Boarding Ladder

[Tanners]

We have a swim platform on the back of our moomba. It has a decorative stainless steel rail around it. The boys and their wives love it but my wife and I find it more difficult to get out of the water than the boarding ladder we had on our Sea Ray.

Question - Has anyone installed a boarding ladder on teh swim platform? Is one available? (I've checked at Bart's and Overton's but not sure)

[Smrtz]

I dont think Ive ever seen one one attached to the swim platforms on any Ski boats. Could be that DD boats sit so much lower in the water.

Good luck!!

[gotmyboat]

I would be carefull putting that kind of dowforce on the edge of the platform. The fiberglass could be prone to stress cracks as well as the extra torque on the mounting brackets. Inboard boats are designed for watersports, and I think there is a certain expectation of physical agility. I have a hard time myself at the beginning of the season (with my winter weight), or after a long slalom set.
I have seen ladders that go over the side for other boats. That would be my suggestion.

Good luck and be safe,

Dave

[lowdrag]

I don't see the force being applied to the platform being that much of an issue. Whenever you stand on the edge of the platform or pull yourself up on it your putting essentially the same amount of force on it as you would with a ladder as long as that ladder isn't extending out past the platform and adding leverage to it. However, I don't know how the fiberglass in the platform would hold up in the long term if you mounted something like that to it. Maybe something along the line of a small rope ladder with some hooks that are covered in rubber would work. You could hook it to the rail and it would give you just enough boost that you could get your butt up on the platform.

[Wolf-]

Originally posted by Ed G
I had one guest floating out there too long and her skin got all pruny, some redneck sped up on us in a Bass Tracker and tried to harpoon the poor woman.

Things not to say to one's in-laws:

"Just grab the handle and roll up on the swim platform like a giant whale."
"Come on now, even Shamu gets up on the platform for food and tricks."
"How come you can carry in 2 full bags of treats from Publix but cant haul yourself up on a swim platform?"

[qb12]

Wolf, that was just bad. Funny as shi****..

db

[Tanners]

Thanks everyone for their replies - keep them coming

to; gotmyboat - My sons are into the watersports but we (mom & dad) bought it more to be a family boat. Hey, it seats 16 people and there's plenty of room to walk around.
That's part of the problem with good wake board boats, by the time you can afford one, you're too old to hoist yourself out of the water.

to; Edd G - We have only 1 ballast bladder up front. That means I'm the biggest ballast in the boat so I can help the wife but that still leaves me in the water.
P.S. - My wife carries a can of orange spray paint and paints "Protected Species" on my belly. So far that has kept the harpooners away.

to; lowdrag - I agree that the platform can hold up to edge downforce as long as it is straight down. Thta's what I am shooting for. Plus something removeable- for me and the wife only, the boys and girls are on their own.

to; wolf - Funny stuff but you're right, be careful who you say it too.

to; everyone - I have a fabricator freind and we're working on something. If I'm successful I'll post a pic

[Tanners]

Thanks everyone for their replies - keep them coming

to; gotmyboat - My sons are into the watersports but we (mom & dad) bought it more to be a family boat. Hey, it seats 16 people and there's plenty of room to walk around.
That's part of the problem with good wake board boats, by the time you can afford one, you're too old to hoist yourself out of the water.

to; Edd G - We have only 1 ballast bladder up front. That means I'm the biggest ballast in the boat so I can help the wife but that still leaves me in the water.
P.S. - My wife carries a can of orange spray paint and paints "Protected Species" on my belly. So far that has kept the harpooners away.

to; lowdrag - I agree that the platform can hold up to edge downforce as long as it is straight down. Thta's what I am shooting for. Plus something removeable- for me and the wife only, the boys and girls are on their own.

to; wolf - Funny stuff but you're right, be careful who you say it too.

to; everyone - I have a fabricator freind and we're working on something. If I'm successful I'll post a pic

[qb12]

Ed, I am guessing that the rail that he refers to is like the one that supra uses on it's platform. I saw a mobius lsv 06 that they put one on.

It's a grab rail.

db

[JoeTechie]

Something like this attached to the read grab bar might do and avoid the platform alltogether.

Sea Steps (http://www.clevel.com/seasteps.shtml)

Step Up (http://www.clevel.com/stepup.shtml)

You can probably rig something just as nice with an old Tube Rope and some sort of step.

-Joe

[Smrtz]

Ya Ed, I checked that, wouldnt that increase drag in the water... stress on the platform, joints pins..etc. doesnt even look like it flips up.I just dont think these boats are constructed to have a ladder actually on the platform.

I do think Ed's comment about a ladder that would go over the side of the hull that you could pull to the inside would be better if that is available.

[Buttafewcoe]

Aftermarket ones available through Overton's or West Marine (prolly others 2)
.
B

[Dave A]

What about the nylon ladder that is in Overton's for use on jet skis? Seems like you could attach it to the grab rail on the back of the boat. Easy to secure and easy to remove.

[smokedog2]

If you cannot use a swim platform - I go with the Bass Tracker.

[JoeTechie]

Smrtz - I think you have Ed's post and My post flip-flopped.

:(

-J

[Tanners]

To Everyone - Looked over the nylon ladders and decided to try that way. I took a large diameted nylon rope, put a couple of good cub-scout knots in it and tried it out. Works good enough