Side mounted ladder

[xhurleyman]

Yesterday a friend of mine was asking if I knew of a design for a side mounted ladder which could be extended to around four feet below sea level.
Some years ago I though of the same thing but never developed it for lack of money, I had been considering a stainless steel construction, he mentioned ally, any views would be interesting. He was of the opinion that a single hander should be able to release the ladder from the water and therefore its weight would cause it to drop down. The simpler design and the better and I know there are many people belonging to this forum who are clever inventors so I look forward to your answers.
Cheers
Kevin

 

[prv]

The builder's original ladder on my boat is at the side. There are a pair of keyhole plates embedded in the outside of the gunwale, and the tops of the side rails of the ladder clip into these. There is a pair of short legs sticking out of the ladder just above the waterline which hold it out from the hull. The ladder hinges just below these legs, so the bottom half can be pulled up out of the water.

It works very well for swimming and dinghies, being mounted at the centre of rotation of the boat it's fine even if she's pitching quite substantially in wash etc. Not ideal for MOB use though as it stows in a locker and needs to be dragged out and clipped in place before it can be used.

Pete

 

[lw395]

Lots of dive boats have side mounted ladders.
Often a spine with half-rungs sticking out each side, so you can climb them with fins on.

 

[Davy_S]

I have seen a local boat using one. It is made of stainless and is telescopic, it fixes near his bow, a pull on a rope releases it. It is a similar ladder that house surveyors carry around with them.

 

[VicS]

My solution is an extra rung, suspended on two ropes, added to a standard folding stern mounted boarding ladder,

I appreciate that it will not be easy to use and I have not yet put it to the test.

...

 

[xhurleyman]

Thanks for your input gents, I will pass the info along.
Kevin

 

[paul.norton]

Hi Kevin

I saw on the web somewhere a ladder on a Drascombe which was used by a single-hander. (A Google search indicates it may have been made by Douglas Hopwood.) It was stowed on the aft deck and a rope was left dangling over the side which could be pulled by anyone in the water - this caused the ladder to unfold and be deployed.

What about obtaining a cheapish ali step ladder and experiment. It would probably have to be stowed outside any lifelines or perhaps be incorporated in the pushpit.

Paul

 

[LadyInBed]

Aluminium telescopic ladder?

 

[single]

My solution is an extra rung, suspended on two ropes, added to a standard folding stern mounted boarding ladder,

I appreciate that it will not be easy to use and I have not yet put it to the test.

...

I have the type as above and its really hard to get up.

 

[VicS]

I have the type as above and its really hard to get up.

Yes but is going to be much easier, I hope, to get back on board next time I fall overboard than it was last time when I had to climb up the dinghy painter!
It will also have the advantage that it will be available even when the dinghy painter is not!

 

[Seajet]

VicS,

I reckon with a bit of adrenalin - ie fear - your ladder should be quite OK.

The bit suspended on ropes will shoot away when you put your foot on it, but should still be usable.

When I went over the side from the tender at my mooring I managed, fully clothed with an inflated lifejacket, to raise my leg and get a foot on the folding single step just above the waterline on the transom, then grabbed the pushpit with both hands and pulled like mad, I had the impression I wouldn't get many attempts before becoming exhausted.

Previously I'd found this near impossible when deliberately swimming !