Planks - what do you use?

[Nine of Hearts]

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

 

I did think "how much?", as that's just an aluminium ladder with a plank that clips to it. However, turns out that an 8ft ally ladder is not much short of that price tag on its own.

 

A big advantage of a scaffolding plank is that they are easier to deploy as you wouldn't have to chain the thing to your boat to guard against it being nicked like you would if you had a £100+ bit of kit lying on your roof.

[sueb]

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?

You're a strong bloke. I couldn't lift that and where do you store it? Edited June 17, 2013 by sueb

[David Mack]

You're a strong bloke. I couldn't lift that and where do you store it?

 

Quite. That might be OK for your home mooring, but you want something much lighter to carry with you when out and about.

[Doug Scullery]

where do you store it?

It never leaves the mooring, it definitely wouldn't make a good cruising plank. When out and about I carry a much shorter (6ft) double width (but not double thickness) plank which is perfect for most canal banks on the K&A. If going further afield or planning to moor on the edge of the Avon I have a 13ft single scaff board just in case, but since the snapping incident I'm reluctant to use it. I wasn't actually here when it happened (neither was anybody else, which is one of the scary things about it) but apparently it gave no warning before it snapped, I've no doubt that it could have been a horrible accident, putting a potentially injured person into a flooded river. It gave us both a real fright, hence the possible overkill with double thickness plank.

 

I know that lots of boaters think using double width planks is unnecessary, but I like having it when I'm putting heavy or unwieldy things on the boat, and it makes a massive difference when being visited by non-boaty/outdoorsy types. I have some frequent visitors who are nervous about getting on and off the boat both for physical and psychological reasons, having something wide, grippy and solid feeling really helps convince nervous people that the boat is a safe place for them to be.

[Timleech]

Fore some serious plank walking, see here:-

 

http://youtu.be/1JtrUu6wd2Q?t=10m59s

 

Tim

 

[lynalldisocvery]

The 4x4 waffle boards are really good, i have two in my car take some quite serious weight.

I think i paid 30 quid for two 4 foot ones, approx 1 foot wide, grippy as anything

Look on ebay waffle boards many to choose from, our marina has the main walkways floor covered in the same material.

 

 

Lynall

Edited June 17, 2013 by lynalldisocvery

[John Holden]

 

 

 

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 wonder if they use domestic/DIY type ladders though?

[woodjam]

very similar to trck strp. but iam sure i can beat the price.

colur options too.

I normally work in wood but the weight and strenght over a span of 1.8 metres is not good plus very slippy when wet.

[comfortably numb]

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

 

Our shared boat has one of these. It is lightweight but strong and has an aluminium plate fixed to one side of the rungs for use as a gangplank but can in an emergency be used as a ladder buy turning it round the other way and using the rungs to help somebody out of the water. I've never used it for either purpose but it certainly looks the part.It fits nicely on the roof in the usual plank cradle.

[Jerra]

 

I wonder if they use domestic/DIY type ladders though?

Having inquired of my retired fire service brother his reply was "they were nowt special" pressed further they appeared to be just plain basic aluminium ladders.

 

Obviously I would suggest choosing a reasonably heavy weight DIY ladder. I would have no qualms about using half my extending ladder as a bridge. I would worry more about using a folding one as I wouldn't trust the joints/hinges.

[smileypete]

Having inquired of my retired fire service brother his reply was "they were nowt special" pressed further they appeared to be just plain basic aluminium ladders.

 

Obviously I would suggest choosing a reasonably heavy weight DIY ladder. I would have no qualms about using half my extending ladder as a bridge. I would worry more about using a folding one as I wouldn't trust the joints/hinges.

There's different BS ratings for ladders too, class 1 being the best. Maybe a ladder could be stiffened up some by sikaflexing a single piece of ally treadplate or well treated/protected 3/8 ply securely to the top.

 

With scaf boards there's BS certified ones and... the rest. Wonder which one the OP had and it's condition, though even the BS ones are designed for about a 4ft span.

 

Maybe in ye olde days scaf boards were made of thick top quality larch instead of the cheap stuff (albeit certified - or not) of today.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited June 18, 2013 by smileypete

[nb Innisfree]

Having inquired of my retired fire service brother his reply was "they were nowt special" pressed further they appeared to be just plain basic aluminium ladders.

 

Obviously I would suggest choosing a reasonably heavy weight DIY ladder. I would have no qualms about using half my extending ladder as a bridge. I would worry more about using a folding one as I wouldn't trust the joints/hinges.

The hinges are very strong on our four section folding ladder which has a section cut off to make an 8' three section plank. In fact I would guess they are stronger than the actual ladder strings.