MacGregorSailors.com

Has anyone done anything to improve the companionway steps to provide easier access to the aft berth? Maybe steps that swing up? Or are easily detached? Pics please.

Hi Warren,

I did this a while back - it worked really well...

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1173

Cheers!
~Bob

warren631 wrote:Has anyone done anything to improve the companionway steps to provide easier access to the aft berth? Maybe steps that swing up? Or are easily detached? Pics please.

My steps already swing up, but then I have a later-model 26X. Maybe the good folks at Blue Water Yachts could square you away with one and its mounting plates if they'll work for your 26D. Glad to take photos and measurements this evening, if you think it'll help you.

OK, here's how the companionway stairs and mounting brackets look in a 2001 26X. The ladder sides measure 34 inches from the feet on the cabin sole to their tops. Maybe this'll work for your 26D, maybe there's a better solution out there for you, like sawing up a stepladder.





I like these stairs because they swing up and just hold up there. I expect one could just give the mounting bracket screws a turn if they ever loosen up some day.

Bilgemaster wrote:OK, here's how the companionway stairs and mounting brackets look in a 2001 26X.

I wish my '99 had that style ladder. The hump for the vent has no vent, but it's still a hump, with the removable step.

Tomfoolery wrote:

Bilgemaster wrote:OK, here's how the companionway stairs and mounting brackets look in a 2001 26X.

I wish my '99 had that style ladder. The hump for the vent has no vent, but it's still a hump, with the removable step.

Since it might be clear from those photos that I use that rear berth as a storage area, rather than, you know, a berth, I don't believe I'd be particularly bothered by the old-model stair-hump you describe. In fact, I might even prefer having one if the water ballast vent were within, as in the earliest 26Xs. I gather that Macgregor moved the vent to under the forward berth for better and fuller venting, since the stern will tend to ride a bit lower than the bow, and you don't mess with Archimedes. Still, who wouldn't prefer to just look and reach down into the companionway instead of scrambling all the way forward and hoisting the cushions and wooden cover a couple-few times, especially while underway, just to check how it's all burbling along before capping it off?

Though it might honestly be the very last mod I might personally prioritize if I had a 26X with the old-style step with no ballast vent, I wonder how hard it might be for a talented fiberglass crafter to make that step and whatever base it has go away? Matching the color might be the biggest challenge.

As far as that "pizza oven" rear berth goes, I have found that a bunch of those interlocking neoprene "Anti-Fatigue Floor Mat" 2'x2' squares, a couple of packs of ten of which were kindly bequeathed to me by the previous owner, are just the ticket for keeping gear from sliding and bashing around too much while underway. My 26X came without any rear berth cushions, and with homemade memory foam ones made by the PO's wife in the forward berth, but I imagine that even folks who actually use that rear berth as a berth might sleep more comfortably with an underlay of these mats beneath whatever cushions they have, or the forward berth, for that matter. I was also thinking of maybe cobbling together some snap-on cockpit cushions out of a few of them at some point, being unwilling to spend more or less what I paid for my tow vehicle for the real thing.

Bilgemaster wrote:Though it might honestly be the very last mod I might personally prioritize if I had a 26X with the old-style step with no ballast vent, I wonder how hard it might be for a talented fiberglass crafter to make that step and whatever base it has go away? Matching the color might be the biggest challenge.

The other challenge is the ballast tank, which actually has a hump under that cabin sole hump. It's there, even though there's no hole for a vent. I checked, as I was thinking about cutting back the FG bump and making something to dress it up. Until I saw the ballast tank through the big plastic plugs they used to fill the access holes for the removable step hardware.

But looking at your picture, it might be possible to remove and leave off the hollow step, and use a ladder with just one rung, bearing against the bump. I'll have to look into that.

I also need a longer swim ladder, as it's very difficult for me to hoist my butt out of the water with one foot on the bottom rung that's barely below the surface, but that's another issue.

I was thinking of using the hinged swim ladder for the companionway steps mod so I bought a home fire escape ladder (Amazon $31) to hang over the side of the cockpit for swimming. But I found I could not climb the fire ladder - it swung under the side of the boat when I stood on the bottom rung (while on the trailer) and I didn't have enough strength to pull myself up - maybe I need to practice climbing the escape ladder. Any more ideas?

warren631 wrote:I was thinking of using the hinged swim ladder for the companionway steps mod so I bought a home fire escape ladder (Amazon $31) to hang over the side of the cockpit for swimming. But I found I could not climb the fire ladder - it swung under the side of the boat when I stood on the bottom rung (while on the trailer) and I didn't have enough strength to pull myself up - maybe I need to practice climbing the escape ladder. Any more ideas?

Definitely a wintertime wish-I-were-sailing-instead project, but some hinged variation on Wally Bryant's superb notion of converting his old C&C Landfall 38's wooden companionway steps into storage boxes might be the most elegant solution I've seen out there for someone with the requisite handworkerly "skilz". Two or three more reasonably dry and secure spots to stow needful gear near the cockpit certainly couldn't hurt on a lazarette-challenged 26X. The head door's clearance for fully opening might be an issue though. So, perhaps some variation on Wally's idea might be better using stainless steel tubing sides, and something like the wooden flower boxes shown here (though cut so that the forward-facing lower parts of the boxes slope inward a bit), and with hinged tops (the steps) held shut by latch hooks or something to keep them shut when the whole deal's swung upward.

As for the swim ladder issue, my 26X came from the previous owner with an aftermarket longer one mounted nicely to port of the port rudder. Frankly, I can only wince whenever I think of scrambling up the stern between the rudder and motor, especially in the drink. It just seems thoughtlessly bizarre, narrow and above all dangerous. I've no wish to be affectionately known as "Stubby," "Stumpy", or even "Peg Leg", though that last one is a bit of a salty moniker. With that ladder set to port you're well out of harm's way, with lots of room, and have a good sturdy handrail in that stern rail to boot. Its is shown in this earlier posting, with further puzzling evidence of my other boat lot step ladder's probable alien origins found here and here.

Bilgemaster wrote: Frankly, I can only wince whenever I think of scrambling up the stern between the rudder and motor, especially in the drink. It just seems weirdly and thoughtlessly bizarre and dangerous, and I've no wish to be affectionately known as "Stubby" or even "Peg Leg", though that is a bit of a salty moniker.

Hey, there's plenty of space to climb up that stock ladder.*


*If you're six years old.

See my user avatar up there? Well, that may not be an entirely unrealistic depiction of the real me. Here, for example, is me preparing to board Breakin' Wind with the assistance of the thoughtful and courteous staff of the state park I keep her in:

You might want to consider a pool lift, with remote control, for those times when a forklift is not available.

As to my swim ladder, I don't have a problem with the narrow space. The BF50 has a small power head, and most of my girth is in the front, oddly enough. I use it in the driveway mainly, as I rarely swim off the boat (no big rush to jump into that nasty Lake Ontario water, on the outflow side of the Genessee River and the sewage treatment plant discharges).

I just need another rung. Maybe I'll try heavy rope, anchor-spliced to the tubing, with a wood or HDPE rung.

BWY sells the longer, wider swim ladder that mounts further to the port side. But I can think of many better places for me to spend a quarter of a boat buck.

http://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/6401-1x0.htm

Click 'view larger photo' then the number '2' to see it mounted.

I tried to remove the companionway steps on my '88 26D but couldn't do it because the bolts at the lower end had nuts on the inside that I couldn't access through the vent valve access door. Any suggestions?

Tomfoolery wrote: [...snip!]
BWY sells the longer, wider swim ladder that mounts further to the port side. But I can think of many better places for me to spend a quarter of a boat buck. [snip!...]

Well, there are several nice enough looking swim ladder offerings over on FleaBay that'll run you just a tad more than half that quarter pounder, including this sweet little telescopic 3-stepper with a little teak platform from several vendors for just about $130, some offering free shipping:



At the moment, this Buy It Now offering ending in a few hours for $131.54 with free shipping seems to be your best buy of this style new. But there'll be another along. I guarantee it.

The situation on FleaBay isn't quite such a "target rich environment" when it comes to companionway stairs, though you have to admit that this antique wooden monster with the carved fishy handholds that they're selling as a bookcase over in the UK is pretty damned delightful, and might inspire someone with the chops to pull something like that off for a larger boat:



Still, at well over a boat buck, or rather, at very nearly a "boat quid," I won't be the one splurging on the original.

warren631 wrote:I tried to remove the companionway steps on my '88 26D but couldn't do it because the bolts at the lower end had nuts on the inside that I couldn't access through the vent valve access door. Any suggestions?

One of these handy little Oscillating Multi-Tools from Harbor Freight will cut those bolt heads right off. So what if the nuts and remaining bolt studs fall into the bilge? There are several models to choose from, including a cordless one. Some come with included tools, others without. I've personally got both corded and cordless types. The various tools are interchangeable, and both types are super handy for LOTS of things. That said, working in close confines, such as on a boat, or away from a household or shore power style 120V AC power source, you might be happier with the cordless.



You'll also want to get a cutting blade for metal for it like this one, even if you get one of the models with some included tools, since those included blades are really intended for wood, drywall or plastic. You might get through one of those bolt heads with them, maybe even both, but you'll probably be happier and make a quicker and cleaner job of it with one of these harder blades:



Get it on Tuesday (July 4th) and you can use this 25% off coupon:



...and get yourself a handy little LED flashlight free in the bargain: More 4th of July Sale coupons are right on their website for the time being: https://www.harborfreight.com/