TESTED: ARTHUR BEALE PLANKFORM
Working on a boat’s topsides requires trestles of one sort or another, but the chances are you’ll also want a workbench, something that can take a deal of weight, and ideally is of flexible length. Plankform, from London’s oldest chandlers, Arthur Beale, is ingeniously simple. Two steel slots, the right size and shape to accept a builder’s scaffold board, are supported by two hefty aluminium legs slotted in to provide a stable base, which are held in place by wing nuts. It’s all pretty agricultural, but the concept works brilliantly. Want a longer trestle? You just need a longer scaffold board, rather than an expensive ladder system. The downside is that this gives you quite a narrow platform to stand on, but a Plankforms at each end will provide a solid base for larger platforms. It easily doubles as a saw bench or tool stand and you can buy the metal parts alone, or include a 3ft/1m scaffold board to get you started. Different length legs are available as these are not adjustable. They are solidly made and can be dismantled for storage, though do not pack completely flat.