[MedSailor]

One of the disadvantages/tradeoffs of my new ride is the high freeboard. This makes boarding the boat from a tender more difficult, and this is an issue that is important for us right now since we have a toddler and another kiddo on the way.

I'm looking into adding a swim step to the stern of my boat, and cu$tom is always an option, but in my searchings I found a company that makes stainless and teak bow platforms and stern platforms/swimsteps.

What do you think? Looks exactly like what I want, at a fraction of custom price, but ordering manufactured goods directly from a Chinese website has always spooked me a little....

1202036, Boat Teak Swim Platform, With Folding Ladder 3 Steps, [1202044] at China Seawell Marine

I also just noticed that the website seems to stock a LOT of marine goods. fenders for $10 for example that "look" like the ones that are $40 at We$t Marine.

MedSailor

 

[tommays]

I have done a bunch of FAT work (final acceptance test) for a company that brings in machinery from china built by the various state sanctioned copying company's

It might be really good OR you might have to rebuild a brand new machine

So in my experience without everything specified out right down to the last screw it really hard to say what you will get

 

[Salamander]

There are various stainless grades used, the one's used in Chinese marine construction may suffer from staining and may possibly degrade after extended usage.

 

[Jaramaz]

Med, you do not want crap on your new boat.

You have bought a nice boat, spend a lot of $ on that and are spending even more $ on transporting it. And then you want to save some few on someting that is visible for all, and that also does require some mechanical strength.

There must be other options than either this crap shop or custom made. At least were I live there are a number of ready-made such platforms. And by the way, custom made is not always so expensive after all.

If you get some fenders from the crap shop, OK have fun with those. It doesn't matter. (I guess you will see the result in the plastic after 2-3 years).

So
1. Don't buy crap.
2. Don't waste your time and energy to install crap on your boat.
3. You shall be proud of your boat. Not searching for excuses.

/J

 

[Salamander]

Med, you do not want crap on your new boat.

You have bought a nice boat, spend a lot of $ on that and are spending even more $ on transporting it. And then you want to save some few on someting that is visible for all, and that also does require some mechanical strength.

There must be other options than either this crap shop or custom made. At least were I live there are a number of ready-made such platforms. And by the way, custom made is not always so expensive after all.

If you get some fenders from the crap shop, OK have fun with those. It doesn't matter. (I guess you will see the result in the plastic after 2-3 years).

So
1. Don't buy crap.
2. Don't waste your time and energy to install crap on your boat.
3. You shall be proud of your boat. Not searching for excuses.

/J

I second that motion.

 

[ggray]

In addition, total weight listed at 5 kg seems pretty light.
Now, if you could inspect one first, that could make a difference.

 

[MedSailor]

Med, you do not want crap on your new boat.

You have bought a nice boat, spend a lot of $ on that and are spending even more $ on transporting it. And then you want to save some few on someting that is visible for all, and that also does require some mechanical strength.

There must be other options than either this crap shop or custom made. At least were I live there are a number of ready-made such platforms. And by the way, custom made is not always so expensive after all.

If you get some fenders from the crap shop, OK have fun with those. It doesn't matter. (I guess you will see the result in the plastic after 2-3 years).

So
1. Don't buy crap.
2. Don't waste your time and energy to install crap on your boat.
3. You shall be proud of your boat. Not searching for excuses.

/J

Message received without distortion. You're right, but old habits do die hard. Thanks for the kick in the rear. A cheap, flimsy, ugly piece of external gear is probably not the right first piece of gear to buy after christening the new boat. Sets the wrong tone for her....

MedSailor

 

[christian.hess]

Ive always had luck looking for local business that are not marine oriented have me make stuff in stainless

"custom" if you will

even down here once explained well you can have many things done and done well...

I used to do it for my motorcycles and offroad stuff like skidplates, pannier racks etc to car stuff and now had my chainplates and some hardware done with them for my boat.

I think there are some things you shouldnt skimp on but I also beleive in local business...

also I dont pay ridiculous shipping prices...

the thing with stainless is its not hard to work with, but the most important thing is the quality of the ss not, per se the manufacturing process..

sometimes its hard to gauge how good the material is but I have had good luck using scales, weight, and how magnetic some peices are

yes there is a noticeable difference in magnetic qualities some stainless steels do in fact have some pull...

in any case

just my 2 cents...

 

[svHyLyte]

Based upon our experience with poor quality stainless steel made in China, there isn't a chance I'd buy anything Chinese a second time, and particularly anything I'd might have to depend upon for safety/security. For your needs you might take a look at the offerings by Stainless Outfitters. (I suggest that one not be "Penny Wise but Pound Foolish". It gets expensive quickly.)

In future, you might find that "Good Old Boat" is a good resource.

 

[dvuyxx]

I don't think that it is fair to say that everything that is made in China is crap. Many of the things you think are made in the US are either made in or have parts from China. I have some 316 stainless steel components that are from China. Just do your homework.

 

[christian.hess]

yup

 

[svHyLyte]

I don't think that it is fair to say that everything that is made in China is crap. Many of the things you think are made in the US are either made in or have parts from China. I have some 316 stainless steel components that are from China. Just do your homework.

David--I'm sure you're correct although, perhaps, rather unnecessarily PC considering the venue (and I don't think I used the term "crap" anywhere in my post, did I?). That aside, there is nothing xenophobic about my predicating an attitude on the basis of experience and, in this case, with the relatively low/poor quality of Chinese products in past. Given that, frankly, I really don't want to have to "do my homework" for the sake of accepting a Chinese product if it can be avoided. While somewhat more costly, I prefer to choose products made in the US, England, France, Germany, Finland, Sweden etc. Nor am I chagrined by suggesting that approach for others. You, and MedSailor or others, may/are free to, do as you choose. No?

 

[WinterRiver]

Have you looked at marine consignment shops?

 

[MedSailor]

Have you looked at marine consignment shops?

Nope, but there's a pretty big one not far from where I live that has a yard full of junk. Some of that junk could be gold.... Thanks for the reminder.

MedSailor

 

[krisscross]

I would be suspicious even of the quality of that teak (if that really is teak wood and not some low grade substitute that looks like teak). Then there is rust issues with poor quality stainless steel, and more importantly - safety issues with low quality/weak welds. I would stick with reputable vendors and much rather buy a used but quality item then take a chance on potentially substandard new item.

 

[northoceanbeach]

I just bought an inverter that was unfortunately made in china. The first time I pulled my phone plug out the whole thing separated. They forgot to put any screws on to hold it together. No screws at all. I have stuff from china falling apart in my hands all the time. There is no quality control. Sure, the American owners say they go visit the factory once a year to tell you how good it is, but what good is that? Don't you think they could make everything look nice and instruct the workers to smile and clean the place up for one day? It's not like a factory in your city, where the owner could do surprise inspections at any time.

 

[asdf38]

I just bought an inverter that was unfortunately made in china. The first time I pulled my phone plug out the whole thing separated. They forgot to put any screws on to hold it together. No screws at all. I have stuff from china falling apart in my hands all the time. There is no quality control. Sure, the American owners say they go visit the factory once a year to tell you how good it is, but what good is that? Don't you think they could make everything look nice and instruct the workers to smile and clean the place up for one day? It's not like a factory in your city, where the owner could do surprise inspections at any time.

Heh, every electronic device with few exceptions are made in China. The exceptions are almost entirely Chinese manufactured parts simply assembled somewhere else.

If you want an inverter not made in china then you're just not going to have an inverter.

 

[capta]

Yea, yea, yea. Chinese this is crap, Chinese that is crap.
Well, 8 months ago we bought some good old USA hot dip galvanized chain and already the galvanizing is gone on a good bit of it and it's beginning to rust.
Quality seems to be a dying idea and I don't care where what you buy comes from, planned obsolescence is the watch word. What recourse do we as consumers have when even the most costly, supposedly reputably built items, are crap? I find myself buying what I know is crap, with several extras to replace them when they break, because there just isn't any other choice.
Used to be stainless was actually stainless, but not today; 304/316, no matter. If you don't rinse it with fresh water, it is going to stain, period.

 

[christian.hess]

BINGO!

I actually lost a post I was typing here with the damn internet failing when I hit enter

anywhoo

guys the problem is consumer based on a wordly scene...if the consumer wants cheap(the majority) its up to you the buyer to source the better quality and therefore more expensive and probably non available quality item...

regearding stainless you are kidding yourselvles if you think that westmarine and all the big purveyors of parts arent buying chinese steel or asian if you will...

the thing is unless you have connections at all the mills and manufacturers you will really never know.


almost all rigging hardware well 99% are made from 304, yes 304...some dont even beleive that...almost all of them stain within a season...

wire is the exception but ask all riggers and they sourse 316 wire from asia, with the best being south korean...

sourcing good 316, or 316l will probably dead end you most places you inquire...and even then it wont be US made...

and like capta says its up to you to replace and or maintain these parts...

the issue is for those of us that want quality, we are the dying genaration...or we accept that we are indeed dying or you fight it till the end...however be prepared to pay a big price, waste a lot of time sourcing the "best" and in the end you will see its not worth it for the general population

what good is it to have the best blender if when it needs new brushes for the motor they want to charge you $90 an hour to replace the brushes?

right?

so any openminded sensible person sees that you can buy 5 blenders for that same price and replace as needed.

THIS mentality is whats causing the world trash problems, the consumer need for crap, and throw away consumer based products.

not the other way around...its not china imposing its products, its us,the lazy generation that doesnt want to fix or work on anything simply plug and play and replace as needed...

rant over

jajaja

 

[Group9]

I don't think that it is fair to say that everything that is made in China is crap. Many of the things you think are made in the US are either made in or have parts from China. I have some 316 stainless steel components that are from China. Just do your homework.

When you think about how many of the everyday items we buy, that come from China, we better hope they aren't all crap.