Scaup - Boarding ladder

Dave Diefenderfer

Dave Diefenderfer

Well-known member
Sponsor
I continue to make this Scaup, that I did not build, "mine", by adding the custom updates. One of my concerns with any boat, is how will I get back in if I fall out, or need to push away from shore with wind and waves to have enough water to motor? My first direction was a dog ramp that would serve dual function. But first I needed to gain access to the sponsons, which I showed in the previous thread. After some head scratching and strong suggestion from Brian Garman, I scraped the ramp idea and turned to a ladder. I searched the many style options and decided to try one of the telescoping type as it afforded me greater depth and would potentially store on the deck, rather than stick up on the stern of the sponson. I settled on a 4 step, and worked in getting it fitted this past weekend.



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It is dry fitted for now, the sponsons are not fully cleaned out sealed and painted yet. I am also going to fabricate some blocks to mount to the rear of the sponsons to support the ladder when climbing. Right now, I can stand on the ladder just fine, but I think having some support would reduce the torque on the current mount some. There are so many angles to consider when making things fit on a boat! I recently started messing with plastic lumber. I had a piece kicking around for years and it is perfect when grain splitting might be an issue using wood. Plus it will not rot either! I am now searching for a local source, as I would like to use it more. It is not traditional, and I would not use it (much) in a restoration, but for practical new use, it is wonderful material.



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Dave Diefenderfer said:
I continue to make this Scaup, that I did not build, "mine", by adding the custom updates.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I recently started messing with plastic lumber. I had a piece kicking around for years and it is perfect when grain splitting might be an issue using wood. Plus it will not rot either! I am now searching for a local source, as I would like to use it more. It is not traditional, and I would not use it (much) in a restoration, but for practical new use, it is wonderful material.
Click to expand...

Dave,
Nice work, it seems to take a few seasons to get everything customized to one's liking.

As for the "plastic wood", it is the wood of the future and the future is now. As you say, no worries about moisture or grain orientation. It is a prefect choice for an application such as the block you have shown.

One of the drawbacks with "plastic wood" that I see would be adhesive properties. I don't think many glues will adhere to the HDPE used in it. (All of our plastic lumber is made from at least 70% high density polyethylene with minerals added for increased strength and durability, and decreased expansion and contraction.)
Now it may be such that the other 30% of the product material will allow it to bond with some glues and caulking.
 
Are you talking about the fake wood or the pvc boards they have now? I used the pvc wood stuff for my transom mount. West epoxy made it stick. Not sure if anything doesn?t stick to that though...
 
Dave, time will tell. I glued up these blocks, roughing both surfaces and used epoxy with Cabosil to bond them. I through bolted the ladder blocks, so no fears there. Likely I will through bolt the blocks I add to the sponson sterns. The block with insert I pictured last will be screwed to the coaming with through bolts as well.

The coaming and grass rails on the Scaup are all made with the white synthetic trim boards. It is softer than hardwood, but harder than most pine/cedar. It machined well, it can be glued to itself with PVC pipe cement. One of the negatives is the dust/shavings charge up, and sticks to everything! That and I can't simply blow the dust out of the garage, I need to sweep it up and bag it.
 
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Nick, I have been experimenting for years with the new composite materials. When Trex came out first, I tried it, as a substitute to pressure treated wood, it faired well, though I found it did swell at the screw holes. I used some scrap Azek deck materials in my BBSB refurb, that was all plastic, not like Trex which is saw dust with a plastic binder. What I showed in this post is solid plastic, dimensional lumber. Park benches and some outdoor furniture and play equipment. As Dave suggested, simply gluing that may be more difficult, But I would not hesitate to through bolt it.
 
Dave, how do you stabilize your upper body as you climb this ladder, can you brace your left arm on the motor cowling? I am not being facetious, it is very difficult to stabilize your torso as you climb a ladder attached to a floating boat without hand holds. I made a single step ladder out of some braided heavy nylon epoxied the knots I tied on the interior of the schedule 20PVC tube piece I had filled with lead weights and sand to sink, and capped the ends. I rigged it to hang just below the transom's base so that when I stepped onto it with my wader clad boot the top arch of my foot could wedge hard against the hull, essentially stabilizing my lower body enough to brace my left arm against the motor cowling with my hand tucked into the front recess and grab my starboard blind stanchion with my right hand, enabling me to enter to board. If I have to board by kneeling on my artifical right knee I use the handle cut-out on a closed cell camouflage deer hunting seat stretched to fit over and around the cleat the ladder is hanging from. This enables me to put full weight on my fake kneecap with minimal pain as I crawl on-board. I attached some adhesive traction strips in the black fields of the camouflage pattern, motor splashwell and gunnel for additional traction spots. Steve is shorter than I am and needs one more stable stepping spot before he can drop inside the cockpit. For any other TDB owners, Olsen Marine now employs a tubing that has higher ID wall thickness and is consequently far stronger, with less sag in the long runs on the blind. I am 6'3", 234lbs. yet the stanchions supply support for me to swing my legs in while my upper body is supported on the stanchions and drop onto the work deck.
 
Rick, I have the same thoughts, and have a couple ideas that I am still noodling. I intend to have a handle on the rear deck, and another on the OB, my first thought is the webbing and rubber handles that you see on kayaks commonly. I used them on a pondbox I modified a few years ago, and have one on the dodger of my BBSB to hold on when I run that standing. I like that I can make them deep enough to handle with heavy gloves on, and that they are soft and I could kneel on it or place something on it, though the ladder will now be in that spot anyway. I had not thought about the anti-skid on the deck yet, but that is a great point, and I will address it.
 
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