Climbing onto and diving off hardtop..?

[onoahimahi]

Did some swimming off the boat yesterday and all the teenagers wanted to do was climb up onto the hardtop and jump or dive off. They had a ball but it is not easy to get up there since the Sailfish hardtop was not designed for this and there is not much to grab on to when pulling yourself over the edge. The kids had no problem with it but then the parents started to do it and they had a bit more difficulty but all did it at least once.

Has anyone come up with a way to make this activity a bit safer? (Or do you even allow it?) I'm thinking that at least I need to add some grab handles on top of the roof for pulling oneself over the edge. Yesterday they were grabbing one of the rocket launchers and the metal base of one of the antennas both of which are very solid but far from ideal.

 

[jip40]

I have installed exactly what you are referring to.

Three years ago I purchased a used 330 express with Lee Sr outriggers. I keep the boat in high & dry storage which means the the outriggers have to be dropped whenever it goes into the barn. The only way to drop them is to climb up onto the hard top to remove a pin from a support. It was a bear to climb up on the top (I was 71 at the time) . So I installed steps that attach to the hard top support and had one of the G-W grab bars like the ones on the helm (it's about 12" length) installed on the hard top running from port to starboard.

As soon as my grandkids saw the steps they were up there jumping for hours at a time. I happened to have a short stout antenna on the port side of the hard top right at the edge of the top. The antenna isn't hooked up to anything so I didn't care about them using it to steady themselves before jumping. They love the setup & I can get up and down in a breeze.

Go to northerntool.com and enter item 127281 in the search bar it will take you to the page for folding stainless steel steps. It must be a cheap grade of stainless as they started to get a little rust stain after two years but at $23 each it's easier to replace rather than try to renew them.

Lots of luck and enjoy

 

[dstarok]

I'm having trouble understanding where you mount the steps. Did you bolt through the aluminum hard top support? What size bolts? Do you happen to have a picture?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[jip40]

I had 2 steps mounted on the support for the hard top - my supports are a double support a little bit up from the deck. We drilled holes (size ? but fits the holes in step) in each of the two supports - mounted one step opening to starboard and next on to port. I thought it would take three steps but two work fine on my boat.

I'll be going down to the boat next Sunday (7/20) and will take pictures and either text or email them to you if you want

Jeff

 

[dstarok]

Thanks!

 

[onoahimahi]

Okay - in order to facilitate the roof climbing, I did the following:
1. Added a 18" stainless handle to the top - one can grab this and pull themselves up onto the roof. (You may have to click on the photo to see the handle at the bottom of the right-hand panel.)
2. Wrapped the fat stubby antenna with white electrical tape to contain any possible loose glass fibers. It is sturdy enough to hold for balance. (It is an old antenna is currently not used.)
3. Built stair treads from 3/4" Starboard - these sit on the top of the horizontal tubes and more comfortable to climb and stand on. They are notched around the vertical tubes to help hold them in place. You can see these on the left-hand photo. The outrigger is deployed to make room for climbing and all jumping is from the opposite side.

There were four teenagers taking turns jumping and diving off the top all afternoon and they had a blast. For some reason, they all wanted to be jumping simultaneously but I had to draw the line at only one at a time on the hardtop. The rest all lined up on the gunnel and with one on the top, they all jump together on the count of three. Of course it all had to be filmed for posting on instagram-vine-facebook-whatever. 8)

 

[capeguy]

I take a dock line and loop it around the aluminum structure on one side of the top, then throw it over the top to the other side. Kids grab the line and use it to pull themselves up. Works great. I have had adults do it as well, although I don't venture up there...

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Question.....are those hardtop truly designed to take repetitive loading from 100 plus pound persons jumping off the tops?

 

[fishbust]

Good idea making those steps. :goodjob

 

[jip40]

I'm having trouble understanding where you mount the steps. Did you bolt through the aluminum hard top support? What size bolts? Do you happen to have a picture?
Thanks,
Dave

Dave - Photos of the folding steps on my 330 were sent to your email - Jeff

 

[dstarok]

Got it. Thanks !!!