[corny]

We have a Ranger 28 and are looking for a good ladder for climbing down to our dinghy and for emergency MOB situations. Having a little difficulty in selecting one...interested in hearing what others have devised, purchased or both in the ways of 'swim' or 'boarding' ladders. Pics, mfg info, etc. would be nice.

 

[CaptainForce]

The ladders are nice for getting aboard from a swim, but for dinghy access we use the little (approx. 8"x8") pad suspended by four lines that is in the West Marine catalog. It's very stable and can give you the distance between and rib bladder and the deck to make it an easy step. 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

 

[roline]

I had a ladder that fit over the toe rail, but was not mounted for everyday use. I prefered the transom mounded ones for always being there for a possible MOB recovery. If you are overboard it is too late to think about finding the ladder in the lazerette and installing it on the toe rail. I looked on the internet and Ebay for months and finally found one for under $100 delivered. WM has several versions abailable, but none were a fit for the transom on the Cal 9.2. It mounted with 4 1/4x20 screws, just needed to add an access port on the inside of the cockpit to access the nuts and mounting washers. It pivits down and extends into the water far enough to be able to stand on. I tried the emergency Plastimo ladder, rope with plastic rungs, it just was not practicle requiring too much upper body strength. If the water is cold, you need an easier way...

 

[Joesaila]

Big Help!

We have a 'swim' ladder that can be used to get in the boat from the dinghy. But, I appreciated learning about the Quick Step from WM. [inexpensive too]I'm sure it will work better than the swim ladder and the person won't have to duck under the stern rails. I'm getting one today! This post was a big help since my wife has a hip injury

 

[Gary3675]

I would look for a ladder with flat steps. The round steps hurt your feet....if you are bare footed. For comfort and ease of use the wider the step the better.

 

[sailingdog]

Be aware, if you need a swim ladder to get back aboard, make sure it has at least TWO STEPS below the water... I'd also point out that amidships mounted ones are far safer in heavier conditions than transom mounted ones.

 

[zz4gta]

Overton's® > EZ On Jet Step Flexible Ladder

I'm going this route, as I don't normally swim with the jellyfish, and its cheap, light, and stows nicely.

 

[corny]

The ladders are nice for getting aboard from a swim, but for dinghy access we use the little (approx. 8"x8") pad suspended by four lines that is in the West Marine catalog. It's very stable and can give you the distance between and rib bladder and the deck to make it an easy step. 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

Thanks for this recommendation! I stopped in at a West Marine store in Madison, WI and looked one over. I thought, 'I can do this for under $10!' Then I went home, got a piece of 1x8 lumber, sanded, drilled holes, stained and spar varnished it, and applied 3M non-skid tape. Grabbed a couple of shackles and some line and headed for the boat. The result? A very stable, strong step. I'll post photos next time I'm at the boat.

The line is one continuous line. It starts with a stop knot in one corner, goes up to a shackle with a bowline, back down to the same ends' forward corner, then under the step and across to the other forward corner, then up to the other shackle and a bowline, and then back to the other rear corner with a stop knot underneath. It's fairly easy to adjust to the boat and your hook-in points, just make sure to tie it so that the lines form more of a right triangle than an isosceles triangle...there should be a definate front and back so that the step lies relatively level and tight against the hull.

 

[Freesail99]

Recommendations for a ladder for a boat with a dinghy davit with solar panels mount on top of the davit. Any suggestions, I am not spider man anymore.

 

[sailingdog]

Go with one that mounts amidships instead of at the transom. You'll have to walk the dinghy forward to the ladder, but it would be far simpler to board the dinghy that way.

Recommendations for a ladder for a boat with a dinghy davit with solar panels mount on top of the davit. Any suggestions, I am not spider man anymore.

 

[WinterRiver]

Recommendations for a ladder for a boat with a dinghy davit with solar panels mount on top of the davit. Any suggestions, I am not spider man anymore.

More elaborate than a side ladder, this is the solution that came with our boat (sorry for the fuzzy pic):

The swim platform with a ladder works great for boarding from the dinghy or kayaks. Even with the dinghy hanging from the davits, we can slip under it fairly easily to access the platform. The kids swim like this a lot.

One of the best features of this setup is the ease of entry/exit for people with fear, balance, or coordination issues. The dinghy pontoons slip perfectly under the platform, making transfer from the dinghy to the boat much easier, without the big step to or from a ladder. You can just sit on the platform with feet firmly planted in the dinghy. Calm conditions, of course.

The PO also had a step cut into the transom when he had the platform installed. This makes getting on or off the deck much easier. The telescoping ladder flips up onto the platform, and the platform hinges up against the transom. It can all be deployed from the water -- again, calm conditions.