Slippery Footing on Aluminum Toe Rail -- Solution Ideas?

[rardiH36]

Any suggestions about how to make the smooth/rounded 1/4" wide top edge of an aluminum toe rail slip resistant when stepping on it?

I ask the question because my way of getting on my boat is to grab the shroud for leverage and balance, put a foot on the deck and step up. The toe rail on the deck's edge is what my (and guest's) feet naturally step on.

The stanchions are mounted to the toe rail which causes the lifelines to be right at the edge of the deck. So the first foot plant can't be on the non-skid fiberglass. Its the toe rail instead. Then I can swing a leg over the life line to get on deck. Easy and quick and usually sure-footed.

But if conditions are wet, the toe rail edge might just as well have been sprayed with teflon lubricant. A couple of times, a seemingly sound foot plant has suddenly slipped away from under me. This even when wearing boating or tennis shoes with new tread. A suddenly sliding foot and a slightly sprained knee happened just yesterday when I didn't note that my shoes soles had become wet because my dock neighbor was was washing his boat. The slippery toe rail is a more serious accident in waiting.

I would prefer not to install a gate area for my lifelines on both sides. Besides, putting a foot on top of the toe rail would still naturally happen. For guests, I do have a step-up box on the dock, but I do worry that if they then put a foot on a wet toe rail top edge, someone eventually will lose their footing as well.

I could rough up the top edge of the toe rail by burring the finish with a file or hacksaw or even by sanding. But this approach would take off the bronze/brown anodize finish and expose the silver aluminum. Ugly. Another idea might be to purchase some outdoor grade 3M type self stick anti-slip tape in black color to bend over the top edge. Not sure if the tape would permanently stick over the rounded edge, particularly since this is the area of the toe rail where I "snatch-block" my jibsheet fairleads.

Any other ideas welcome.

 

[Ray T]

slippery toerail

How about a small block of wood the same height as and attached to the toerail resting on the deck this could be finished any way you wanted maybe with a none skid surface. A friend of mine did something similar. The woman in his racing crew complained that the aluminum toerail was uncomfortable on the back of thier legs so he made tapered blocks of wood and attached them to the toerail. A lot more comfortablel. Some people will do anything to keep crew. Ray T

 

[rardi : H36 ( Cherubini)]

Thanks for the "Out of the Box" Suggestion

Dear Ray T.

Thanks for the wood block backing idea, which definitely would make the foot print area larger and much more secure. This very creative alternative hadn't occured to me (which is why posting querries to the forum has such good value).

But I'll need some time to visualize and think it through,
since as I mentioned with my initial post, the openings in the rail are the anchor points for gib sheet fairleads. The location of the snatch block does vary fore/aft depending on if the jib is out all the way or partially furled, and also depending on whether I have the working jib installed or the 135 Genoa. I would have to leave a couple of inch gap between the toe rail and the wood so that I could still insert the snatch block/shackle into the toe rail cut outs. And the gap might be a spot that a slack gib sheet might get caught up in.

 

[Manny]

I was thinking the same thing as Ray T

You don't have to fasten the blocks to the deck, that way you could move anywhere you want. Maybe some stainless or aluminum tangs to clip to the toe rail, or just friction. There is a million possibilities. Some butcher block with non skid tape on it would probably work well and is easily stowed. Some stock pavers could possibly fit, and they are probably close in height.

Manny

 

[Steve Dion]

Boarding step?

Rardi:

Have you considered a boarding step from the chanderly?

 

[rardi : H36 ( Cherubini)]

Step Up Aid Reply and Sailing Skills Sighting

Steve:

Thanks for the step suggestion and link ... however, we do already have a nice step up box placed on the dock at the max beam port side just aft of the shrouds where we board and de board the most. The shrouds provide the steadying grab point for the hand. This platform level is only an easily manageable 8-10" below the deck level.

Situation is that irrespective of having a boarding aid, or if taking a bigger step up directly from the dock, the natural place to put down the ball of the foot is right on top of the toe rail edge. I can tell myself and my guests not to plant a foot on the toe rail, but its just going to happen. Further because I don't have a safety line gate at the boarding location, the first foot plant will be placed near the boat's edge, not well inboard.

As a first easy solution attempt, I did purchase this afternoon some 1" wide outdoor rated self stick anti-slip stair tape at ACE. Its pliable enough that it will bend from one side of the toe rail over the top and back down the other side. The surface is like 50 grit silcon carbide sand paper. No way a sports/boat/tennis shoe clad foot will slip unexpectedly of this stuff wet or not. But will the tape hold up? Will the gib sheet chafe too much against the harsh grit surface? Can I mount so that the snap shackle part of the snatch blocks won’t rub against it? Outcome still to be determined.

To change the subject, because we've been out a couple of times this past mid week, instead of sailing today, my wife and I drove to the Marin headlands area for an afternoon walk and to take a look at the new Cavello Point hotel/conference complex which just opened a few months ago. We were out on the Horseshoe Cove breakwater for a bit watching the sailboats come and go under the bridge. Many boats were returning from the ocean side with spinnakers up. Must have been the return leg of race. While we were on the breakwater, a Catalina 36 sailed through the narrow entrance into the cove under full sail power (well maybe the mainsail was on its first reef point -- don't remember). The wind was very stiff. A large sailboat was anchored in the middle of the cove. The Catalina made two full circles around anchored boat the within the cove, which really is a small place. Each circuit required one tack and one jibe. After the second round, it looked like the Catalina wanted back out into open water, but it didn't line up correctly. So around again. The boat was really moving very fast at certain points and we could see how quickly it could accelerate as it went from tack, to close haul, to reaching. After the third circuit she did line up correctly to make it back out. All the action took place within two-three minutes tops. Really this was a thrilling display of sailing skills to watch. And in front of many tourists; not to mention in full view of the Horseshoe Cove Coast Guard station and dock. Definitely a very experienced and confident crew.