What is this clip thing?

[Mad Harold]

5 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I have never broken a brass one, seen them come off due to rubbish screws failing. and I have, in the past, weighed in at a disgusting 11 stones but don't tell anyone please.

11 stones!

I haven't been that light since I was at school.

[Tracy D'arth]

18 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

11 stones!

I haven't been that light since I was at school.

Ha, at school I was around 6 stones!

[Jerra]

1 hour ago, Mad Harold said:

11 stones!

I haven't been that light since I was at school.

Not wishing to boast (but I will) I am within 1 lb (0.45 Kg) of the weight I was when I left school at 18.

[Ray T]

As well as ones on the outside I have this one, as per picture.

 

It has never broken or pulled off its mount. It does have a alloy plate bolted on behind the wood panel to spread the load however.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2021 by Ray T

[David Mack]

 

7 hours ago, Higgs said:

There is another kind. Basically triangular with rounded m profile at the top, and having a small ledge. Brass. no moving parts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have also seen a similar type made of welded steel, using diamond chequer plate for the tread.

Edited August 6, 2021 by David Mack

[Wanderer Vagabond]

1 hour ago, Ray T said:

As well as ones on the outside I have this one, as per picture.

 

It has never broken or pulled off its mount. It does have a alloy plate bolted on behind the wood panel to spread the load however.

 

 

 

 

I have none outside but have a similar one to the one in the picture and in much the same location. Use it all the time when getting onto the roof and, lets face it, if it fails since you are inside the boat anyway, you aren't going to fall overboard.

[Rob-M]

12 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

I have also seen a similar type made of welded steel, using diamond chequer plate for the tread.

Like this one on Scorpio.

[Ray T]

39 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

I have also seen a similar type made of welded steel, using diamond chequer plate for the tread.

 

Interestingly enough we have a fixed step at the front of the boat.

[MtB]

2 hours ago, Rob-M said:

Like this one on Scorpio.

 

Point of Order M'Lud, that's not chequer plate. The name for that stuff is/was "Admiralty Plate", apparently.

 

Long discontinued and replaced by chequer plate, as the diamonds fill with water which freezes and makes for a really dodgy surface to walk on. Chequer plate is designed specifically to drain better than Admiralty Plate.

 

 

[blackrose]

15 hours ago, magnetman said:

Years ago (about 18) a random non boater bloke by a lock in Leicester explained to me that these fittings are where you put your boathook when you want to pull the boat in to the side. 

 

I did tell him they were steps but he wasn't having any of it. They are for pulling the boat in to the side with a boathook. 

 

 

 

Perhaps someone needs to explain to him that boathooks aren't designed for pulling boats around - that's what ropes are for.

 

9 hours ago, Ray T said:

 

Interestingly enough we have a fixed step at the front of the boat.

 

Looks like a nasty knee scraper

Edited August 7, 2021 by blackrose

[blackrose]

I don't like little step fittings of any kind, especially if they're just screwed in. I've got a non folding brass step which is fitted with washers and nuts behind but prefer not to use it 

 

I'm on my roof a lot as I'm single handed. I use the tops of lockers at the stern to get on and off of the roof and at the bow I've got a proper ladder.

 

Edited August 7, 2021 by blackrose

[davidg]

 

11 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

I have also seen a similar type made of welded steel, using diamond chequer plate for the tread.

 

10 hours ago, Rob-M said:

Like this one on Scorpio.

 

Second point of order m'lud: no welder need have their tiny & easily confused brain troubled during the manufacture & fitting of that particular step.😊

[blackrose]

12 hours ago, Jerra said:

Not wishing to boast (but I will) I am within 1 lb (0.45 Kg) of the weight I was when I left school at 18.

 

Ok, but since you're only 19 now it's not that surprising.

[Sea Dog]

8 hours ago, MtB said:

Long discontinued and replaced by chequer plate, as the diamonds fill with water which freezes and makes for a really dodgy surface to walk on.

I can vouch for that - not that it was much better before the water froze, especially when painted gloss green as was the RN practice.

[BEngo]

6 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I can vouch for that - not that it was much better before the water froze, especially when painted gloss green as was the RN practice.

Specially designed to enable young sailors to learn the Steaming Bat Tap Dance.  

Wafus sensibly got their bit of the roof covered in Camrex.

N

[Sea Dog]

3 minutes ago, BEngo said:

Specially designed to enable young sailors to learn the Steaming Bat Tap Dance.  

Wafus sensibly got their bit of the roof covered in Camrex.

N

Ah, how fondly I remember that forecastle quickstep - but Camrex didn't exactly do wonders for the physical effects of deck hockey!

[Jen-in-Wellies]

On 06/08/2021 at 09:13, Jimbobs said:

Morning everyone and please excuse the ignoramus level query!

 

I’ve seen these chrome clip things on a number of narrowboats and I’ve always wondered what they’re for. 
 

So, please enlighten me - what are they?

 

Many thanks. 
Jim

 

In the raised position, as shown in the photo, they are clips for CaRT enforcement officers to slot Section 8 notices on boats with no license, BSS certificate, or insurance. Many naughty boaters remove these brass things, so there is no place the notice can be attached.

 

[Slim]

On 06/08/2021 at 14:13, David Schweizer said:

We had two pairs of those foldable steps on the sides of our boat (front and back), and it never occured to me that they might break under my weight, but they didn't get used much as I rarely ever got onto the roof except when single handing locks. However, they did come in handy for suspending fenders when moored against a concrete edge. We never left the steps folded down when cruising, just in case they got caught on something, or in case I banged my leg on one, when walking along the gunwhale sidewalk.

 

 

I fitted them years ago and a total waste of a space and money. One of my less impressive investments. (I have a shed full 🤣)

[David Schweizer]

18 minutes ago, Slim said:

I fitted them years ago and a total waste of a space and money. One of my less impressive investments. (I have a shed full 🤣)

 

Well you are entitled to your opinion. As I indicated, Whilst I used them infrequently for their primary purpose, they came in very useful for suspending fenders. so not a waste of space and money at all.

[bizzard]

35 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

 

Well you are entitled to your opinion. As I indicated, Whilst I used them infrequently for their primary purpose, they came in very useful for suspending fenders. so not a waste of space and money at all.

Many folk used them for dangling fenders, my cousin did.  To protect legs from sticky out ones cricketers leg shields could be worn.

[Sea Dog]

6 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

 

In the raised position, as shown in the photo, they are clips for CaRT enforcement officers to slot Section 8 notices on boats with no license, BSS certificate, or insurance. Many naughty boaters remove these brass things, so there is no place the notice can be attached.

 

Many more appear to remove the boat name and/or number, presumably aiming for an equally effective result...

[cuthound]

On 06/08/2021 at 17:55, MartynG said:

Perhaps the brass variety are not intended to be used - just decorative ?

 

Ive been using them for the past 30 years withput incident, or even hearing of one.

 

If you always fold them up after using them, you wont catch yourself on them.

 

 

[Slim]

23 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

 

Well you are entitled to your opinion. As I indicated, Whilst I used them infrequently for their primary purpose, they came in very useful for suspending fenders. so not a waste of space and money at all.

I believe I stil have a distorted one in the shed that I had tied a fender to so sorry but my original statement stands.