sailboat companionway steps

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Tall-step Syndrome

... and other insults to the aging sailor..

Boat shows present a wonderful opportunity to not only explore boats well beyond your price range, but also to observe how designers answer the many compromises that each boat design requires. Some designs succeed, and some don’t-and often the weak spot is a simple failure to understand the customer.

At last falls U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Md., PS contributor Drew Frye was sitting in the cockpit of a lovely 50-foot catamaran with eight other mature sailors-all serious lookers whose legs were also throbbing from a long day of walking the miles of exhibit tents and touring many boats. These were sailors who had worked long years to accumulate the scratch to write a check for the $500,000-$1,000,000 that such a boat would cost. All were over 50 years old, most considerably older.

As Fryes eyes wandered around the boat, he saw many potential problems for him and his wife, and nearly all of them were steps. As spacious as this boat was, all of the steps were 16 to 19 inches high-more than double the seven-inch rise in an average stair step. These high steps would be particularly troublesome for his wife, who has a knee replacement and an arthritic ankle. And for the crowd of mostly older visitors who came aboard the catamaran, these steps were clearly difficult to navigate-even at the dock. One can only imagine the sort of obstacle they would present at sea.

Curious, Frye asked for a show of hands among the sailors gathered. How many of you have had either a joint replacement, or have a spouse or parent with a joint replacement or serious joint surgery? Six of the eight hands shot up, and the others said they anticipated surgery in the future.

Frye turned to the catamaran sales people-athletic 30-somethings-and asked, If this is your real demographic-its a long road to save this much money-then why isn’t the boat designed with our knees in mind? Keep in mind, most of us are not buying a boat for today, but for where our bodies will be in five to 10 years.

The salesmen responded with open mouths and no useful answers. The rest of the day, Frye posed the same question to salesmen and designers throughout the boat show, and got variations on the same answer: The reality of boat design requires cramming as much into the available space as possible, and thus a certain athleticism may be required of the crew. Frye accepted that reasoning with regards to pure performance boats-his former boat, a Stiletto 27, had some big steps (even those he modified to suit his familys needs). However, while this kind of compromise is fine for flat-out racers, it makes little sense for a cruising boat. Some designers have listened, and they create step sizes that are reasonable. But they remain the minority.

So what can we do? Between his wifes knee replacement and his own joint problems (he shattered his knee in college), Frye has had to make modifications to several of his boats, most recently a PDQ 32 catamaran. After looking at his own succesful solutions and making an informal survey of the ergonomics aboard boats at the most recent boat shows, he compiled the following report.

Adapting Existing Boats

Before running out to buy a new boat-most older sailors are happy with the boat they have-we should look at little modifications that can make big differences aboard the boats we have. Here are some modifications Frye and others have used to improve onboard ergonomics.

Runt steps: Many helm stations aboard big cats and some monohulls seem to be designed for 7-foot-tall sailors. Men of average height, women, and young sailors generally find their feet swinging comically in the air when they sit at the helm of one of these boats. This gives no leverage for working the wheel unless they sit on the very edge of the bench.

On catamarans, a runt box is a simple solution. The low-profile stool sits at the helm; it has rounded corners that cannot flip, slide, or snag ropes; and it has storage space for cockpit clutter in the hollow. It can be used permanently, or temporarily to check fit until a permanent step can be designed and installed. One of the boats Frye looked at, the very comfortable Antares 44 catamaran, comes with a runt box at the helm that can be customized to the height of the boat owner.

A well-made runt box can also be of assistance when you are getting in and out of the cockpit on a big catamaran. This is often a matter of stepping up onto the seats, and then up onto the deck, two 16- to 18-inch steps in a row. This can be double-trouble for damaged knees and for anyone carrying a heavy load. Fold-down steps can also work for this problem.

Another place where a portable step comes in handy is down below. Because of the way hulls curve, bunks are often set up high to take full advantage of the boats beam. In the case of his own boat, Frye found a custom-fitted sea chest to be a perfect solution, providing just the right step height, a convenient place to store shoes, and a nautical touch.

Hand loops and handholds: Sometimes steps cannot be made shorter, and an extra handrail would get in the way. For these places on board his boat, Frye has crafted some simple grab loops made from 1-inch webbing. He has found these to be better than grabrails because they are high and grip the wrist. They also provide considerable security when descending the stairs in an active seaway. They take no space, cost almost nothing to install, and can easily be stowed, although you could leave them rigged all the time. Frye used sail ties to create his loops during the boats first trip seven years ago. They have remained in use, unchanged, and since then, he has added a few more.

Stainless handholds are often too small in diameter for optimum grip. Wrapped tightly with line, they are more comfortable and secure. Fancy coach whipping is not required, but it does need to be applied very tightly. To make it really tight, don a pair of grippy sailing or gardening gloves, and give the wrapping a couple of hard twists.

Mast steps and companionway ladders: Frye is an enthusiastic climber; he spends summers on rock and winters on vertical ice. Yet, he finds the setups for mast steps and companionway ladders to be a challenge-and has since he was much younger. The norm for these installations seems to be around 15 inches between steps. Frye knew that rock-climbing etriers (tiny webbing ladders used when climbing big walls) are based on 10-inch steps. Why are sailors expected to climb steps so much higher than those designed for super-fit rock climbers?

According to the U.S. Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA), ladder rungs should be 12 inches apart. Clearly when installing mast steps, you want to minimize weight aloft and reduce windage, but you also need to be realistic with the spacing. Companionway steps are also a common challenge. The companionway ladders on many of the boats Frye looked at were no better than his own, which has steps placed 15 inches apart.

Swim ladders also should have reasonable spacing, with at least four steps below the water. The steps should be proper, flat, deep steps (at least 2 inches deep) rather than tubes and railing extensions. A fit sailor can board with a lesser ladder, but when tired or boarding in bumpy conditions, a proper swim ladder will always be appreciated.

Lifeline gates: Stepping over a lifeline to take lines ashore can be treacherous, and stepping over them to board is just silly. Although it is less expensive to keep the lifeline circuit intact, adding additional gates fore, aft, or midships can make a big difference when boarding. One issue to be aware of is that if the stanchions at gates are not braced, you run the risk of creating too much slack in the lifeline when the gate is open. Boarding crew might reach out for the slack lifeline, only to feel it give under their weight. Frye, who added a gate near the bow for taking lines ashore, found that even though he could not brace the gate stanchion, he could lash the upper lifeline down to the stanchion with whipping twine to help keep the stays taught.

When checking out a new boat, your eye is drawn to a graceful sheer, efficient running rigging, and beautiful interiors, but often, not much thought is given to moving around easily. As you move around the boat, imagine yourself dead tired and sore, the decks wet and heaving. What features really matter?

Boarding: Have you noticed that many boats provide boarding platforms at the boat show, even though there will be none in the real world? Wouldnt you find that strange if you were buying a car or a house? Some boats offer easy boarding from a floating dock though opening transoms, but will you want to open the transom every time you board guests? Will you back in that close to the dock? Will stern lines cross right where the transom door will drop?

Then there is the matter of tides at fixed docks. Can you step, not climb, aboard as the boat moves through a 5-foot range? Yes, you can carry portable boarding steps (see Search for Safe Boarding Boost, this issue) on board, but they have to be stored and are not always the most stable climbing platforms-and perhaps none of the crew is spry enough to be in charge of placement and retrieval.

A boarding plank? These have to be well designed and can be difficult to stow (see The Art of the Passarelle, this issue).

Sugar-scoop transoms help if the sides are low, but often, high sides are sculpted for aesthetic reasons; unfortunately, this adds nothing to function and often ruins the easy side-access that sugar-scoop transoms can afford at any state of tide.

Weve also seen perfectly accessible transoms ruined by a fixed railing in the wrong place. Some boats mold steps into the topsides, but most are too shallow to be used by a man with his arms full.

Fryes solution? He bought a boat with sugar-scoop transoms that are easily accessed from the side, so one of the steps is always at the correct height at any state of tide. He devised a small tackle to pull the boat tight to the dock (it is only in place during active boarding). If the dock is slippery, he places either a high-grip mat or a towel, which sometimes grabs the dock better, on the edge of the dock.

Companionway steps: This is an area of common disagreement. People with knee problems often prefer shallower, angled companionway steps, more like a steep staircase, while others believe a steeper ladder is better in a seaway. Additionally, ladders can present a problem when loading supplies on a big boat. The ladders are not safe to descend facing outward, so, on a big boat where the cockpit is not within easy reach of someone standing on the cabin sole, supplies must be passed through the companionway to a partner. Stairs and ladders each have their pros and cons; the important thing is to consider which best meets your and your crews needs, especially while underway in rough conditions, or while loading supplies.

On deck: Can you move everywhere, above and below decks, without letting go of a handhold? Is the handhold a secure, round shape three-quarters to 1-inches in diameter? Will it be slippery when wet? Stainless is more secure when wrapped with leather or line. Be realistic about your hand strength. Is there a good place to run jacklines on deck, free of deck control lines? Are dedicated anchors provided, or can they be easily added? Shouldnt jacklines be incorporated in the basic boat design, like seat belts?

Dinghy boarding: Unless every stop will be at a marina, the mobility-

challenged sailor will find themselves isolated on the boat while the group runs off to play unless there is easy dinghy boarding. Most boats provide no safe facility for the less agile sailor to board a dinghy. Can you imagine a car or home manufacturer expecting you to use a portable ladder every time you entered or exited?

A portable, folding ladder will serve in a pinch, but ideally, a cruising boat should have a fixed swim ladder and solid boarding steps. For those with more significant mobility issues, a proper boarding platform is the best solution. There should be a way to tightly secure the dinghy to the platform and a solid handhold between the dinghy and the platform. Davits and the tackle hanging from them can serve well.

Swim ladders: Swim ladders should always have at least four steps with full treads. Three steps just don’t work for old knees, and tubing is tough on the feet. There should also be handgrips as they come up.

Are these major design challenges? We don’t think so. Some designers get it, and build very accessible boats. Others live in an alternate reality, expecting the buyers to bend to what they are presented, blinded by appearance and overlooking function. Perhaps, if we speak up, more builders will listen.

1. A fixed, high railing on this center-cockpit boat provides security and easy handholds at sea. Notice the cut-away step to get into the high cockpit. The railing can help ease this transition when leaving the cockpit to go forward or aft. 2. Rigid louvers built around saloon windows on this catamaran serve two purposes: They cut down on heat below, and they double as easy steps to get up to the mast, which unfortunately does not have enough flat area for a proper standing workstation. 3. A fixed, centerline dining table and overhead handholds make this boat’s main saloon safe to traverse, even in a seaway. 4. The more open “dance floor” on this cruiser gives crew few places to brace themselves or hold on when moving forward or aft.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

re: Tall-step Syndrome … and other insults to the aging sailor.

would have been interesting to learn the height of the author…. soooo many boats are in fact designed for the short to ultra short , if I hear one more NavArch or broker describe 6’3″ is Cathedral headroom I’ll throttle them. I am 6’5″. The author looks like a typical short man with issues.

Bet you’re fun at parties.

Ergonomics are a complicated issue, with problems for the particularly large or small only being a part. As the article implies, design for the intended users vs. for marketability at the boat show dock.

I can’t help pointing out some oddities in the pictures accompanying the articles. In the set of four under the heading, “50-foot Catamaran Details,” the first and third are clearly a monohull. And, as a former owner of own, I’m pretty sure the second picture is a 42-foot Manta Catamaran. The louvers described as doubling up as steps actually were not engineered to be used as steps. In fact, based on my recollection, I’m pretty sure that the fuzzy rectangle visible in the picture on the left top of the uppermost louver is a sign which reads, “DO NOT STEP HERE.”

Another ergonomic quirk of the Manta was that the companionway door sill was something like 6-8 inches above the cockpit floor but an unexpected 12-14 inch drop on the other side to the salon floor. Just enough to throw you off. Courtesy of the location of the fuel tank.

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Companionway Steps

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How do you mount companionway stairs?

• Thread starter coopec
• Start date 5 Dec 2021

john_morris_uk

Well-known member.

Ours are a similar design but they have a sort of hook attachment at the top and bolts into the cabin sole at the bottom. I’m over 90kg and well over 6’ and I’ve never worried about their security. The hook arrangement is two strips of stainless that locate and slide down behind two stainless strips bolted to the companionway threshold. You lift the whole steps vertically a few cm’s to remove them.  

Thanks for that John. " and bolts into the cabin sole at the bottom " That's got me. I used toggle clamps as in an emergency I can discard the ladder quickly and raise the floor to (say) get at the main bilge pump or sort out some electrical problem. With your set -up can you do that?  

The arrangement on my previous boat sounds similar to John's. The top of the steps hooks under a retainer (a wooden block shaped like a miniature croquet hoop in my case) so that they can't be pulled towards you. The steps can only be removed by swinging the base of the steps outwards and this is locked in place by a barrel bolt on each leg into the floor, or in my case the top of the engine cover. All very neat. Edit: the hook on the top isn't a hook as such, just a tight fitting block of wood. Provided the base is locked in place you can't pull the top of the stairs towards you due to the angle. Ie they would need to swing up before you can remove them which the block stops them from doing. In your case ditch the over centre latch and fit a goalpost shaped block of wood over the top of each upright. Remove the blocks on the floor and add a vertically mounted barrel bolt on inside edge of each leg ? A bit of felt or foam on the underside of the block / hoop where you can't really see it stops the stairs rattling  

Daydream believer

The trouble with the OPs steps - if there is a trouble - is that if any ropes were to drop through the hatch & catch the toggles they could open them without anyone noticing. The steps can then pivot back. I would prefer a piece of angle each side of the wood stair string & a pin passed through. You do not need anything more on the feet. One only needs to restrain sideways movement. However, that may be over thinking it & the system looks secure enough. From the picture it appears that the top step is small for a big foot & one can only get one's toes on it. If wet it may cause one to slip. If the step was mounted further away from the engine casing it would make the step effectively wider. I assume that there are decent hand holds above. The ones in the step are not high enough for anyone climbing the steps.  

AngusMcDoon

The companionway is often a wet place on a boat. Not a good location for any exposed electrics, but particularly an inverter producing mains voltage.  

AngusMcDoon said: The companionway is often a wet place on a boat. Not a good location for any exposed electrics, but particularly an inverter producing mains voltage. Click to expand...

Daydream believer said: The trouble with the OPs steps - if there is a trouble - is that if any ropes were to drop through the hatch & catch the toggles they could open them without anyone noticing. The steps can then pivot back. I would prefer a piece of angle each side of the wood stair string & a pin passed through. You do not need anything more on the feet. One only needs to restrain sideways movement. However, that may be over thinking it & the system looks secure enough. From the picture it appears that the top step is small for a big foot & one can only get one's toes on it. If wet it may cause one to slip. If the step was mounted further away from the engine casing it would make the step effectively wider. I assume that there are decent hand holds above. The ones in the step are not high enough for anyone climbing the steps. Click to expand...

Ammonite said: The arrangement on my previous boat sounds similar to John's. The top of the steps hooks under a retainer (a wooden block shaped like a miniature croquet hoop in my case) so that they can't be pulled towards you. The steps can only be removed by swinging the base of the steps outwards and this is locked in place by a barrel bolt on each leg into the floor, or in my case the top of the engine cover. All very neat. Edit: the hook on the top isn't a hook as such, just a tight fitting block of wood. Provided the base is locked in place you can't pull the top of the stairs towards you due to the angle. Ie they would need to swing up before you can remove them which the block stops them from doing. In your case ditch the over centre latch and fit a goalpost shaped block of wood over the top of each upright. Remove the blocks on the floor and add a vertically mounted barrel bolt on inside edge of each leg ? A bit of felt or foam on the underside of the block / hoop where you can't really see it stops the stairs rattling Click to expand...

I added self-adhesive non-slip strips to our steps. My wife objected on aesthetic grounds but soon came to realise how much more secure they are, on unvarnished wood.  

My steps don't secure to the cabin sole, they clip to the front of the engine enclosure. This means you can have the steps secure while the cabin sole is lifted for cleaning, drying the bilge, or as now, taken home for varnishing. I remember sailing on one boat, forget what, where the steps were hinged at the top, so could just be lifted to access the engine. A set of steps doesn't half get in the way when you're working down below, and it's a big heavy thing that will do damage if it falls on other woodwork. Especially if like mine, it has a 2kg fine extinguisher added to it.  

Lightwave395

Wing Mark said: My steps don't secure to the cabin sole, they clip to the front of the engine enclosure. This means you can have the steps secure while the cabin sole is lifted for cleaning, drying the bilge, or as now, taken home for varnishing. I remember sailing on one boat, forget what, where the steps were hinged at the top, so could just be lifted to access the engine. A set of steps doesn't half get in the way when you're working down below, and it's a big heavy thing that will do damage if it falls on other woodwork. Especially if like mine, it has a 2kg fine extinguisher added to it. Click to expand...

Island Packet use a female socket, round plates with a protruding short tubes, at the top. The steps have tubes that go inside these and are then secured by cross pins. At the floor the lowers go into 'U' shaped hardwood guides. These stop sideways movement. Simple and effective, but require composite, teak and S/S tube companionway steps to work.  

May be a bit late, but I much prefer steps which are curved upwards at the ends, as these are much easier to use at sea when the boat is heeled.  

dunedin said: May be a bit late, but I much prefer steps which are curved upwards at the ends, as these are much easier to use at sea when the boat is heeled. Click to expand...

johnalison said: I added self-adhesive non-slip strips to our steps. My wife objected on aesthetic grounds but soon came to realise how much more secure they are, on unvarnished wood. Click to expand...

Our steps have treadmaster covering each step.  

Lightwave395 said: Mine is similar to yours. I think... The steps hook into two substantial eyes at the top and I have 4 chubb door locks into the engine cover, 2 each side View attachment 126867 Click to expand...

Active member

I would put two holes in the floor under the step legs and insert a metal peg into the bottom of each leg. That takes care of the bottom end. You could do the same at the top but with horizontal pegs and holes in the bulkhead. The side latches will keep it in place.  

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A Step Above (or Below)

Posted by Drew Frye | Interior , Projects

Safety and comfort increase with a companionway fix

Sailboat designers have good knees. I know this because I’ve owned three sailboats with companionway step heights twice as high as the building-code-specified 7½ inches. My Stiletto 27 had a 21-inch-high step and my Corsair F-24 has a 19-inch step. Even my PDQ 32 cruising cat had 16-inch steps to climb to reach the cockpit, something my aging parents, my wife’s artificial knee, and I struggled with. In the case of each boat, there was room for designers to accommodate proper ergonomics, they just didn’t do it.

Beyond my three examples, I’ve found that aboard many smaller boats, crews are supposed to grab the edges of the companionway and muscle their way up and down, I suppose. Depending on sea and knee conditions, this ranges between uncomfortable and unsafe.

A tested, effective, and simple solution is to lay one or more planks, across the cabin at the correct height, in fitted cleats. These steps are light and easily removed for under-companionway access. The Stiletto 27 came from the factory with a single step built this way (and conveniently, it serves also as a bench seat). Unfortunately, the drop into the cabin was nearly 40 inches, making for two very long strides across the single step. To this boat I added two additional, like steps, creating a set of stairs that was easy to navigate and easily set aside for access to the aft-storage area.

This seemed like the best solution for my Corsair F-24 as well. Because the total drop was 19 inches, I needed to add only a single step.

Drew made the step cleats from oak pieces, shaped to fit the cross-section of a salvaged dinghy seat.

I started by considering what I had on-hand: a surplus foam-and-fiberglass inflatable dinghy seat (alternatively, I could have used a ¾- x 8-inch board, as I have on other boats). Cutting the molded ends off the seat allowed me to see the cross section of the seat, and the shape that cleats would need to accommodate.

With this knowledge, I cut cleats from 2- x 2-inch hard- wood blocks on a table saw. I cut the rabbet (a notch or groove) in two passes, being sure to leave more than half of the material below the deepest groove to ensure strength and room for bolts. When finished, I glued 1 ⁄ 4 -inch endplates to the backs using thickened epoxy and then trimmed them to shape with a disk sander.

G/flex epoxy is semi-flexible when cured, an important property in this application, as the bulkheads may give a bit.

I mounted each cleat differently because the port and starboard bulkheads I had to work with were very different. To port was a thin hull liner, to the back of which I epoxy-bonded a 3 ⁄ 1 6 -inch-thick fiberglass backing plate, about 1-inch larger in both dimensions than the cleat. Then I epoxy-bonded the cleat to the liner and fastened the whole sandwich together using 2 1 ⁄ 4 -inch bolts.

Drew thickened the epoxy with colloidal silica before applying to the backs of the cleats. He made sure the epoxy was thick enough to fill gaps and thin enough to penetrate. Another approach would have been to paint the surfaces with un-thickened epoxy, then thicken and apply the bedding coat.

The starboard side was more complicated because the carpeted bulkhead is one side of a balsa-cored centerboard case (and there is water on the other side of it). Here, I cut away a cleat-sized rectangle of the carpet and removed the crumbly old glue and prepped the fiberglass surface with a cup brush on a drill and a multitool with 80-grit sandpaper. To mount the cleat, I epoxy-bonded it and used wood screws (just long enough to bite into the first layer of fiberglass, but not penetrate the inner skin) to apply light clamping pressure. These screws will never carry the load, but in addition to providing clamping pressure while the epoxy sets, they provide visual symmetry with the port-side cleat.

Finished cleats installed and ready for the step.

In all cases, I used West System’s G/flex epoxy blended with colloidal silica. I ensured that it was thin enough to penetrate and wet, but not so thin that it ran. G/flex is not as strong as regular epoxies, but it bonds better to plastics and imperfectly prepared surfaces, and it better tolerates the small amount of flexing I expected from the thin hull liner (even with the backing plate).

The last step was to cut the surplus dinghy seat to the right size. I cut it about 1 ⁄ 8 -inch shorter than the actual span to prevent jamming and allow for hull movement. Then I dug out 3 ⁄ 16 -inch of foam from each end and filled with thickened epoxy to finish them.

Project complete: a factory-finish-looking step where one was sorely needed.

The result is a rugged factory-looking step that is easy on the knees and simple to remove. Total cost of the project? It was all scraps, but $20 should cover it if you have the paint and glue on hand.

About The Author

draws on his training as a chemical engineer and pastimes of climbing and sailing to solve boat problems. He cruises Chesapeake Bay and mid-Atlantic coast in his Corsair F-24 trimaran, Fast and Furry-ous, using its shoal draft to venture into less explored waters. He is most recently author of Rigging Modern Anchors.

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Building a New Sailboat Companionway Door

• By Roger Hughes
• Updated: September 25, 2019

For some time I had planned to repair and modify Britannia’s front door, or to use the more-correct nautical term, companionway. The hatch housing leaked, al- lowing rainwater to seep into the plywood sliding top and causing it to delaminate. My wife and I were also heartily fed up with the two heavy washboards used to close the opening. When in place, the two teak boards completely blocked all light through the entrance.

First the hatch-housing leaks needed sealing, then the hatch itself needed to be repaired. I also had an idea about how to be rid of the horrible washboards and improve the actual companionway access.

Sealing the cracks in the large teak housing was easy enough. I sanded off all the old varnish, filled the cracks, and then rolled on four coats of Cetol Marine Natural Teak from Interlux paints. The Natural Teak is a brownish color, and I think it enhances the deep color of teak. More important, by not sanding be- tween coats, it created an excellent nonslip surface in an area where I frequently stand when working at the mast.

The large sliding hatch had been built as a permanent structure. By that, I mean it could not be taken out with- out one side of the slider guides first being removed. It came as no surprise to find the guides weren’t just fastened with self-tapping screws like 90 percent of the rest of the boat, but rather they were bolted through the fiberglass deck with 1⁄4-inch bolts, whose nuts were encapsulated in the fiberglass underside.

Down below, I had to re- move part of my new saloon ceiling panels to be able to chisel the resin off around the nuts before I could hold them with vice grips to unscrew them.

To make matters more challenging, the hatch frame was built to where I couldn’t reach all the fasteners, so I had to cut the guide in half with my oscillating saw before I was able to lift the hatch completely out. Who was it who said, “Working on boats, one job leads to another”? Oh yes, it was me!

I lugged the deceptively heavy hatch to my garage workshop, where I dismantled it by drilling out all the wood- en plugs and withdrawing the long stainless self-tapping screws holding the four sides to the top.

The top was made of 1/2-inch marine plywood with another 1/4-inch teak-faced plywood sheet glued on top. The layer of teak had rotted and was beyond repair, but the 1/2-inch- thick base was still good, except for some delamination around the edges. I wanted to reuse it to save having to curve a new sheet into the same shape. Using screwdrivers as levers, I pried open the damaged edge laminations, one edge at a time, then squirted wood glue into the seams. I then clamped the panel in my woodworking bench vice and left it overnight.

The next question was what to replace the rotten wooden top with?

Having dismantled the hatch, I made short work of the flaking varnish on the sol- id teak sides and stringers with my belt sander.

I then took all the parts back to the boat because I wanted to see if it was possible to make the hatch slide farther into the housing, to give more companionway headroom. I also wanted to sand and varnish the companionway surround, which was now much easier to get to with the hatch removed.

By trial and error, I found I could cut 2 inches off the back of the hatch so it would slide that much farther into the housing, and provide more headroom when descending or ascending the ladder. The hatch was then carted back to my workshop for modification, reassembly and final finishing.

At Lowe’s I bought a sheet of fiberglass paneling made by Crane Composites (cranecomposites.com). It’s a little more than 1/8-inch thick but very strong and completely water- proof and mold-proof. One side is dimpled and the other smooth, so I used the smooth side uppermost to match the surrounding deck. This would waterproof the top and prob- ably be stronger than the original plywood. I glued the fiberglass sheet to the plywood using Loctite Power Grab adhesive, a type of waterproof glue suitable for fiberglass and wood. After the glue set, I trimmed the new top flush with the edges of the renovated underpanel.

Luckily, the underside of the original 1⁄2-inch plywood panel that I was able to reuse had a teak-veneered face, so I care- fully sanded this before reassembling the hatch.

I reattached the hatch trim pieces with waterproof wood-working glue and fastened them using the same stainless screws I’d taken out. The original assembly appeared not to have been glued, which I think allowed water to eventually seep into the end grain of the plywood. With its fiberglass top and glued sides, that won’t happen again.

Completing the job required quite a bit of finishing off by hand. I sanded the side trim flush with the new top, and then glued 28 teak plugs into the screw holes and sanded them flush. As an added touch, I ran a molded edge along both sides of the top using my hand router.

After masking the top panel, I applied a coat of Cetol NaturalTeak to the sides.Then I turned the hatch over and rolled Cetol on the teak underside. I then applied three coats of Cetol gloss all over, rubbing down between coats with 250-grit sandpaper. This produced a beautiful glossy finish that further enhanced the appearance in the saloon when the hatch was closed.

The finished hatch sat in my workshop for a week while the Cetol hardened, and I sanded and varnished the remainder of the teak surrounds framing the companionway.

When everything was thoroughly dry, I simply lifted the hatch back into the left-side guide and refitted the right guide—but this time I used 1⁄4-inch stainless self-tapping screws to fasten it to the deck, bedding it with 3M 5200 adhesive caulk. This will be more than adequate, since the guides carry no load, just acting as guides for the hatch. I filled the screw holes with 1⁄2-inch teak plugs, and the hatch was finished.

Next up: Make new weather doors.

Originally the companionway had two large sol- id-teak washboards, which stacked one on top of the other in slots. As I said, they were heavy and cumbersome, and my wife could hardly handle them. Then, when they were out, there was nowhere to store them in the cockpit.

The washboard concept is part of a traditional design, which hypothesizes that if a giant wave floods the cockpit, the boards would stop water from entering the saloon. That, of course, presupposes the boards would actually be in place. In practice, they are nearly always removed when we’re aboard because they completely prevent access to and from the cockpit. For a short-handed crew, I consider semipermanently closing off the companionway in this way to be actually dangerous, because it effectively prevents quick access, both in and out. Also, the prospect of a total cockpit flooding is remote, especially on a center-cock-pit boat like Britannia , with its high freeboard and coamings that are 7 feet above the waterline.

I used the 3⁄4-inch solid-teak boards to make two doors, which I hung with piano hinges on either side of the companionway. One side locks with a sliding bolt into the bottom sill, and the other with a heavy deadbolt into the solid beam of the sliding hatch. We can now easily close one door, or both, as we wish. To complete the job, I bought two oval glass panels of light- houses from amazon.com, and recessed them into each door, adding a touch of elegance when daylight filters through.

In addition to now having a waterproof companionway hatch, the refurbished entrance presents a very classy appearance. It’s our new “front door”.

Roger Hughes is a dedicated do-it-yourselfer and a frequent Hands-On Sailor contributor.

Supplies and Costs:

• Cetol Natural Teak: Johnstown Distributors, $30
• Fiberglass panel: Lowe’s, $39.20
• Adhesive: Lowe’s, $7.99
• Piano hinges for doors: Lowe’s, $15
• Oval glass inserts for doors: amazon.com , $85
• Total: $177.19
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A boat with few companionway steps

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Looking for a newer boat, approx. 38'-42' range, and am wondering if there is a difference in the number of steps on companionway ladders. I was on one boat (don't remeber which make) that had only a few steps, while my P323 has several. I understand that a high cabin trunk and low cockpit would give few steps, as well as a low threshold to step over from cockpit to ladder. Any ideas which makes fit this criteria?  

The biggest thing affecting the # of steps is going to be weather the boat has bridge deck in the cockpit or not. A boat w/o bridgedeck would allow you to walk thru the compainion way without haveing to step-up first, negating the need to go down as far.  

SD, the # of steps is only one criteria in choosing a new boat. It just would be a bit handier access in some ways. I actually am a converted power boater, and haven't really been around too many sailboats and so try to tap into the collective wisdom here for my simple questions. I was on a boat that seemed to have fewer steps than usual, but that was when I was new to sailboats and so I don't remember specifics. Haven't had a chance to go on to a deck saloon style monohull; do they have fewer steps?  

It depends, some will have the deck saloon a bit below the deck, say a step or two...and then you step down from there into the main cabin of the boat. It might be the same number of steps... but they may be broken into separate sections...which are smaller.  

dwightgry, As T34C indicated, the biggest factor affecting number of companionway steps is whether the cockpit has a "bridgedeck". My hunch is that the boat you are remembering did not have a "bridgedeck", so it seemed to you there were comparatively few steps. Recognizing that you are somewhat new to sailing, we would be happy to discuss bridgedecks and the various pros/cons of having one or not, but we do not want to belabor the point if you already understand this distinction clearly. Let us know if you'd like more details/info.  

Thanks mate. I understand it better now, and can envision the tradeoffs associated with both design types. I guess that the best route is to follow the most commonly done formats of boat design, because they have evolved over a long period of time. Being new to sailboats any unusual ideas capture my attention, but there are reasons for doing things different ways, and the higher cockpit floor etc. gives advantages in another area. I will have to continue to look at different designs and figure out which style and compromises best suit my own purposes and uses. Thanks for responding.  

The cockpit floor should be high enough to drain through the cockpit drains at all angles of heel. There is a PIYA ruling about that. The sole of the cabin can be various heights depending on the cabin layout and the location of the engine. I was on one boat where it felt like going down into a cave on a ladder. It was a large center cockpit design. Mine on the other hand is a pilothouse and there are only three steps down into the pilothouse. You have to step over the 10" bridgedeck to get on the first step. At the forward end of the pilothouse there are three more steps down into the bowels of the boat. The engine and tanks are midships, under the pilothouse sole. When standing in the galley (lowest level) one is at eye level with those sitting in the pilothouse.  

CALIBER 40s have 4 wide steps .. one of the easiest for the labs to climb up and down on.  

Plumper- coming from powerboats I sometimes feel that "cave" thing in my boat and was wondering about the options. A pilothouse sure is an option, just don't see too many down in the Caribbean. I usually (power)boat in BC. tho. Tak- like the Calibers, will look at the 40'  

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Minor project: new teak companionway step

• Thread starter jaysweet
• Start date Jun 11, 2023
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

Nice job!  

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

Sweet... I bet it can double as a seat as well. Cool  

Nice job! I stopped referring to projects as minor because they never turned out that way. Now I approach them like I'm hiking in bear country, loudly proclaiming my presence with much noise and gusto, prepared for the worst. I'm pleased when I escape relatively unscathed.  

Looks great! The SBO store reports that these steps are no longer available, and the replacements they have are close to $200 each. There may be a business opportunity here.  

Hollyberry said: Nice job! Click to expand

jssailem said: Sweet... I bet it can double as a seat as well. Cool Click to expand

mermike said: Nice job! I stopped referring to projects as minor because they never turned out that way. Now I approach them like I'm hiking in bear country, loudly proclaiming my presence with much noise and gusto, prepared for the worst. I'm pleased when I escape relatively unscathed. Click to expand

jdrutten said: Looks great! The SBO store reports that these steps are no longer available, and the replacements they have are close to $200 each. There may be a business opportunity here. Click to expand

jaysweet said: I do need a replacement telescoping swim ladder, though, as the old one is getting pretty beat. The last time I looked, I couldn't find one the right width, since the 2 attachment brackets are recessed in slots in the fiberglass deck. Maybe the ladders SBO carries come in the right width (which I can't recall off the top of my head). Click to expand

rgranger said: I had to have mine fixed once... and a local welder was able to do the job. Maybe you could find a welder who could do the same? View attachment 216807 View attachment 216809 Click to expand

rgranger said: Oh I see... so in an attempt to keep that local welder employed... What if you took an off-the-shelf ladder like this one on the left and unbolted the ladder from the bracket (red arrows), then cut the bracket (blue line) and added a spacer to get 16" (yellow) and ran a rod all the way across (black) to support the ladder. Click to expand

jaysweet said: Sorry, rgranger: thanks, but no sale. Too many boat projects. I did just order the one I found online, though. It looks like I can increase from a 3 to a 4-step for an extra $20, which will be handy both on land and when swimming. Basically, the whole thing is only 1/4" longer when folded up, so either I'll make it fit, or I'll return it for the 3-step, which is almost certainly the identical product that came with the boat. Click to expand

rgranger said: well yeah... if you can find one that fits... no brainer. I thought the issue was you could not find one that fit. Click to expand

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