Sorry, I'm unable to put a picture here. It is worth it to see this ladder.
Type the above post title into google for a short YouTube intro. Smart design.
MARKUS MOB Emergency and Rescue Ladder - MEL-B2-175
The ladder mesh is made with 1" polyester webbing. Weighs 2lbs2oz. Breaking strength over 1,750lbs.
Ladder is 16" wide, making the width about 6" inside the two step wide mesh.
Plastic 'rodes' (stiffeners) in the horizontals, and an aluminum bar across the top distributes the load to 3points as buckle fasteners.
Total length 6'5" (77"). There are 5 steps. Length to the bottom step where the pulldown handle hangs: 69". MEL-B2-175* is actually recommended for a boat with 31" freeboard on the Markus home site, Iceland.
Ariel freeboard amidships measures 30-31" - off Alberg's lines drawing in the Manual.
Theoretically, on a calm day, 36" of the ladder is below water - 3 steps plus the 'lead weighted handle". $151.
HOWEVER,
in the personal message portion of an email from seamarshall-us.com, my contact, Michael adds: "Please ensure that the net be at least 1.5 to 2 meters longer than the freeboard." So that's 1 3/4 meters, correct? {One meter = 39.37". 1.5 meters = 59". Two meters = 78.74".
Half the distance between 1.5 and 2 meters: 19.69 x ½ = 9.8". Add 9.8" to 59" = 69". Add the Ariel freeboard: 31" and the 1.5to2 meter calculation = 100". 100" = 8'4'. Next catalog size ladder, MEL B2-220** is 88.6"long, about 7'4' (actually, Michael's minimum recommendation of 1.5 meters.) That's almost 5' of ladder in the water. Seems good.}
CONTRAST the 3' length of underwater net recommended from the Markus, Iceland site.... with the counsel from SeaMarshall of at least 5'. $174. (X 2)
Storage cover is PVC/Polyester fabric. 20"x8"x2" (Lloyd's Register/SOLAS, ICELAND)
http://www.seamarshall-us.com/ 1-772-388-1326.
*MEL-B2-175 is also listed as 1 310 170W.
**MEL-B2-220 is also known as 1 310 220W in the seamarshall catalog.
Markus makes 3 - 4 - 5 step wide emergency scramble web-nets for yachts. Imco wider webbing will ensure emerging from a sudden dump more dignified... than hunting with boots on for loops in a too narrow web.
This piece of gear has only one job to do: get a climber back on the boat. One inch webbing is not substantial material altho it's strong and adequate, depending on how it's made. I'd like to see a ladder like this of 1¼" tube webbing - a little more druthers to grab onto. More weight, more expense, larger package, and imco much easier to climb.
► A MOB emergency ladder is important safety gear. May never be used, but when it is, must do important work. Rather than trust SeaDog, Plastimo, Wichard niche-filling safety ladder products of inappropriated design & unknown quality....imco, it's wiser to consider a perhaps unknown but longtime manufacturer of professional safety products. It's not an anonymous off the shelf leisure product we want, but confidence, that even after some forgotten time past warranty..... it'll still be all there when we pull the handle!◄
Enthusiasm is no guarantee that these ladders perform as expected - caveat emptor - check out the product yourself. Seamarshall site is a gas!
.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..................................................
JASON'S CRADLE
stiff mesh ladder is NOT rubber dipped webbing, as I guessed wrong - it is a whole other kettle of fish. Made by a different company in UK.
SeaMarshall has a separate page for this product. It's made with small frame-like acetal and polyethylene 'tile' pieces, linked together with 316ss fasteners. Like a piece of a plastic conveyor-belt. Infact the videos demonstrate a host of bodies being rolled up the sides of Homeland Security RIB's in practice recovery. Looks easy, rolling passive victims out of the drink, but seems rather bizarre... almost crude.
AS A CLIMBING LADDER
Here is an amazing UNIQUE readymade candidate for a semi-permanent (removable) roll-up ship's ladder....
On the J.C. page find the tech SPEC SHEET for the 1MC-JCFCR003. Jason's Cradle FRC Kit.* The 3 refers to the number of step spaces across the 'mesh' (this piece of gear is in no way a net). http://seamarshall-us.com/JasonsCradleLib11321010071
This particular articulated belt is a tidy 21" wide and about 80" long. Weighs 26.5lbs - and rolls up into a 14" diameter bundle.
Data sheet shows a 'quick release' orange case can be had for it. "..SOLAS approved..quaranteed against defects for 3yrs....useful service life well in excess of 10yrs."
*FRC = Fast Rescue Craft = high powered rigid inflatable boat = RIB
http://www.jasoncradle.co.uk/ [no idea why this doesn't work. There are a number of Factsheets that have good close-ups of the Cradle]
Have no idea what they get for this two meter long wonder. Delrin is expensive. Needs protection from UV.
This is military gear, but thinking of it as an alternative for stainless tube, guess initial cost may be about equal¿ Take the place of the same-old same-old stainless tube ladders everybody hates. Whether JasonCradle can be taken out of the emergency sphere and used as a 'Jason Ladder' aboard a sailboat... will take more than a conversation with a salesman. Somebody has to try it and test it out. The company is well aware of the 'leisure' market, but seems fixated on the MOB body-roll recovery aspect: see Factsheet JC200] It's a winner, if they market it correctly.
Can be stowed below, hangs straight in the water, use it drapped on your airboat dinghy (w/ added glue-on D-rings). Portable: set it up anywhere on the Ariel as the boarding and debarking ladder - when afloat or on hard. Won't mount it off the stern, but imco it'd be perfect at the cockpit coamings.
"Tensile tested in excess of one metric tonne (2,205lbs)" (Lloyd's Register/SOLAS, UK)
{later EDIT: Jason'sCradleFRCKit (1'9" W x 79" L) $2400)
you almost saw it here first.
'These products are worthy of further enquiry.' I said that. Can find no forum discussions.
Both these ladders hanging from the toerail will be too close to the hull. However, slung over a 6"D foam-filled fender might be the way to get hand and foot hold away from the hull.
Reply With Quote