Beckson Deck Plates: They’re great, but why the press release?

“DECK PLATES PROVIDE THE ACCESS BOATERS DEMAND”

Um, sure they do!

Sometimes, I think about starting a Navagear feature called “Silly press release of the week.” This is a good example.

Please bear in mind that I’m not slamming the product. These Beckson deck plates are top-notch, and reasonably priced. There’s absolutely nothing to complain about here. I have two of them on my workbench now, awaiting time for me to incorporate them into one of my projects.

But a press release about a product that’s been on the market in essentially this same identical form for…what?…two decades? That isn’t really “news”, guys. Hence “silly press release of the week.”

It might annoy my publicist friends, on whom I rely for lots of product news and information, so I wouldn’t want that. And it might annoy the manufacturers.

But on the other hand, it WOULD focus attention on the products, which is really the point of a press release, after all. Somebody once said “I don’t care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right!” (Attributed variously to Mae West, P.T. Barnum, George M. Cohan, Will Rogers, W.C. Fields, Mark Twain, and Oscar Wilde.)

So while I would be poking a bit of fun at the whole product marketing machine, I would also be serving the interests of that machine. I don’t know, I’m divided about it. Would “Silly Press Release” make a good Navagear feature? Add your thoughts in the comments section below. Publicists and manufactures: Feel free to chime in publicly, or send me a private email.

Anyway, on with the silly press release about a great product! …

With screw-out, pry-out and twist-out styles across four different sizes and three different surface textures, Beckson Marine has a deck plate to meet every need. All plastic, watertight, UV-protected and non-jamming, Beckson’s deck plates are built to last and provide years of trouble-free service.

Beckson’s Screw-Out Plates incorporate a cover design that will not open unexpectedly. It also prevents jamming and cross-threading, which can stop a cover from being closed. Providing access without the use of tools, they feature a self-aligning center and an innovative gasket to assure a watertight seal. A patented back-up sealing wall leaves the plate watertight, even if the gasket is removed. They are available in 4", 6", and 8" models.

Developed with an extra heavy O-ring to assure a watertight fit, Beckson’s Pry-Out Deck Plates are offered with smooth or non-skid surface patterns for different installation requirements. The Diamond Non-Skid Pattern extends across the center, eliminating the edge ring that can trap dirt and debris. The Pry-Out Deck Plates come in 6" and 8" sizes.

For a clean, modern look on any bulkhead, Beckson’s 5" Twist-Out Deck Plates conceal mounting fasteners under their quick-twist cover. The low-profile cover is self-centering and quickly locks in place with a 1/8 twist. Three separate sealing areas, each designed to send water away from the plate opening, assure a watertight closure. The bayonet threads lift the cover from the center for easy removal.

Beckson’s Deck Plates come in white, beige, black and clear with custom colors offered at the OEM level with choices of smooth, dimple or diamond surface textures.