Ladder for Pontoon Boat

[herbmmm]

I have a one year old Sweetwater 22' Pontoon Boat with a 3 step ladder. I am interested in getting a 4 step ladder. Could anyone give me suggestions where I could get a 4 step ladder. Is there any way in getting info on buying a used ladder? My ladder is made by Bearcat.

 

[wgl333]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

I installed one of these this year and it works fantastic. Under Deck Pontoon Ladder - iboats

 

[gangofjames]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

I installed one of these this year and it works fantastic. Under Deck Pontoon Ladder - iboats

+1 I have one of those. They are excellent.

 

[CZSteve]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

Ditto.
Bought ours last year and love it. Once we almost took off before raising but remembered just in time - thinking of getting getting a bright orange strap to attach to the wheel as a reminder.
Anyone else have a system to remember to stow this type of ladder before starting up?

 

[mippel]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

I have a one year old Sweetwater 22' Pontoon Boat with a 3 step ladder. I am interested in getting a 4 step ladder. Could anyone give me suggestions where I could get a 4 step ladder. Is there any way in getting info on buying a used ladder? My ladder is made by Bearcat.

Any more information? Is it a rear mount, side mount or what? Do you want a ladder somewhere else? Or a direct replacement? I guess i would start to measure and break out the google to look for something that would work.

 

[gangofjames]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

Ditto.
Bought ours last year and love it. Once we almost took off before raising but remembered just in time - thinking of getting getting a bright orange strap to attach to the wheel as a reminder.
Anyone else have a system to remember to stow this type of ladder before starting up?

My anchor is on the bow, so when I pull the anchor I stow the ladder. I have forgotten it a couple of times, but it never has hurt anything. Last time I forgot it we went about a mile and the boat seemed very slow, I thought to myself "the ladder you idiot". Its like remembering to turn the gas on on a motorcycle.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

We have a 24 ft pontoon boat and I carry a fiber glass 6ft step ladder with us. Very easy to use and less strain on the back. ( I'm old)

 

[JeepinGunGuy]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

I am in the middle of restoring an old pontoon and this was one of the ladders we were looking at. We spend a lot of time at the sand bar with heavy boat traffic on the lake in less than 5 foot of water. My question is would this be good ladder for us? I am afraid if the ladder is deployed and the boat is hit with a few big rollers it could push forward and tear the ladder off since the ladder is 5.5 feet long.

 

[BOWMAKER1]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

I was set to order one of those under deck ladders until we saw that the steps were only 12 inches wide and then with no handles or rails my wift thought it might be a problem. We have started looking at a 5 step dock ladder with quick disconnect clips to maybe mount at either the front or at the side loading gate or even both. We would not use it often and when not in use I could take it off and store it on the rear deck or some place, or strap it upright along the rail. This has wider heavier steps and hand rails to make get back on board easier. I have a little of the same concern about depth there for the side gate idea.

 

[The Woo Woo Kid]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

I was set to order one of those under deck ladders until we saw that the steps were only 12 inches wide and then with no handles or rails my wift thought it might be a problem. We have started looking at a 5 step dock ladder with quick disconnect clips to maybe mount at either the front or at the side loading gate or even both. We would not use it often and when not in use I could take it off and store it on the rear deck or some place, or strap it upright along the rail. This has wider heavier steps and hand rails to make get back on board easier. I have a little of the same concern about depth there for the side gate idea.

Which ladder are you talking about, Bow ? Got a link ?

It sounds like a good one. All ladders need those top handles to be functional. Without them it's next to impossible to climb out with one.

 

[BOWMAKER1]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

The one we are thinking about now is this one at Pontoon Stuff. 5-Step Pontoon Boat Ladders Hope that works for a link.

 

[gangofjames]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

Here's what I did for handles. Works great for us. Everyone seems to like them.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

Just avoid those honeycomb white step models that you see fairly cheaply for pontoons. If I ever see one of those, I smash them instantly! Had a very bad experience with one a couple years back, will probably have the scars forever!

Anyway, it was an older ladder, and the steps had gotten brittle from UV exposure. I started climbing up it, and the first 2 steps held fine. #3 on the other hand decided to split in the middle. The fun part about the honeycomb step is that each little cell forms a knife edge to slice into flesh. Ended up falling back into the water, with my legs looking like I had been attacked by a school of piranahas. Now of course I have another problem to deal with, getting into a pontoon without a ladder, while bleeding quite heavily! Its amazing what one can do with lots of adrenaline at that point, I more or less just pulled myself straight up the front.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

The easiest ladders to climb don't go in the water completely 180 degrees vertical. My telescoping under deck ladder has some steps at an angle, and it's easier to get out of the water.

Check with Pontoonstuff.com or GreatLakesSkipper.com to see what they have in stock. The Big O in Fayetteville, NC is another place that stocks such items.

 

[BOWMAKER1]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

Just to let everyone know we bought that 5 step ladder from Pontoon stuff and used it this weekend. It worked great. Both of us are over weight and my wife has had both knees replaced and I have one knee that gives me some problems. We both could go up and down this ladder with out problems because it is set on an angle to the deck and with the rails to hold onto makes it easy. I higly recomend it to any one. The only dificuilty is storage but I bungee corded it to the rear gate rail and just had it standing up from the deck. Wife thought it looked a little Beverly Hillbillys-ish but it worked!

 

[OK Toon]

Re: Ladder for Pontoon Boat

Glad to hear you were able to find a new ladder that worked out well for both you and your wife.