non-transom boarding ladder - can anyone comment upon Force 4's offering?

[Shearwater]

http://www.force4.co.uk/1484/Force-4-Ladder---5-Steps---H136-X-W35cm.html

We regularly swim and much about of the our 25 foot British Hunter which has a s/steel pushpit, a tiller and rudder of course, and a split back stay all of which make using the transom mounted ladder difficult for some, dangerous for others...... do you climb over the pushpit or through it and will your wet feet slip.........you know the scene.

Thought perhaps a removable rigid ladder on the quarter (where there's the pushpit to hold on to). The Force 4 ladder appears to have fixed shoes the ladder engages into and presumably (ooooh!) they're strong enough for regular use. Before buying I thought I'd ask the team for opinions ........many thanks in advance.

BTW - there seems to be lots of berths available this year in my part of the Med.

 

[Tranona]

Good bit of kit. Use one all the time for boarding my high sided Bavaria. You can get extra shoes so worth fitting them on both sides of the boat.

 

[Bilgediver]

http://www.force4.co.uk/1484/Force-4-Ladder---5-Steps---H136-X-W35cm.html

We regularly swim and much about of the our 25 foot British Hunter which has a s/steel pushpit, a tiller and rudder of course, and a split back stay all of which make using the transom mounted ladder difficult for some, dangerous for others...... do you climb over the pushpit or through it and will your wet feet slip.........you know the scene.

Thought perhaps a removable rigid ladder on the quarter (where there's the pushpit to hold on to). The Force 4 ladder appears to have fixed shoes the ladder engages into and presumably (ooooh!) they're strong enough for regular use. Before buying I thought I'd ask the team for opinions ........many thanks in advance.

BTW - there seems to be lots of berths available this year in my part of the Med.

If like the one in the picture, Is it long enough???? That one would hardly reach the water on my boat.

 

[saltylegs]

looks ok but the add says 5 steps and I can only see 3 ???

 

[l'escargot]

If like the one in the picture, Is it long enough???? That one would hardly reach the water on my boat.

A ladder needs to have at least 2 rungs below the water to be of any use to the not so young or those without good upper body strength.

 

[Tranona]

looks ok but the add says 5 steps and I can only see 3 ???

It is available with 3,4 or 5 steps. The price is for the 5 step version. The others are cheaper.

 

[VicS]

looks ok but the add says 5 steps and I can only see 3 ???

They have simply used the same illustration for 3 step, 4 step and 5 step versions http://www.force4.co.uk/c/16/Gangways--Ladders---Steps.html

 

[saltylegs]

Ah, makes sense.

 

[dulcibella]

It's a good bit of kit. I have bolted (on the inside of the toe-rail) a teak mounting block with hex nuts that fit into the shoes on my five-rung ladder. Position is just forward of the cockpit. No problem getting in and out on my Rustler 36, though admittedly she doesn't have a lot of freeboard. When not in use it simply unclips, folds and stows in a locker.