Re: Source for a Swim Ladder

[Tom Hemphill]

Q3: what swim ladder can be mounted to the transom so youngsters can get aboard from the water?

Martin Marine Design makes one specifically for the older 16-foot Whalers. I installed one on my 1970 16-foot Whaler and enthusiastically recommend it and the company.

[This reply to a similar question asked in another thread that had many topics and questions has been moved to this thread on the topic of sources for swim ladders.]

[KevinArthur]

[Give me recommendations for a source for] swim ladder [to use on a 1965 13-foot hull] that is simple, sturdy, and low profile.

[jimh]

[Give me recommendations for a source for] swim ladder [to attached to a 1965 13-foot hull] that is simple, sturdy, and low profile.

Q1: what characteristic of the swim ladder you want to purchase is to be "low profile"?

Q2: where on the hull do you anticipate you will be attaching the swim ladder and will the swim ladder be permanently installed there?

Q3: how many rungs do you want to have on the swim ladder?

Generally there are not too many different types of swim ladders being made.

Q4: was there a particular brand for the swim ladder you want to get?

[KevinArthur]

[The desired location for the swim ladder is] on the stern.

[The number of rungs on the swim ladder should be] one rung that lowers down.

The brand is not important [as other characteristics].

[The swim ladder] must be durable and strong.

[Swim ladders that are] teak models would go nicely [with some other component that is not identified].

[jimh]

There are many vendors that sell boarding ladders.

I recently bought a boarding ladder from West Marine. The ladder I bought has five rungs. I wish I had bought the six-rung model.

Being able to get back aboard the boat from the water without assistance is an important safety concern. A one-rung ladder sounds a bit useless to me.

Boarding at the stern of a 13-foot boat may be obstructed by the engine, the rigging in the area for the engine, the boat battery, and perhaps a navigation lamp.

The freeboard at the transom in a 13-footer may be so low that re-boarding may be possible without a ladder, and a permanently mounted one-rung ladder might make re-boarding more difficult as it would get in the way of pulling yourself upward and onto the transom top edge.