PDQ OWNERS FORUM

Has anyone ever put handrails on the underside of the hard top? Sometimes on bouncy days it seems like they would be worthwhile. I need to check the head clearance, but my family is not overly tall (5'9" max). Gotta think about this stuff when you're not sailing (tore some cartilage in my knee helping my daughter move--forgot I'm not 20.. or even 50).

BTW, I've got a series of 5 articles coming out in Practical Sailor on drinking water and filters this winter. They had been asking me to take this on for a few years, but I couldn't get motivated. However, With just ~ $25 speant I now have bottoled water-quality at the tap. It's nice. The short version--all you really need--is here:

The filter...
http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2014/ ... rsion.html
and I've had bugs crawl into the tank...
http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2014/ ... -back.html

Drew,

I assume you'd go all the way to the top with through-bolts? That being the case, would you over-size the holes and fill in the wall with epoxy?

I've always found enough hand-holds as is with the bimini supports, bulkhead, and door frame.

Bob Gruber
Summerwind 32

Mostly there is enough to hold on to, but not when it's really kicking. Also, my knees are crap (surgery again in a few weeks) so I dislike surprises. I think 2 handholds could make things safer at times

Checked the headroom; the hand holds will need to be soft unless I want to loose skin! That means just 2 strategically placed webbing handles. I would rather have rigid handles, but I suspect I will memorize the locations.

Through bolts. Yup, I know the drill well. But I'm not sure I want to do that. I'm thinking a surface mount might be slicker. Sand and mount ~ 2" x 10" x 1/4" FRP strip using thickened epoxy and small screws to supply clamping pressure. Then mount the webbing to the strip (haven't settled on the details, but they will be replaceable). With a good bond, this should be more than strong enough without making any new holes, and it could look factory. I've done this sort of mount many times in cored and honey comb hulls. The limiting factor is the strength of the skin-to-core bond which, of course, is a question mark. But if I through bolt I face the same problem; the skin is thin so an ugly backing plate is needed, that this will probably not be covered by the solar panels (which are also surface mounted--no holes).

My previous boat (Allied Seawind II) had the handholds on deck and those below in the cabin mounted adjacent using the same bolt holes with a continuous bolts. Each hole did double duty. The handholds on the bimini top are probably too far outboard, but you could run the interior holds perpendicular to those above. No more holes, and backing plate built-in.

Bob Gruber
Island Time 32

Decided against the rails; too low and thus a head knocker.

But I did add a second full-width step, 6 1/2" h x 14" deep x 40" W across the back of the cockpit floor. It seems to dramatically reduce the amount of up-and-down and stumbling when tacking in tough conditions. Also makes the step-up a little more knee friendly. Basically just 2 boxes, much like our original helm runt box.