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 captrick |
Swim ladder problem |
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Posts: 195 12/19/07 17:44:06 |
I've had my ladder in the water for 2 weeks and when pulled up I found 1 of the rivets that attaches the steps had completely disintegrated. I think it was
aluminum and not stainless. The really bad news is it allowed water into the tubing which has corroded thru at the welds. I think the entire ladder will have
to go. It might be wise to check for this manufacturing fault.
Rick 704-3 |
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garrywillis |
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Posts: 276 12/20/07 02:12:59 Moderator |
Rick,
While I sympathize with you as you are in a remote environment and not able to have access to everything, this topic has been covered a few times here in the archives of this forum or the previous forum with a very simple remedy. By drilling a small hole in the tube of the ladder at the very bottom of the tube while it is in the up position, any water that enters into the tube will run out by gravity and therefore not effect the stainless/aluminium corrosive effects of salt water. My 13 year old ladder has been in the water for many days or weeks at a time and when its time to leave, the ladder comes up, the water drains out and all gets rinsed with fresh water the next time in port. You've learned an expensive lesson unfortunately by being in salt water without a drain. Folks in sweet water may not have that same problem.
Garry
"Breezn" #502 2-Cabin |
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captrick |
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Posts: 195 12/20/07 07:02:42 |
Garry, I did drill drain holes in the ladder and I'm familiar with the problem. It did not help in this case and may not have helped because the
corrosion is in the cross piece which may not drain into the vertical supports if it's butt welded. It's possible the rivet was never installed or
failed but I've never seen that happen so I stick with my theory that the missing rivet was aluminum by mistake. If it had been SS like the others there
would be no problem. The SS rivets are shiny while the aluminum are dull.
Last Edited By: captrick 12/20/07 09:06:21.
Edited 2 times.
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garrywillis |
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Posts: 276 12/20/07 12:02:59 Moderator |
Rick, I checked with Railmakers and while they did at one time supply the boarding ladders to Catalina, they are no longer doing so. However, both vertical and
horizontal sections are hollow (not butt welded) so if the drain holes are in the right location then they should drain any water that enters into the rail by
way of the pop rivets. When Railmakers did supply the ladders they did use the SS rivets and now Wesco is supplying the ladder and unfortunately they use
aluminum rivets. If you are noticing corrosion and pitting on the main tube, it suggest to me that the drain holes are not properly placed. Try spraying some
anti corrosive material onto the remaining rivets to protect them in the meantime.
Good luck on your journey north.
Garry
"Breezn" #502 2-Cabin |
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captrick |
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Posts: 195 12/21/07 13:05:51 |
Garry, thanks for the info. I removed the ladder and it's being evaluated by local stainless fab. It looks like there may be a 2nd internal tube or the
tubes may be filled with caulking and that would explain the lack of drainage. Talking to Catalina, there may be several versions of the ladder. Lots of rusty
water poured from the rivet hole but very little from the drain holes. I fail to see how the drains can be in the wrong location as they are at the very bottom
when the ladder is upright! Good news is the damage may not be as bad as feared and may be temp repairable. I will have all the rivets replaced and resealed.
Aluminum does not sound like the way to go but it takes a hydraulic gun for SS which the fab shop has. My concern is the ladder is the only way to board from
the water for MOB or if I have to dive the prop. I'll contact Wesco for further advice and will send you photos offline.
Now if only the weather would cooperate. Rick 704-3 Mazatlan, MX |
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cqr35 |
Swim ladder drain - where to drill? | #5 | ||
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Posts: 9 02/09/08 11:09:12 |
I searched the board and didn't see the thread on how to drill the ladder so it would drain.
Where exactly? On the "top" of the tube when the ladder is down? or on the "end" cap? What size hole? thanks Kevin "Harmony" #729 |
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captrick |
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Posts: 195 02/11/08 07:11:16 |
Kevin, The holes should be at the lowest point on the bottom of the ladder tubing when it is raised up. That is, they'll be on the top side of the tubing when the ladder is down. I wouldn't try drilling at the welds but about 3-4" back from the pivot. I used a 3/16" cobalt drill bit-the stainless is tough. To follow up on my problem, the steps on the newest Catalinas are attached without rivets. I don't know how exactly. On "older" boats like mine the steps are attached with monel rivets and the heads are covered with a sealant. The monel is rust resistant but pretty soft and the sealant eventually wears off allowing water into the tubing. On my ladder, the head came off one of the rivets and took the sealant with it. When I left the ladder in the water and didn't raise it up, the water never drained and the tubing corroded through even though the tubing is supposed to be polished on the inside as well as out. Checking the riveted ladders on a few boats near my slip, I saw that ALL of them had lost sealant and were probably leaking. I would recommend anyone with riveted ladders reseal the heads with 5200. I've ordered a new ladder without rivets. Rick 704-3 |
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