Adding a swim step - ladder to platform - need advice, ideas

[haknslash]

It’s not the swim deck brackets one has to worry about. Don’t forget people are floating so it’s not like it is their total weight. I’ve had 3 people standing on the swim platform at once, so if the brackets can support that weight then it can support the partial weight of someone getting out that’s in the water..

I have a ladder but never installed it. I was just going to do what others did by simply screwing them into from the bottom but after digging into this more during the season I’ve decided to through bolt mine. The core of the swim deck is not solid but rather foam. I did not want to rely on just the thin fiberglass of the bottom section to hold my weight. You can buy boots that have a flush head on them so that when you do a small countersink it all sits very flush.

[Holdmybeer]

Everyone that is looking to do this, I recommend thru bolting also.

If you have access or willing pay for it, I would take all thread and cut the length needed. Next, have fender washers or large flat circles welded to the end to create a larger surface area on the top side of the platform. The thin washer/sheet metal will also hide better under the sea deck. This also doesn't require counter sink or bore into the glass.

To prevent water soaking, I would fill the holes with epoxy after putting the bolts through the platform.

[haknslash]

Yup +1 on adding epoxy or smear 4200 all in there to protect the foam. Swim platform is always soaked or buried deep under water.

[CrackedPatella]

I went a different route on adding a ladder to the platform. This one lays on top of the platform, simple to make, and it's portable.

My wife loved the ladder we had on our Yamaha 212X and hated that we weren't able to have one on the Kaiyen.

The wood is flat 1/2" oak from a neighbor's staircase that he was replacing. I used two stainless steel hooks to attach to the grab bar. It works great and received the wife seal of approval.

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