Handles or rails to ease going to foredeck

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Lucky Day

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C Dory Year
2004
C Dory Model
25 Cruiser
Vessel Name
Lucky Day
Has anyone had experience enhancing the railings or adding new grab rails to assist getting from the sidedeck to the foredeck on a CD-25? There's a gap between the cabin top rail at windshield area and the bow pulpit rail.
 
Lucky Day-

This is a problem on a lot of boats, not just the CD-25!

Add a handrail or handle or two to the top of the cabin trunk along side the forward hatch.

I'd use the same type of handrail used on the roof to make it blend in with the rest of the boat so it looks like original equipment.

Watch out for the danger's posed by the interior screws/bolts/ or nuts! They should not pose a hazard as "meat hooks" to passengers sleeping in the v-berth!

Acorn nuts are a good solution when possible as nuts, and round pan-head screws are pretty safe, especially with a phillips head.

Another alternative is to just go forward through the hatch to avoid the "no man's land' as much as possible.

One could tie a good tight rope between the forward part of the cabin top handrail and the bow pulpit as a temporary/makeshift hand-hold if you don't find the extra handhold useful very often.

Joe. :teeth
 
I don't know if the new CD 25s have the forward roof rail, but the TomCats have a nice "port to starboard" forward roof rail.

If you are going into rough seas, I'd consider making up a set of sailboat style lifelines going from the cabintop side rails to the forward pulpit railing.

John
 
Lucky Day-
I have added 2 handles like those in the your cockpit. I bought them from the C-Cory factory, complete with the correct hardware to mount the on the outboard side of my windshields, forward. These have proven to be a nice safety aide, and I also use them for fender tie downs which I can reach from inside the cabin.

I also added 2 like handles to the inside of the head on each side of the door to help this ol' man get off the pot.

The pixs are on my Sea Angel gallery. Hope this helps. By the way, the factory price was much cheaper than any other source and the installation much cleaner. Just check out how your handles are mounted from inside of your cabin and head.
 
Great ideas all! When I've got something rigged I'll post it. As always, thanks for the responses.
 
Thataway has railings on each side as you come out of the cockpit. There are the TC 255 railings which are factory. I will be adding both the aft side rails, and then one rail each side on the foreward part of the cabin trunk--that is probably on the agenda this week. They are almost necessary to have some extra hand holds going foreward in rough weather, or even in some smooth anchorages. One hand for the ship--the other for yourself. It is easy to bolt the extra railings thru the cabin top outside of the cabin sides. This area is not cored, as the top of the CD 25 and TC 255 are.
 
Bob,
I'd guess that a high percentage of C-Dory owners are also of the "one hand for the ship--the other for yourself school" of being on boats. I know I am. I can't quite picture the setup you have described and how it would mount to a CD-25. Would you provide some more detail. Thanks.
 
You mean something like these?

Hand_holds.sized.jpg



They are the same as the hand holds that are on the outside of the cabin as you step in. They are a great help getting forward.
 
thataway":3mt23u0e said:
They are almost necessary to have some extra hand holds going foreward in rough weather, or even in some smooth anchorages.
Click to expand...

What would you think about the idea of some sort of lifeline along the cabin top onto which you could clip a tether, which would be clipped to your pfd, like they use on sailboats?

Warren
 
Lori Ann":2u9lbf4t said:
thataway":2u9lbf4t said:
They are almost necessary to have some extra hand holds going foreward in rough weather, or even in some smooth anchorages.
Click to expand...

What would you think about the idea of some sort of lifeline along the cabin top onto which you could clip a tether, which would be clipped to your pfd, like they use on sailboats?

Warren
Click to expand...

That's more or less what I was suggesting above. but w/o the teather.

Two points:

1.) Suppose you DID fall overboard with the teather. Could you then rescue yourself with the teather or would you have to unclip and swim around to the swimstep anyway? Why need a teather if you have to unclip?

Seems to me you're not going forward underway, but only at rest. If you go forward underway with a teather, it might just drop you down and hold you under the boat to drown or for the prop to .................! I'd rather just fall overboard!

2.) If I did rig a hold-on life line (jackline really) between the hood/cabin top and the pulpit, I'd make it removeable so as not to pose a hazard/inconvenience when at the dock. A large diameter rope would be much more secure for your hands, maybe 1/2-5/8".

Other ideas?

Joe.
 
The foreward hand holds are 18" long (I believe the ones in the photo are 12") and I will be mounting them a bit further outboard and aft. These and the ones on the aft side of the cabin are the same ones on photo #79 in the Thataway Album: IMG_0622.thumb.jpg
 
One reason for my tether suggestion is that I have noticed a substantial decrease in gripping strength when the handrails are wet.

Warren
 
Lori Ann":24r3f5mh said:
One reason for my tether suggestion is that I have noticed a substantial decrease in gripping strength when the handrails are wet.

Warren
Click to expand...

Warren-

I can understand your problem.

I think the handrail issue is accentuated by the very small size of the stainless tube used! It's probably only 7/8" tube, where the older wooden teak rails are at least 1-1/2 to 1 3/4' diameter!

So maybe a short teather would be good for you.

If I were you, I'd wrap the stainless tube with 1/4' or so rope with some fancy knobs, etc. Have you ever seen some of the old salt water fishing rods with the fancy marlinspike weaving on them?

Joe.
 
I would not use a tether going foreward--just go thru the hatch on the fore deck--in fact standing in the hatch, is very secure and if necessary you can pull out of the hatch onto the deck. There are too many problems with a tether. You want to have two attatchment points--the one would not slide easily, and there are risks of hanging the clip up.
 
Sea Wolf":3hrnsrjz said:
If I were you, I'd wrap the stainless tube with 1/4' or so rope with some fancy knobs, etc. Have you ever seen some of the old salt water fishing rods with the fancy marlinspike weaving on them?
Click to expand...

I haven't seen those fishing rods, but I think the idea of wrapping the handrails with rope is cool. Not sure how it would be done, exactly, but it certainly would provide a better grip. :thup :thup

Warren
 
Warren-

The rails can be simply spiral wrapped with this kind of end fitting knob:

oarcollar2.JPG

This knot is called an oarcollar.

Joe.
 
I have looked into adding 4 inches to the starboard side of the boat walk area above the rub rail. Big deal if my boat is now 8 foot 10 wide!
Mike
 
Alasgun,

You know there are plans for houseboats that have folding side decks for extra walkway, but fold up for trailering...

JOhn
 
Sea Wolf":12ck7c3t said:
This knot is called an oarcollar.
Click to expand...

Now that I have seen what you are talking about I realized that I have a book that shows how to tie some elementary patterns. Not sure how you would keep the entire pattern from sliding on the SS, though.

Thanks!
Warren
 
Lori Ann":2m71q4n4 said:
Sea Wolf":2m71q4n4 said:
This knot is called an oarcollar.
Click to expand...

Now that I have seen what you are talking about I realized that I have a book that shows how to tie some elementary patterns. Not sure how you would keep the entire pattern from sliding on the SS, though.

Thanks!
Warren
Click to expand...

I'd guess there would be an adhesive that could be applied as it was wound that would bond it to the stainless rail after the rail was wiped down with laquer thinner to remove any oily or other residue.

Any adhesive used for this job would need to be UV resistant as well.

One could consult with some companies (like 3M, Loctite, Dupont, etc.) about the choice of adhesives. One could also find someone still doing this work on fishing rods, and find out how they proceed and what they use.

Joe.
 
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