14
Here’s how the
ladder looks on
the boat in its
lowered position. It is
hooked, upside
down, into permanent
pad eyes screwed to
the hull and can only
be removed by
completely inverting
it again. This
prevents it being
accidently unhooked
by the boat’s motion
or the wake of
passing craft. Iroko,
it turns out, is a good
match for the boat’s
original teak
topsides.
12
Pilot holes were drilled and fittings temporarily screwed into
place then removed so the completed assembly could be
thoroughly sanded before applying three coats of International
Woodskin. Fittings were then put back using bronze screws.(^11)
A temporary batten was tacked
to the ladder to ensure it
remained square while the glue set.
INSET Iroko plugs fill screw holes.
(^13)
The finished
boarding ladder
looking good after
three coats of
WoodSkin varnish.
DIY BOARDING LADDER
PRICING THE TIMBER
Owing to the width and thickness of
timber required, teak boards at
around £125 per linear metre – plus
the extra wood needed for the treads
- would be prohibitively expensive.
Iroko at around a third of the price
offered a realistic alternative.
BUILD TIME
Construction, including varnishing
and finishing, was around 18 hours.MATERIALS COST
Price for Iroko timber, bronze screws,
epoxy, sandpaper and Woodskin
varnish was around £200.Need to know