a leg guide for use in a leg of a jack up unit adapted to provide sliding guidance of the leg during vertical movement of the leg . the leg guide has a first portion contacting an edge of a leg chord and a second portion contacting a face of the leg chord along a longitudinal plane opposite the contact plane of the first portion . the edge contacting guide has a deflecting guide unit , which uses a compressible member sandwiched between two rigid plates . as the leg moves , the teeth of the leg chord contact the edge guide unit , with the compressible member absorbing compressible loads acting on the leg chord . the second portion provides for a face plate mounted transversely to the edge contacting guide for reducing the build - up of horizontal moment acting on the leg chord during the vertical movement of the leg and for reducing bending moments acting on the leg .