CHECK YOUR SCREWS FELLAS.... PREVIOUS OWNERS...AHHHHHHH!!

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 8:34 pm

i went to the boat today before treatment to speak w/ my mechanic john and he mentioned that the folding half of the swim platform steps tore out of the hinges when his son scott tried to board the boat. i guess i was lucky as i boarded using those very steps last week. here is why the hinged part tore off. the previous owner ( !!!!**&^%!!) in his infinite wisdom dismantled the entire platform, ladder and all, to varnish it. what he DID NOT DO was replace the factory trojan long 2.5" screws that came out of the hinges. he did however, replace all 6 with screws of various lengths, screw heads, and a mixture of Phillips and straight blade. the 'replacement' screws were about 1.25 inches in length. yeah, that will hold a 200 lb person!
so, if you all have this type of ladder, i recommend checking the screws. if they look as if they have not been removed, you're probably okay. if they do, well, look out.
why can't people just do it correctly the first time. i can fix a lot of things, but i cannot fix stupid. this just takes the cake.
aaron

Vitaliy · Post by **Vitaliy** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 8:51 pm

i know the pain man, my boat got knocked around a bit last year during huricane season and one of the bumpers and lines didnt hold up so i rear ended the dock damaging the right side ladder hinge... still trying to figure out how im going to repair that, since the hinge is shot and the ladder itself is damaged...

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 8:56 pm

Vitaliy wrote:i know the pain man, my boat got knocked around a bit last year during huricane season and one of the bumpers and lines didnt hold up so i rear ended the dock damaging the right side ladder hinge... still trying to figure out how im going to repair that, since the hinge is shot and the ladder itself is damaged...

oooooo yipes. that's gotta hurt. i just don't know how anyone can replace long screws with short ones. i sent you a PM too buddy.
aaron

Vitaliy · Post by **Vitaliy** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:19 am

You know that we've all done it at least once

"the oo crap i don't have the right screws so ill just put these in here for now" and never come back...

ive done that once or twice before, but thankfully i came back and fixed it thou

larryeddington · Post by **larryeddington** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:02 am

Someone in an earlier post mentioned the screws used in boats by Trojan and others. When messing with what looks like a phillips head it very well be a Fearson Head screw. I got the correct screw bits and they work much better with the screws in my boat.

I know this is not clearly the issue but just a piece of information that might be helpful.

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:10 am

larryeddington wrote:Someone in an earlier post mentioned the screws used in boats by Trojan and others. When messing with what looks like a phillips head it very well be a Fearson Head screw. I got the correct screw bits and they work much better with the screws in my boat.

I know this is not clearly the issue but just a piece of information that might be helpful.

i too bought the fearson head bit, in various sizes, for my snap on screw driver and drill, and it does make it easier to remove the screws due to the extra bite. these screws that were installed on the ladder were a mixture of pan/flat/bolt and the longest one was 1.25" in length. while i understand maybe running out, if it were me, i'd stop what i was doing and go get the correct size. it just does not make sense not doing the right thing.

larryeddington · Post by **larryeddington** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:31 am

As would I. Easier to use correct hardware. There are many people that do not know which end of a screwdriver to hold. Your PO was one of these or a typical sloppy mechanic.

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:36 am

larryeddington wrote:As would I. Easier to use correct hardware. There are many people that do not know which end of a screwdriver to hold. Your PO was one of these or a typical sloppy mechanic.

i think it was the PO. when i bought the boat, he mentioned that he worked on the platform and ladder all winter. john is usually a very even tempered man, but, when he saw the screws that pulled out, he was livid, as was i. on his desk, i took a piece of paper, assembled all 6 varieties of screws and taped them on a sign that said, ''don't let stupid happen to you''. i'm just glad that his son did not get hurt when the ladder pulled out.