Grand Banks

New member from Australia, are there others from Australia.

Two questions: 1. Need a new step for the back transom any ideas?

2. any help on stoping the water slapping noise in the bow,

heard from the state rooms.?

Welcome kathyg25. I`m sure I`ve seen a "Lahaina",but it may have been an older timber Halvorsen.
There are plenty of Australian members on TF. We even have a "Down Under" cruising and events section.
Your transom step probably needs a carpenter but if you post a pic it may facilitate ideas. Use the Search facility to look for help posting pics.
Water slap noise in the bow cabin is likely a design issue. My previous boat had it, this one does not, and I`m glad. Short of internal soundproofing I`m not sure there is a solution. Maybe the Grand Banks Forum in USA can help.

1) Have a copy made of the ones that come standard on a GB.

2) Sleep in the aft cabin. If that's not an option there is not much you can do easily other than try the swim noodles around the bow trick while at anchor.

Bill,
Buy a Willard.

Welcome aboard, Kathy. Lots of Aussies here. Here's a link to the Down Under Cruisers section.

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s40/

I use earplugs if it's noisy. I can still hear alarms and ringtones, but it sufficiently muffles the water slap for me. Much cheaper than modifying the hull!

I have always believed the GB swim step (factory supplied) is deficient. 1 - it is way too narrow and 2 - it is way too poorly built and is quite vulnerable to crush damage.

Walk the docks, look at other swim steps, pick one that is wide enough to walk around on it comfortably, pick one that is well enough built to withstand backing into a piling without crumbling, get it built. You will need longer SS supports, and you may wish to mount it a little higher off the water, to give you a better support angle on the brackets without driling holes in the transom below the water line.

All of this is easily done. I did so on my C & L 44. I went from a 21" to a 34" wide swim step that is now mounted 10" off the water (full load WL) on SS brackets made from 1/4" flat bar on 2"pipe angled supports. I have no holes below the WL to fasten the brackets. I did this in about 2000, for about $1500. I have had no regrets.
YMMV

koliver said:

I have always believed the GB swim step (factory supplied) is deficient. 1 - it is way too narrow and 2 - it is way too poorly built and is quite vulnerable to crush damage.

Click to expand...

I may be wrong but I thought he was talking about the steps that are mounted on the transom. Not replacing the swim platform itself.

kathyg25

Wow look at all the replies. This is my first attempt at on line forum, and my
wife Kathy set it up for me as such I have the name Kathy g. I will see what I can do about changing that to Kevin. - So I hope I get as many replies next time
seeing I'm not a girl.

Any way I am still on the hunt for a step and by the look of it the ear plugs sound the cheapest option.

Thanks for the info on the Aussie connection. Kevin G

If you want your name changed, just report your post and tell us in the comment box, including your requested name. We have a name-change guy sitting around the breakroom all day doing absolutely nothing while waiting for someone to request a name change. It'll give him something to do.

The name change will result in a temporary password reset that you can change to your preference.

Welcome aboard, Kevin and Kathy G!

Thanks is this the comment box I change the name

Kenny G. I love jazz. No wait you said KEVIN. Oh. Any relation?

sorry i can't sing, but love Kenny G also

can I change the kathyg25 to KevinG

Kathy, (that's still your official name, right?)

In the bottom port corner of your post, there's a symbol with a "!" inside a red triangle. When you click it to report your own post, it opens up a page with a comment box to describe your issue. This starts a discussion topic in the back room of this website, where we have all our parties...behind the big Emerald Curtain.

As an alternative, you can always click the CONTACT US link at the bottom of each webpage. This wakes up the folks in the front office where they have all the meetings. This might result in a slower response because the boss doesn't like to be woken up before noon. I'm told it's a long story...

Thanks I have replied every where now so some one will find it and sort me out.
any how whats it matter if I have a girls name!!

No worries. You woke up Stanley. He's on it at glacial speed.

Hi Kevin,

If you havent already tried the GB factory, contact this guy (he runs the parts store, and he has had the factory make some teak parts for me from time to time) - Nazri Abu <nazri_a@grandbanks.com>

The parts I have ordered have always turned up with no hassle and they match the existing surrounds.

H.

Yes thanks, I did contact him on another item I was looking for and he was very helpful
I must try him again now, the original step is way too small, perhaps they may make a bigger one. Though I have been on the GB site and nothing there. I will try him again.
Kevin

kathyg25 said:

Yes thanks, I did contact him on another item I was looking for and he was very helpful
I must try him again now, the original step is way too small, perhaps they may make a bigger one. Though I have been on the GB site and nothing there. I will try him again.
Kevin

Click to expand...

Making a new larger step is a very simple carpentry project. Any decent boat yard, shipwright or wood worker could make you one.

Yes I have to try harder to to get this step. If Nazri is no help I will get one made Thanks Kevin

Kevin, is this the large swimstep or the small step pads mounted on the transom?

it has now a very small step but I was hoping for a larger one. Kevin

its the actual step you step up from the transom to to the deck

IG carefully "followed" some GB design features. My boat has 2 steps mounted to the transom, supported underneath by and screwed to a pair of teak brackets. If yours is similar, you could replace the actual step with a larger one made from a pre milled teak board on the existing brackets(try Caporn at Brookvale for the teak, a small increase in your home loan should cover it). You are only size limited on the transom side, but as it will overhang the support brackets don`t go too large.
I recently put self adhesive patterned step tread (available at Whitworths) on top of my teak transom steps. Looks better than grey teak. Varnish could make it slippery, GB might have thought of that with metal treads

Thanks Bruce. This sounds like the best solution so far. The boat is having the timber work done at the moment so as soon as I get it back I will look at that. Thanks Kevin

Don't understand why some builders use small transom steps. That's one place I'd want substantial, wide/deep steps, being in an exposed, potentially overboard position.

GB 42 owner here and I too was dissatisfied with the original size and design of the OEM steps. I fabricated new supports from aluminum and had them powder-coated. I made teak treads and some extra sets that can be swapped out when refinishing is necessary. I've had them on our boat for a few years now and they're rock solid.

If you are going to varnish the steps to mat ch the transom (as I have done), put some sand into the varnish on the step treads. You get the nice varnish look, but the sand makes it 'grippy' underfoot.

H.

Boydster said:

GB 42 owner here and I too was dissatisfied with the original size and design of the OEM steps. I fabricated new supports from aluminum and had them powder-coated. I made teak treads and some extra sets that can be swapped out when refinishing is necessary. I've had them on our boat for a few years now and they're rock solid.

Click to expand...

That's beautiful work, Boydster!

Thank you for the photo of your beautiful step. It's exactly what I need. do you have drawings of the step as I will have one made. Or else let me know where your boat is moored and I will come with a screw driver next time I'm in Canada. Great work. Kevin