DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

[D.spencer]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

I just don't see how those little ladders are going to work... if'n your diving at the bottom of the lake, how you gonna mount a extension ladder on the back of the boat long enuff to reach the bottom???? .....

 

[chrishayes]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

Can you place your sample near your boat so that we can see which goes better? I think that I would go dark if it didnt clash too bad with the boat. It will offer a little longer prettyness! Once it starts to fade it will take longer, thats all. Good idea on the ladder. I am curious to see how it looks on the boat to see how butch its gonna look. If I were to do it, I would round the corners on everything and I mean round like a quarter just to make it look a bit less chunky.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

I wonder how the wood ladder is going to work since it will want to float on the surface instead of sinking and going straight down. Is it going to be cumbersome trying to push the ladder into the water so you can climb up it?

 

[joza]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

Just a thought about a ladder and it may be too late, but what about hooking half of one of these types of ladders cut down to size of course to attach to your transom.

The one I have has pins that you pull in and engage into different holes to extend the ladder. I would think that if you had two rungs of the main ladder and two rungs of the extension to extend, it would give you what you needed. You could cut new hole for smaller adjustments.

Now before someone says "why don't you go buy a real boat ladder if you're going to buy one of these". I've seen these at the curb being thrown out after someone has taken a header off of it or damaged it somehow.

Now that I think about it... I think it's a damn good idea and will be watching for a one of these trash to treasures for myself.

Good Luck with your ladder!

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

yeah...it will want to float, until a BOB (big ole boy) like me puts 265 lbs. against it. looks sharp...hope the stains you're looking at are also sealers.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

I gotta say...I'm not a fan.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

I wonder how the wood ladder is going to work since it will want to float on the surface instead of sinking and going straight down. Is it going to be cumbersome trying to push the ladder into the water so you can climb up it?

Yeah, good point. I may have to put a spring on it to keep it extended.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

yeah...it will want to float, until a BOB (big ole boy) like me puts 265 lbs. against it. looks sharp...hope the stains you're looking at are also sealers.

Planning on using polyurethane on it, with sand on the rungs as anti-skid.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

Joey I gotta go with EZ on this one . As sleek as your boat looks I get the feeling that wood ladder is going to look way out of place hanging off of it . I think you would be better off with one of the ladders with hooks at the top you just drop over the side of the boat.


Rick

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

I'm not sure if I've missed it but why are you adding a ladder to your boat?

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

joe, why not look around for a folding hook ladder? i have seen them on cl and at yard sales...

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

IMHO, hook-over-the-gunwhale ladders are useless...unless you boat with midgets.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

Joey I gotta go with EZ on this one . As sleek as your boat looks I get the feeling that wood ladder is going to look way out of place hanging off of it . I think you would be better off with one of the ladders with hooks at the top you just drop over the side of the boat.


Rick

Yeah, like I said, we'll see how it looks & works, and if it doesn't look good, we can always toss it.

At work today (which is why it still isn't mounted) I found some 1" conduit. That stuff I think would be a good material if the wood doesn't work out.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

IMHO, hook-over-the-gunwhale ladders are useless...unless you boat with midgets.

LOL TM so youve met most of my familly .


Rick

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

I'm not sure if I've missed it but why are you adding a ladder to your boat?

We took it out last weekend and our guests had a few problems reboarding. After that, no one wanted to jump in the water (or get on the tube), so it kinda ruined our day. Me, I just use the anti-ventillation plate on the outboard.

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

IMHO, hook-over-the-gunwhale ladders are useless...unless you boat with midgets.

or kids


plus, me and my wife are both only 5'5"...

We took it out last weekend and our guests had a few problems reboarding. After that, no one wanted to jump in the water (or get on the tube), so it kinda ruined our day. Me, I just use the anti-ventillation plate on the outboard.

do you step on the outer part above the trim tab?

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

do you step on the outer part above the trim tab?

I used the side of the outboard, where the plate starts. I stepped on it using the ridge of my foot, then grabbed the top of the outboard, then a knee into the transom. Worked OK, but a ladder would be easier.

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

I used the side of the outboard, where the plate starts. I stepped on it using the ridge of my foot, then grabbed the top of the outboard, then a knee into the transom. Worked OK, but a ladder would be easier.

ya that sounds like a pain in the rear... and i dont think that i would be able to do that with my rather large posterior.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

AV plates will break...seen a scarred up ankle once due to that...be careful if you use it as a step.

 

[Mark42]

Re: DIY ladder ideas? (EDIT: now with pics of my homebuilt ladder)

Sounds like you have a need to be getting in and out of the boat a lot, seeing as you have tubes, etc. I think a swim step/ladder would work well for you. I picked up a used Bayliner swim step with folding ladder and all the stainless rails and support tubes and brackets, for $50 from a marine salvage yard in Mass.

Because you don't need any specific brand, they should have something low priced to fit. And it will look better and be more functional than the one made from wood. Ask for something along the line of this popular Garlic swim step.

The nice part about a swim step is that it gives the swimmer a place to stand and let a majority of the water run off so it doesn't end up inside the boat.

This place is a good marine salvage yard. Fair, and they do return calls and emails.

http://www.boatma.com/members/membersys/member-list.pl?type=show_account&aid=100632