Fender steps - any recommendations?

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West Coast

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My AWB needs steps to be able to get from the pontoon to the deck. The previous owner had bought a 2 step boarding ladder with stainless steel frame and plastic steps. Works OK, but is a rigid design and very awkward to stow. Note this is not for dinghy access (this happens at the stern).

So I am thinking of buying a fender that combines with steps perhaps something like this Dan-Fender Fender2Step | Force 4 Chandlery
or perhaps this Majoni 3 Step Fender Ladder White- L55 | Force 4 Chandlery

For those who have them, do these fender steps work OK, give a safe foot grip? Any recommendations?

Cheers
 
I prefer the fender step that is a simple stand on rather than putting your foot in it. No problem coming up from the dock but if using it to step down as the boat docks always worried about getting a foot caught. The longer ones can catch on a high pontoon. We have one permanently rigged either side (high freeboard boat)
 
West Coast said:
My AWB needs steps to be able to get from the pontoon to the deck. The previous owner had bought a 2 step boarding ladder with stainless steel frame and plastic steps. Works OK, but is a rigid design and very awkward to stow. Note this is not for dinghy access (this happens at the stern).

So I am thinking of buying a fender that combines with steps perhaps something like this Dan-Fender Fender2Step | Force 4 Chandlery
or perhaps this Majoni 3 Step Fender Ladder White- L55 | Force 4 Chandlery

For those who have them, do these fender steps work OK, give a safe foot grip? Any recommendations?

Cheers
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I have a 3 step fender ladder

I t makes a useful fender between boat and dinghy but to use it as a ladder I usually flip it inside the dinghy.
The steps are a bit narrow if wearing wellies . The secret seems to be not to inflate it too hard..

They also come in 4 step and 5 step versions but fo a small boat like my Sea Wych the 3 step one is just right

For me it revolutionised boarding and disembarking with a none-too-stable dinghy and aging legs.
 
Yes v useful

We have a three step version. Best not to stand on the top step as the eyelet started to give way; using only the lower steps works fine.
 
I gave up with fender steps. The last one i had the eyelet split on one side. The one before went tacky in the sun and I couldn't clean it. I bought a sturdy fold up plastic stool, put it on the pontoon and tied it with a bit of cord to the pontoon cleat. Folds flat in the locker for storage and much much cheaper. 5.99 euros from the local B&Q equivalent here in Portugal.

1618690401833.png
 
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We use the Majoni step that you linked to - primarily for when coming alongside to avoid her ladyship having to jump down. Clip on by the shrouds to give a firm handhold. Works well.

PS. We also have a s/s framed step occasionally used at the rail gate if a very low pontoon or less able crew coming on board, but never used when berthing. Also a £5 folding step used when bows to Baltic mooring, where the Rocna provides the upper step :)
 
Our 4 step fender ladder split at one securing point within a year, however passing the securing lines through the securing points then under the first step makes it usable and more stable. Its invaluable for boarding when bows on to staging. We have relatively high bows and rig the step ladder on one side of a short bowsprit. Not easy to access as a swimmer in anything but absolutely calm conditions and needs a stand-off to enable wet feet to safely engage.
A one step Dan-Fender bought as a replacement has proved its worth for boarding midships from staging and aft from the inflatable.
Horses for courses - been happy to carry both for 10+ years.
 
When we saw the height of our 42 foot AWB from the finger berth then a fender step was top of our list. Then the broker just stepped aboard at the stern step which was almost level to the main pontoon. Since then we have gone with the way that most AWBs are designed and reversed into berths.
 
I have the three step one - it is a pretty good fender (doesn't roll out) and helps boarding the boat. Particularly useful when boarding from the dinghy at anchor or on a buoy. The only minor downside is that they are a little narrow - you can only get about 4 inches of your foot on one - so they are not as easy to use as a proper boarding ladder.
 
I bought a fender step when we got Sea Hawk. When not in use it was stored in the fore cabin. After a while we noticed an unpleasant smell there which was found to be from the fender step. We replaced it with a step stool like the one in post #7.
 
yotter said:
We use a Danfender fender step. The inflatable type similar to a fender with two eyelets at the top. It works very well. See below.

Aquafax FenderStep Gael Force Marine
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We have one of those as well. Works well and its robust. In the Tropics fenders can go tacky. The Mrs made a nice PU coated acrylic cover for it. Problem solved. We found the best use for it was hanging it mid ships when coming alongside a low pontoon. Mrs can stand on it as we approach and simply step off?
 
dunedin said:
when coming alongside to avoid her ladyship having to jump down.
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This sounds like an accident waiting to happen. If the fender failed for any reason she would be in the water between a moving boat and an unmoving pontoon. If the boat is large enough to require a step this would be potentially fatal. These are great while tied on but if the boat is still moving I definitely wouldn't use it.
 
I have just replaced a 14 year old Dan Fenderstep that would not hold pressure with a new Dan Fender2step. Those that use it say it is even better, despite older knees. Looked at 3 and 4 step Majonis ladder-types, but not as much to step on against the hull..
 
lustyd said:
This sounds like an accident waiting to happen. If the fender failed for any reason she would be in the water between a moving boat and an unmoving pontoon. If the boat is large enough to require a step this would be potentially fatal. These are great while tied on but if the boat is still moving I definitely wouldn't use it.
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree here - no jumping down when the boat's moving at all for us. Far too high a risk of serious injury.

We have secure a line from midships cleat to end of finger pontoon with a specially spliced line ( large eye through reinforced PVC tube to hold open) and motor gently against. Once boat is secure this way we can get other lines on at our leisure.
 
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