How do you get on and off the boat ?

[Greenheart]

... with the intention of taking to the ground as often as possible ....

To me, 'as often as possible' sounds like when he can, rather than because he must.

What I meant was, the OP's home-berth itself (and most other readers' home berths) aren't so likely to necessitate problematic ladder access, that Fimacca's recommendation of a marina pontoon instead, is a better alternative to having a ladder aboard...

...because however convenient, clean and effortless your set-up may be at your home berth, if you haven't provided the yacht with the means for the crew to reach the beach at low tide, you'll never enjoy walking ashore except at a marina pontoon. Aboard a bilge or lifting or triple keeler, or a multihull, or any vessel that can take the ground, that is an unfortunate loss.

 

[thinwater]

The OP seemed to imply routinely:

... we've gone for a bilge keeler with the intention of taking to the ground as often as possible ...

To me, 'as often as possible' sounds like when he can, rather than because he must.

What I meant was, the OP's home-berth itself (and most other readers' home berths) aren't so likely to necessitate problematic ladder access, that Fimacca's recommendation of a marina pontoon instead, is a better alternative to having a ladder aboard...

...because however convenient, clean and effortless your set-up may be at your home berth, if you haven't provided the yacht with the means for the crew to reach the beach at low tide, you'll never enjoy walking ashore except at a marina pontoon. Aboard a bilge or lifting or triple keeler, or a multihull, or any vessel that can take the ground, that is an unfortunate loss.

I definite prefer a pontoon, particularly as I get older, as well as for my guests. In fact, the step from the pontoon is becoming for difficult for some.

Yup, I enjoy beach stops. With larger boats (I carry a dinghy on davits, as well as kayaks, on my PDQ) a tender is the ticket, but under about 30' that becomes difficult. On my F-24 I keep a kayak on the wing net, but that's tough for monohulls.

Around here, if you "take the ground," it is soupy mud up to mid-thigh many places, and firm sand many fewer.

In truthy, I am no fan of "taking the ground," because you can lose paint and because a few waves or a single bad wake can do damamge. No thanks, I'll anchor out and kayak in.

 

[Greenheart]

To each, their own. I had a marina berth myself and I'll probably get another. It was the cheapest in the Solent and I could walk there from home in eight minutes, which combined with stepping aboard dry-footed every time, almost offset the hideous cost. Almost.

None of that means that while cruising, I'd be content not to dry out on sheltered sandy beaches or tidal rivers because I had no proper ladder. I don't mean an undersized folding ladder or one of those rope abominations, or something costly and clever that flexes unsettlingly...

...just a plain functional ladder. I'd feel badly ill-prepared if, by not carrying something so cheap and easily sourced, I had to either skip lovely places like Priory Bay, or always anchor off and use the dinghy. Or find the nearest marina, miles further on.

I thought the OP is hoping for suggestions that make getting to and from the deck easier, rather than reasons not to beach his boat at all.

Carry an aluminium ladder of the correct length. Lash it to the guardwires when not in use like you would with a fender board.

That was the first response, and the best. All our guff since was wasted keyboard-exercise.
.

 

[penfold]

Problem with that is that a ladder light enough to be not unduly heavy will not tolerate being used as a fender board in much more than a flat calm; weather or trawler-induced heave is likely to render it banana-shaped. Even heavy section ladder for a sweep or painter isn't particularly strong in that direction, although will be more durable.

 

[Refueler]

Don't think fender-board comes into it personally.

My concern with the B&Q / Wickes ladder section - is the carriage of it ... I have a 25ft motor-sailer as shown earlier. The shortish Lazilas folder ladder I have has Velcro lashing to guardlines. Its only just short enough to not be a pain to walk past. If I was to have a ladder section that actually reached ground when dried out and top safely met toe-rail ... the length would bridge the curvature and cause a restriction of deck access.

I have been looking at telescopic swim ladders for my pontoon at home .... now that could be an answer as the collapsed length is nice and short .... My idea being to have two ..... one on pontoon ... other carried on the boat ...

 

[Greenheart]

Agreed, the fender-board idea is a neat extra use but isn't its principal purpose. If a real ladder isn't the ultimate fender board, it's still the best version of a ladder.

Is it necessary to strap a ladder inside the guardrails, where it obstructs walking?

If people really are prevented from carrying a decent aluminium ladder, by the length which makes it so reliable in use, would it be possible to custom-make a ladder of great strength, manageable stowability and adequate length, by starting with (for argument's sake) a ten-foot builder's ladder, cutting it in half, then 'sleeving' one end with the right size of box-section aluminium (at least as strong as the ladder itself), so that the sleeve sticks out another 12" to allow insertion of the other section...

Photo: aluminium-online.co.uk

...then if your boat draws five foot, and from the waterline to the top of your guardrails is another five foot, the ladder will be long enough in use but no more than six foot long, stowed.

I suppose if anyone was afraid that the separate pieces of the join might lack rigidity, one could source a second, even larger piece of box-section aluminium, carefully cut and bend it so that a single piece sleeves the upper 3" or so of the ladder sleeve, then bends 90°, across to the other free ladder-top section, where it bends another 90° to fit on there too...a picture may speak better than words...

...or it may need even more explanation. Obviously I've borrowed Mr Scott's transparent aluminium for the drawing.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Senn a 40ft ish yacht moored on the Dart , with a long alumin ladder strapped to its mast stays ; might not good but appears to leave the decking free of obstruction

 

[Daverw]

We don’t need anything to get on or off, sit bum on sugar sc and done

 

[Refueler]

Senn a 40ft ish yacht moored on the Dart , with a long alumin ladder strapped to its mast stays ; might not good but appears to leave the decking free of obstruction

The trick is to find the location that allows clear movement, but ease of deployment. Having experienced falling in - the recovery of person becomes the main problem. The 'ladder' for me is not only a means to get 'on - off' but also needs to be deployable quickly to give chance of person being able to climb back on before numbness sets in.
My Lazilas folder is held by velcro strips to guardlines. No knots to be hard with cold hands etc. eBay and even shops selling items for dressmaking have 'reversible' Velcro. That is Velcro with hook one side and loop on other. No need for two pieces. Just wrap round and it sticks to itself.
I considered across transom to the pushpit rails - but eventually used the side guardlines.
The other factor of course when carrying at side - to avoid chafe to that sweeper genny !

 

[pcatterall]

Like many others we carry an aluminium ladder, we tie ours to the guard rails so it is pretty well out of the way. The idea above of lashing to a stay may also serve.
Ours is long enough to use as a gangplank over the high bow. We use a light ply board lashed via holes over the rungs. It also serves as a boarding ladder so swimmers can board from the stern.

The ladder will also reach from the ground to the swimming platform and from that we can clamber on board.

We are planning to fit short tubes to the ladder sides to take poles. The poles to carry lines to use as hand 'rails'.