Extending boarding ladder?

[dgadee]

Boarding ladder only goes about 9 to 12" into water at stern. Pretty difficult to get back after a dip and probably impossible to get MOB up after a longer dip. This was the longest folding one I could get my hands on, but it's not long enough.

Should I extend with another step with some stainless work or would - as someone suggested today - just making a rope type ladder extension from horizontal tube and vertical webbing work? HIs idea is that it would pack away neatly and just hang down when the folding ladder was let down.

 

[fredrussell]

Rope ones are rubbish unless you’re an olympic athlete. Better to extend it with parts from another ladder.

 

[William_H]

When you climb a boarding ladder on the transom of a boat with hands clutching higher rungs you and you put your foot on the bottom rung you do a huge push forward on the bottom rung. With a rope ladder type bottom rung this movement of foot forward makes the next step very difficult. Not impossible you ar eprobably better off witha lower rope ladder type step than none at all but still no where near as good as a rigid lower step which will take that push forward. Ideally then a step made of tubular SS clamped to the lowest existing uprights overlapping by 50mm. Or if you need to be able to fold the lower step then again an overlap of 50mm to resit the bending force. Yes absolutely worth doing.
Use the step to make sure it is usable. Hand grips (ladder extensions) well above the transom will make boarding much easier also. ol'will

 

[VicS]

Boarding ladder only goes about 9 to 12" into water at stern. Pretty difficult to get back after a dip and probably impossible to get MOB up after a longer dip. This was the longest folding one I could get my hands on, but it's not long enough.

Should I extend with another step with some stainless work or would - as someone suggested today - just making a rope type ladder extension from horizontal tube and vertical webbing work? HIs idea is that it would pack away neatly and just hang down when the folding ladder was let down.

That is what I did. ( it stows between the two fixed halves when the ladder is raised) ........... Not actually tested though but must be better than trying to climb back on board , after an unscheduled dip, with no ladder at all.

 

[coopec]

"Ideally then a step made of tubular SS clamped to the lowest existing uprights overlapping by 50mm. Or if you need to be able to fold the lower step then again an overlap of 50mm to resit the bending force. Yes absolutely worth doing."

From all the research I've done I'd have to agree with o'wll

But I wonder what size your yacht is? I have to assume it is a largish yacht otherwise you'd buy something off-the-shelf.
I styled my boarding ladder on Ohm Shanti.

My ladder is heavier than I wanted but any lighter construction and it would probably be unsafe. Now I have to work out how to raise it once I'm on deck.

 

[Laminar Flow]

What fredrussel said is correct. We tried a rope extension to the boarding ladder. It is extremely difficult to ascend and my wife certainly does not have the upper body strength to climb up. Exhausted, hypothermic or fully dressed I would not stand a chance either.

You need at the very least two, better three rungs below the water. I intend to make a folding extension using SS tubing and commercially available hinging attachments as used for dodgers and bimini tops.

 

[yoda]

Here is an idea:

EXTEND YOUR STEP - CLR Marine

Yoda

 

[rogerthebodger]

This is a folding stainless ladder I made some years ago. The hinge in the middle is like a bar flap hinge with a sliding tube that drops over the hinge locking the ladder rigid.

This is the slide that can be attached to various positions around the boat.

I also modified one of these telescopic ladder used upside down so that the velcro strap that holds it closed so it can be reached from the water

Extended

 

[dgadee]

Looks good. I notice your dive type ladder is not vertical. Mine would not be either. Is there a problem with leverage when you stand on the bottom step?

 

[fredrussell]

I also modified one of these telescopic ladder used upside down so that the velcro strap that holds it closed so it can be reached from the water

I’m pretty sure those extending ladders are not designed to be used upside down, no?

 

[LittleSister]

I’m pretty sure those extending ladders are not designed to be used upside down, no?

They can also be prone to jamming. (I'm not saying don't use, but be aware.)

 

[rogerthebodger]

Looks good. I notice your dive type ladder is not vertical. Mine would not be either. Is there a problem with leverage when you stand on the bottom step?

It is a little bouncy when standing on the bottom step but being its made from 1 1/4 " schedule 40 tube its is certainly strong enough to hold my 85kgs.

As you climb up its gets less bouncy.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I’m pretty sure those extending ladders are not designed to be used upside down, no?

The telescopic ladder is held open with some little plastic catches that also takes all the weight when used the normal way and the has a fixed stops when used upside down.

Yes they can jam but putting load on them from the water will help to extend then . Also when upside down the gap between the smaller and larger tubes is on the bottom so again its less likely for and grit in between the tubes to cause a jam.

 

[dgadee]

This is the problem ladder:




I have measured it up. The transom slopes at 30 degrees. My plan is to discard the lower folding part and have two long vertical sections of tube with a 150 degree bend so that the lower section of the ladder, when in the water. is vertical. I will then make some teak steps - better for climbing when shoeless. When folded up, the lower section of the ladder (now the highest part) won't be so close to the transom but I don't expect that to be too odd looking.

 

[thinwater]

ABYC standards require a minimum of 2 full steps (22 inches) underwater. 3 is much better, and I have extended ladders on several boats. Also, tube rungs hurt; the tread should be at least 1 1/2" wide.

Yeah, I can get on board with no ladder, if there is anything I can lunge up and grab. I've done it over the fron't beam of my cat many times just to do it. That's not the point. I added swim platforms and a longer ladder.

 

[dgadee]

ABYC standards require a minimum of 2 full steps (22 inches) underwater. 3 is much better, and I have extended ladders on several boats. Also, tube rungs hurt; the tread should be at least 1 1/2" wide.

It's a twin keel boat, so longer also means that I can get on and off when beached.

 

[thinwater]

It's a twin keel boat, so longer also means that I can get on and off when beached.

Mine is a cat, so same thing. When on the hard I don't need a separate boarding ladder. One less thing.

 

[differentroads]

This is the problem ladder:

View attachment 93051


I have measured it up. The transom slopes at 30 degrees. My plan is to discard the lower folding part and have two long vertical sections of tube with a 150 degree bend so that the lower section of the ladder, when in the water. is vertical. I will then make some teak steps - better for climbing when shoeless. When folded up, the lower section of the ladder (now the highest part) won't be so close to the transom but I don't expect that to be too odd looking.

I have a similar transom and the same problem boarding from the water. I bought two cheapish long boarding ladders (looks similar to yours), used the lower section of the second one to extend the first in a z fold which needs ubolts to hold it rigid when at full length. For stowing it neatly in marinas I have to remove the ubolts. Bit of a faff but I couldn't work out a better way. Here it is pulled out from its fully stowed position to show the folds and in its full length when underway peeking above the pushpit. When in the water the bottom rung is 80cm below the water which works well for gettingonto the ladder without our knees been too far bent that we couldn't manage it tired.

 

[Koeketiene]

I also modified one of these telescopic ladder used upside down so that the velcro strap that holds it closed so it can be reached from the water

Extended

You, my dear Sir, are a bloody genius.

 

[dgadee]

I have a similar transom and the same problem boarding from the water. I bought two cheapish long boarding ladders (looks similar to yours), used the lower section of the second one to extend the first in a z fold which needs ubolts to hold it rigid when at full length. For stowing it neatly in marinas I have to remove the ubolts. Bit of a faff but I couldn't work out a better way. Here it is pulled out from its fully stowed position to show the folds and in its full length when underway peeking above the pushpit. When in the water the bottom rung is 80cm below the water which works well for gettingonto the ladder without our knees been too far bent that we couldn't manage it tired.

Yes, I wondered about that approach but couldn't see how the lowest section could be stopped from moving away when boarding. I think it's probably cheaper to do it with tube and get the two bends put in by the local stainless fabricator, than by buying a second ladder.