Aft rail gate

[Walter Hobbs]

Greetings,

I have mounted a boarding ladder on the transom of my CD 27. I works well but I have to climb over the aft rail once I get aboard. I would like to incorporate a "gate" in the aft rail. Easy to cut, and I found a hinge on line, but I would need some kind latching devise on the non hinged side of the rail. It would have to be robust so when latched the rail remains study.

Any ideas? I'm sure this has been done before. Did an online search with no luck so far.

Thanks

[Jim Walsh]

Perhaps; https://www.thechandleryonline.com/prod ... ts_id=3445
https://www.thechandleryonline.com/prod ... s_id=10974
One on the standing portion of the rail and one on the hinged section. Then a fast pin can be inserted to secure.

[Walter Hobbs]

Thanks, Jim

[wikakaru]

I had a similar problem on my 35-foot steel cutter. My solution was a custom welding job:

1999-09-24_441210-009.jpg (1.48 MiB) Viewed 224 times

The hinge end (left in the photo above) was a clevis pin, and the gate end (right in the photo above) was a fastpin. (Note the retaining lanyard so the fastpin couldn't swim away.) The gate end had a little support underneath so it wouldn't fall below horizontal even without the pin. The pin just retained the strength of the pushpit when tension was applied.

Jim Walsh's idea of using standard bimini fittings would be much less expensive, but you'd be relying on little set screws for strength when the tube was in tension. It would be better to through-bolt, or at least drill and tap a hole into the pushpit to secure the fittings.

Before you cut the pushpit, you want to have a very good idea about whether the cut will make the pushpit too weak for safety. Most pushpits rely on the U-shape (looking from above) for their strength. The boat pictured above was steel and the pushpit bases were welded to the hull, so strength was not an issue, but I'm not sure if the CD27 pushpit will be sturdy enough after you cut the tube.

Good luck,

Jim

[wikakaru]

I also should have also mentioned that my 35-foot steel cutter had two levels of horizontal tubing in the pushpit and I just cut the top one, so there was still a lot of strength left in the bottom set of tubes to keep everything from bending. The CD27 only has a single horizontal tube. Cutting it will significantly weaken the pushpit.

[csoule13]

Good Old Boat had an article on this two, maybe three issues ago, if you're a subscriber.

Also, what ladder did you use?

[Walter Hobbs]

I bolted on a folding ladder from a CD 33. Owner had installed a wind vane and could no longer use the ladder.

Yes strength is a concern. Tapping or through bolting the fittings is a good idea. Still thinking no cutting yet.