Planks - what do you use?

[Doug Scullery]

The recent tragedy in the dry dock in Salford has got me thinking about planks. I have two friends (both fit, working age, experienced boaters) who have injured themselves quite badly falling between their boats and the bank, one badly twisted her knee and the other broke a couple of ribs. I have thought for a long time that the old scaff board, which appears to be pretty much narrowboaters standard, is really a bit inadequate, especially taking into account the time and money people invest in getting other aspects of their boats "just so".

 

I have a 6 foot plank made out of two old scaff boards covered with chicken wire which I use when on canal, but when we first moved onto our river mooring we were just using a single 13 foot scaff board. That was until the floods last year, at the point when the river was almost the same height as the bank (so the plank was supported only at the very ends, one on the gunwhale one on the ground) it snapped while my girlfriend was crossing it. Thankfully this happened when she was over the ground as opposed to the gap between the boat and the bank so she just landed on her feet on the ground, but I shudder to think what would have happened if she had been over the water at the time.

 

I have since build a much more sturdy 10 foot plank, which is not only two boards wide but also has a third board down the middle underneath as reinforcement. I have also put chocks (for want of a better word) on it that prevent it slipping off the gunwhale and have a (removable) paving slab at the bank end to prevent it floating when the land floods (caused some problems last year). Also, for anyone that's interested, I've had great success fixing bits of tread cut from old mountain bike tyres to the underside of both planks with fencing staples, the knobbles on the tyres are deep enough that the staples can't scratch the paint. I know it doesn't look like it matters in the picture but please bear in mind that that is Pheobe's bad side, her other side is much smarter.

So what do others use?

[churchward]

We have a scaffold plank cut to length with wooden batten strips across at intervals to help with grip and can be used to climb out of the canal if I fall in.

 

It also has two holes drilled in at the ends a larger one to go over the rear rope capstan and a smaller one to put mooring pin through on the bank if required. It works OK for us.

[bottle]

Scaffold plank, not used it in four years.

[mrsmelly]

Scaffold plank, not used it in four years.

Me too. Humped one about on several of my boats for years and never used one. I also never have use for a pole so consequently I have neither pole or plank on this boat.

 

Tim

[Nightwatch]

Me too. Humped one about on several of my boats for years and never used one. I also never have use for a pole so consequently I have neither pole or plank on this boat.

 

Tim

I have to say that in the relative short period that I have been a boat owner (11 years) I have not had the need for either the plank or the pole or indeed the hook on a stick But I also see the need for the regs to insist in having them available, just in case, as in any H & S situation.

 

On my last boat I went to the local timber yard and bought a 'length' of wood and they planed it to my desired thickness and width (foc).

 

Off topic. They are called Goodwillies and they have a 'small order department'. Never had the need to ask.

 

Martyn

[blackrose]

8ft x 4ft dinghy with 5hp outboard.

[ditchcrawler]

I have to say that in the relative short period that I have been a boat owner (11 years) I have not had the need for either the plank or the pole or indeed the hook on a stick But I also see the need for the regs to insist in having them available, just in case, as in any H & S situation.

 

Martyn

What regs?

[jaywalker]

I have recently started using a length of aluminium ladder with a bit of ply covered with sticky deck tread screwed to it.. Weather proof, reasonably wide, sturdy (I aint a lightweight), and doubles as an emergency ladder if someone falls in.

[Nightwatch]

What regs?

i was under the impression that you had to have a plank hook and life belt.

 

Am I incorrect?

[woodjam]

Just had a mad idea of adapting a product that we make.

safe strong and light.

Yes you can buy a plank , but how much are you worth.

Whatt happens if that plank you got for nothing snaps and in the fall your hip breake.The end of you boating life.

I will keep you posted on cost and weather it work I will put the prototype on woodjam and see what happens.

If interested drop me a line.

[ditchcrawler]

i was under the impression that you had to have a plank hook and life belt.

 

Am I incorrect?

I have no idea, I have never heard of it. I was hoping someone else would have the definitive answer

[Timleech]

i was under the impression that you had to have a plank hook and life belt.

 

Am I incorrect?

 

Never heard of that, for a canal boat.

Not to say it isn't true, though.

 

Tim

[trackman]

There is no rule I'm aware of requiring either plank or pole. If there was, I'm sure our builder would have provided them with our new boat when we bought it.

In fact, as a boater himself he was adamant we wouldn't need them, and in over 6 years he hasn't yet been wrong!

We employed a surveyor to check our build, and he didn't tell us we should get pole or plank either.

I'm quite sure it's up to you, as a boater, to make up your own mind about these items.

[newcruiser]

Two weeks ago was wakened by a load of noise(!!!) outside, turned over back to sleep, last sunday noticed a 10' x 1' board on my roof with metal bands each end, shabby looking paint mostly in red, thought sod it wire brushed it vigourously, painted black, now on my roof looking pretty ok would'nt of bought one but not one to turn down a freebie (elbow grease and a little bit of one coat johnsons satin, brush already in use doing gunwales) would of been rude to dump it surely

[John Holden]

I have recently started using a length of aluminium ladder with a bit of ply covered with sticky deck tread screwed to it.. Weather proof, reasonably wide, sturdy (I aint a lightweight), and doubles as an emergency ladder if someone falls in.

 

I wouldn't use a horizontal aluminium ladder except in an emergency, and then very carefully. They aren't designed for such use.

[smileypete]

I have recently started using a length of aluminium ladder with a bit of ply covered with sticky deck tread screwed to it.. Weather proof, reasonably wide, sturdy (I aint a lightweight), and doubles as an emergency ladder if someone falls in.

I used to wonder if an ali ladder would be strong enough but then again...

 

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=khumbu+icefall&hl=en-GB&source=lnms&tbm=isch

 

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[Doug Scullery]

Just had a mad idea of adapting a product that we make.

safe strong and light.

Yes you can buy a plank , but how much are you worth.

Whatt happens if that plank you got for nothing snaps and in the fall your hip breake.The end of you boating life.

I will keep you posted on cost and weather it work I will put the prototype on woodjam and see what happens.

If interested drop me a line.

 

Definitely interested to hear your ideas. I have wondered if something like these http://www.tracmat.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.pbv.tabs.tpl&product_id=9&category_id=3&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=77 could catch on. They're made for driving 4X4's over and are available with a grippy sand type texture on the top side. They're definitely expensive when compared to the cost of an old scaff board, but they'd never rot, never collect water etc. Also, if looked at as an additional cost when buying a new NB it's really not that much.

 

I (like many boaters) have an "I'd-get-this-built-if-money-were-no-object" boat in my head. It would have a tug style deck with some sort of telescopic boarding plank on detachable hinges (to allow it to be deployed from either side) on it, that way giving you more of a mounted drawbridge than a plank that needs to be stowed on the roof. Pie-in-the-sky stuff for me but I can see no reason why something like that wouldn't be plausible and I'm really surprised at how little variation we see on the boarding plank theme, especially on really well equipped/over equipped (depending on who you ask) up market boats.

[John Holden]

I used to wonder if an ali ladder would be strong enough but then again...

 

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

 

But lay the ladder flat and all the forces are working in ways that the ladder isn't designed to support.

[smileypete]

 

But lay the ladder flat and all the forces are working in ways that the ladder isn't designed to support.

Like this?

 

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[LoneEcho]

Some of the spots on the Stort do require a plank, especially if you have pets. I have often thought about one of these, which include the platform inserts, so designed for the job, but not being a DIYer find it hard to justify buying one, just to use as a "plank"

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/4x3-step-multi-function-folding-ladder-with-platform-587616

[nb Innisfree]

I made a plank from a folding ali ladder, 8' and pins to boat and bank, used constantly with great success on the K&A but not used at all after we left.

[Barry]

 

I wouldn't use a horizontal aluminium ladder except in an emergency, and then very carefully. They aren't designed for such use.

 

 

 

But lay the ladder flat and all the forces are working in ways that the ladder isn't designed to support.

 

The Fire Service practise using aluminium ladders as bridges regularly. They do stipulate minimum lengths of support at the ends and maximum bridging distances though so I don't think its an unreasonable thing to do provided it is done carefully.

I have recently started using a length of aluminium ladder with a bit of ply covered with sticky deck tread screwed to it.. Weather proof, reasonably wide, sturdy (I aint a lightweight), and doubles as an emergency ladder if someone falls in.

 

A couple of years ago I bought an extending aluminium ladder off e-bay for 18 quid to do exactly this. My plan was to use each 10 foot section to make two boarding planks then sell the second one to cover the costs. I was also going to add a thin inflated boat fender to one end in case it goes in the water.

 

Haven't got round to it yet though

[ditchcrawler]

How about something like this http://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/rescue-ladders/rescue-ladder/prod_9.html

[ditchcrawler]

 

Definitely interested to hear your ideas. I have wondered if something like these http://www.tracmat.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.pbv.tabs.tpl&product_id=9&category_id=3&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=77 could catch on. They're made for driving 4X4's over and are available with a grippy sand type texture on the top side. They're definitely expensive when compared to the cost of an old scaff board, but they'd never rot, never collect water etc. Also, if looked at as an additional cost when buying a new NB it's really not that much.

 

The don't give any indication of the span/loading so I wonder what it could be like just supported at each end.

[Jerra]

The don't give any indication of the span/loading so I wonder what it could be like just supported at each end.

The 38mm ones are described as suitable for "moderate" ditches and gullies. The ones long enough to make a half way useful gang plank are 50mm so I would have thought more than capable of supporting pedestrians. After all they are taking approaching a quarter of the weight of a loaded 4X4. OK probably with not as large an air gap as when used on a boat but unless you carry a hundredweight of coal in each hand I would think they would be OK.