Safe place to mount a swim ladder?

[Gixer]

Hey guys,

After seeing the prices of getting a bespoke boarding ladder made I’ve bought a secondhand one to modify for my boat. I do have a couple of questions for you guys.

I want to mount the bracket for the ladder as low as possible but the position is right between the cockpit drains as below. Do you think this would affect the strength of the stern? Also you might be able to see that it doesn’t sit quite flush, my stern is slightly rounded but the bracket is for a flat transom. Any ideas on how to pad this out or get it to sit flush?

 

[alahol2]

In the absence of any other suggestions I'd use a hardwood lath. Flat on one side to take the ladder, dished on the other to take the curve of the transom. Similar backing plate inside the hull.

 

[Gixer]

Thank you for the response. This is kind of the conclusion I was coming to. although I my try and make it in fiberglass.

With strengthening behind does anyone think the proximity of the cockpit drains could cause a problem?

 

[differentroads]

Thank you for the response. This is kind of the conclusion I was coming to. although I my try and make it in fiberglass.

With strengthening behind does anyone think the proximity of the cockpit drains could cause a problem?

It depends on the thickness of the transom, and if it has a core or not. Me, I would put a vertical pad behind each leg because the leverage when climbing the ladder is vertical, not horizontal.

For my own boarding ladder, I mounted it higher up my transom where I could create strong backing pads and bought a second ladder to use the lower section to extend my ladder to about 1.5m below the waterline so its much easy to climb out of the water. It folds in a Z shape. An expensive solution, but worth it for us, for safety and convenience

 

[differentroads]

...and I admit to fairly limited experience and a tendancy to over-engineer such stuff, but I think you'll likely see stress cracks around the boarding ladder in that position, given the leverage created by an adult climbing the ladder and the proximity to the skin fittings, which will have reduced the stiffness of the transom in that area.

 

[Gixer]

...and I admit to fairly limited experience and a tendancy to over-engineer such stuff, but I think you'll likely see stress cracks around the boarding ladder in that position, given the leverage created by an adult climbing the ladder and the proximity to the skin fittings, which will have reduced the stiffness of the transom in that area.

My thoughts as well, I can move it up so think I will. thanks for the response.