--- In [email protected], "Julian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Call me modern but for the last 10 years I have used 2" thin wall ali tube > bung up the ends with wood so it floats and there it is. > Never breaks, bends or warps, provided you don't use it as a lever which is > what the gangplank is for. > Much lighter then wood and easier to handle the only problem is you do have > to force it down into the water as it is so buoyant. > > Available from any decent metal stockist. > > > Julian > We have an an alumium pole on emilyanne and its fantastic. - It was bought and spec'ed by my grandads (now deceased) boating friend john, shortly after a partiualarly bad wooden pole!
It must be 10years old now at least, i dont remember a time without it. - Its also 2inch OD, and fairly thin walled, and i beleave a slightly fancy alloy, with wooden end caps. One rounded end as a handle, one flat end for the buisness end. - As Julian says, its very light and stiff and remains totatly staight in all weather! Being 2ft9inch draught and fairly adventours, we find ourselfs using it a lot, and putting a fiar old force though it. - I have this technique where i brace myself between the pole and the opposing handrail, and lieing prittymuch flat accross the roof, push as hard as i dam well can!! (which is often needed to shift her!!) - Even pushing as hard as i can in the method described, or even with two people on it, it never feels other than solid. Certainly i doubt many of the bargepoles i see on other boats could put up with this useage. Also, being as light as it is, i would say our pole is quite a lot longer than you stadard pole two. Which again, is often extreamly usefull. (and it still very manouverble, being so light) Two photos of me using the pole in the center of birminham, after my sister tryed to cut the corner!! - you can also see our wooden (hardwood) boat pole on the roof. http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/949/imgp2681hf4.jpg http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8596/imgp2682vc2.jpg Daniel
