Boarding stairs

[Walter P]

Well it seems like the time has come to consider getting rid of my fibreglass 6 step dock steps and buy a "tide rite" type boarding setup. I am fairly familiar with the Marquipt product but I understand that Tracy makes a pretty close copy which is actually superor in some respects. Any opinions and suggestions on where to get the best deal. My boat is a 1982 Series I 48 MY with a fairly high freeboard at the gunwale adjacent to the wing doors. Probably 7 or maybe 8 steps would be the right size. I don't like to tie the boat too close to the dock (floating with a 50 ft x 10 ft wide dock the full length of the starboard side so I figure an extra step or two would keep the base of the roller stairs fully aboard the dock even with the boat two feet away from the dock.

The fibreglass steps worked out fine for many years but with the passing of time we are getting somewhat anxious about the wide space between the top step (platform) and the gunwale. I am in my late 70's and the "Admiral" is 5 yrs behind me. We don't need an accident.

Any and all suggestions would be appreciated....... Thanks

Walt
AMB GUPPY, 48 Series I MY..1982 (The American Navy has USS for United States Ship, The Brits have HMS, Her/His Magesties Ship, some other Navies have AMB which stands for "Atsa My Boat"

 

[Freeebird]

It's been a few years, but as I recall the fingers on your dock are pretty narrow. I have fiberglass dock steps too and can't use my Marquipt steps because the fingers are too narrow.

 

[Walter P]

Hi Randy, Actually my old slip finger (port side) is 4 ft wide x 50 ft long. I'm moving over to the first slip just inside the "T" dock and will be boarding on the starboard side which has 10 feet of width x 50+ ft of length. The use of tide rite type stairs just will be safer. Over the years it seems that every Hatteras that I've owned came with a set of Marquupt stairs and a ladder to attach to the common clips. It seemed that I would never use them so I gave them away each time. I don't mind buying a new set since I believe they will be much safer for boarding.

Walt