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My next birthday will be my 80th. Some on this forum think of me as the "canary on the foredeck." In other words, if you keep sailing your Mac into your 80's you might end up with some of my eccentricities and unique mods and practices. Well, I have been finding the step down from the cabin top to the cockpit a tad challenging lately. I had been using the boom as a handrail while doing Genoa-only sailing, but I decided to bend on my main and be a real sailor for a while. So, to make up for not having the boom always handy and firmly secured, I installed this puppy on my port aft cabin top stanchion today. I like it; it works. It folds down nicely for use while the main sheet is running out to port on a beam reach. At least in theory. If anyone sees a more elegant solution for affixing it to the stanchion, let me know. The thick twist tie and Velcro straps are snug but look kind of like the jury rig they are.

Well, I’m only 68, but I can certainly see value in it, even for me. At this age we’re all one good tumble away from a hospital stay… or worse. Thanks for sharing!

Keep on Herschel, my best friend is over 85 years old... As nobody wants his boat on lage maggiore so he decided to still go on sailing
I hop I can follow in later times myself...

It may not be elegant, but it's brilliant! The collapsable aspect is even better.

I have to admit, coming down from the deck to the cockpit is a bit dicey. I have a dodger that I grab hold of and it's wearing through where I grab hold.

I can't think of a more elegant way to attach it.

kmclemore wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 9:51 pm Well, I’m only 68, but I can certainly see value in it, even for me. At this age we’re all one good tumble away from a hospital stay… or worse. Thanks for sharing!

Kevin,

You’re a friend, but speak for yourself. I’m not there yet. Nope

We will see you tonight at dinner.

I salute not only your ingenuity but your stubborn refusal to let age keep you from the things you love. I may have a solution for you. Check your PM.

Stickinthemud57 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 22, 2024 11:52 am I salute not only your ingenuity but your stubborn refusal to let age keep you from the things you love. I may have a solution for you. Check your PM.

Offer much appreciated. Check your PM.

Hi Herschel!

I’m trying to catch up to you but you keep pulling ahead!

Like your idea! It’s great!
If you’re still looking for a mounting option one would be to get a piece of PVC Schedule 40 pipe as tall as the stanchion (or where your stick lower section ends … which ever is shorter) with a large enough inner diameter to fit yer stick inside of. Then take a pair of SST marine grade band clamps to secure the PVC pipe to the stanchion near the top and bottom. Then all you have to do is drop in your stock whenever you choose to use it. Mounting a duplicate on the opposite side has you readily set-up should you need to change sides for whatever reason.

I have found that a length of line long enough to go from one side safety line to the other with some slack with a snap clip appropriately tied on to each end provides some much appreciated handhold stability for me when getting on the cabin topside. It slides along the lifelines as I move fwd/aft and is easily clipped on/off from the lifelines when desired. A really great guy by the name of Norm P shared this idea with me when we were spending a couple of moths living aboard Over Easy on Lake Champlain VT back in 2021. I’ve found it to be quite useful to have this extra moving stability line more than once!🫣 ( It’s help keep the towels dry that I otherwise might have needed to dry off with ).

I’m a decade or so behind you and I’m struggling to keep up with ya!

Best Regards,
Over Easy

overeasy suggested:

If you’re still looking for a mounting option one would be to get a piece of PVC Schedule 40 pipe as tall as the stanchion (or where your stick lower section ends … which ever is shorter) with a large enough inner diameter to fit your stick inside of. Then take a pair of SST marine grade band clamps to secure the PVC pipe to the stanchion near the top and bottom. Then all you have to do is drop in your stick whenever you choose to use it. Mounting a duplicate on the opposite side has you readily set-up should you need to change sides for whatever reason.

stickinthemud57 has offered to try a 3D printer mounting bracket. I'm getting the measurements he requested day after tomorrow. The fact that my stick has a three toed base with nice rubber feet helps with the traction. I think I would have to use a straight stick with the PVC option, and the two of those I have don't fold down to clear the way for the main sheet to pass over when sailing. Let's see how the 3D printer bracket works and go from there for the time being. I really appreciate your thinking about the problem. But even a straight stick and the PVC would work if i removed the stick when sailing and kept it handy for going up and down. Just keep it stowed behind a seat cushion for regular sailing. So much great help on this forum. Now I have a plan A and a plan B.

You are my inspiration - I'm 68.

Herschel wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 8:26 pm My next birthday will be my 80th.

Got stickinthemud57's (aka Bill's) 3-D printed brackets for my stanchion mod. Installed them today. Wow! Talk about a more elegant solution! Take a look at this:





Many thanks, Bill. Great work.

You are my inspiration

Herschel wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 8:26 pm My next birthday will be my 80th. Some on this forum think of me as the "canary on the foredeck."

Wow! Those brackets are nice! Herschel’s tenacity is now executed in style! Congratulations to both of you!

Nice work.

I may need to ask Santa for a 3D printer

Thanks, guys. Give Stickinthemud57/Bill all the credit. Great engineering on his part. I plan to experiment with a traffic pattern going up to and down from the cabin top. UP ONLY (one way) on the starboard side where the step is up, and I can grab the normal stanchion and usually the dodger support. Maybe even the boom, if not under sail. And UP or DOWN (two way) on the port side where my "old geezer" stanchion mod can help with stability when there is nothing else near enough to grab for stability when going down. I'll report on that experiment in the next couple of weeks hopefully.