch with the boys when I was on the island in Sept.

[warren460]

You can probably get the lagoon 450 hardware from your dealer. That would make sense if it matches in height and style.

[guyrj33]

You can put a stop on the lifeline cable to stop it from sliding thru the stanchion.