On Mon, 4 Oct 2010 16:03:40 -0400, "Flying Pig"
wrote:

ISO Pace-Edwards Mast Steps

So, Sasquatch, here.

My feet are way bigger than would be comfortable on the usual mast step.
One which is ideal, but no longer made, is Pace-Edwards. I first started
this search about 4 years ago, and having seen someone else' boat with them
has prompted me to take keyboard in hand again.

Googling, finding, then calling and talking with the factory reveals that
they have not made them for many years (and this started 4 years ago!).
There seemed to be some interest in selling their tooling, so that someone
might address that niche market, but they've never followed up with me
despite many mails and calls.

Surely, someone/some joint, somewhere, has NOS, or perhaps, even, some
salvaged ones. I only need a single step, unless someone had about 20 of
them. That's Pace-Edwards, Made In USA, stamped on the foot area side "wings
(what makes them more comfy; it's wider by far than the standard mast step).

What makes these so good (for me) is a very large foot enclosure and base,
and rounded sides, kinder on the hands and feet when banged against or
pulled on as you go from one to the next. None I've seen of what's available
currently meet those standards.

In the long shot that someone knows of a potential source for these, or ones
meeting the same standards (footrest area 2x5.5 [footrest] x9 [height from
footrest to top]" inside measure, anodized aluminum or better), I'd very
much like to know about it. We want to get mast steps, but not something
which will be uncomfortable to climb or stand on for an extended period.

??

Thanks.

L8R


Err - West Marine lists three models of mast steps in their
catalog,and Plastimo lists one. But more to the point, I suppose, your
feet are 5.5 inches wide?

I never, knowingly, have seen a "Pace-Edwards" step (mast steps are
mast steps :-) But googling shows them as bent aluminum steps riveted
to the mast and if so then they are a giant pain in the butt and will
catch every line, stay, rope, whatever that runs up the outside of the
mast, unless your rig some sort of preventor lines along the outside
of the steps to stop a line from becoming tangled with the step. Some
form of folding steps are a much superior solution.

Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)