Rope Ladder to a Cleat

[riden]

I built a roper ladder today, turned out great, I had some scrap maple and hickory lying around and I needed a ladder.

Now my question is, can I simply attach it to a cleat and let adults climb it?

I have a 78 Lund fibreglass boat. I looked under and there is just a block of wood attached to the fibreglass where the cleat is, maybe 4 inches long. That doesn't seem like much to me.

Comments?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Rope Ladder to a Cleat

I take it you have never climbed up a rope ladder. The cleat is the least of your problems

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Rope Ladder to a Cleat

It's not the cleat or the block of wood under it that are the concern. Those are both more than strong enough. It's that layer of fiberglass and gelcoat between the two that is the weak link in the chain. Remove one of the bolts of the cleat and see how thick it is (and whether or not there's any spider web cracking) to determine if it will hold.

Wouldn't it be easier to add a small swim platform to the back?

 

[Ned L]

Re: Rope Ladder to a Cleat

If a cleat can not take that strain you've got real big problems.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Rope Ladder to a Cleat

I take it you have never climbed up a rope ladder. The cleat is the least of your problems

that's where i'm at too. rope ladders are miserable to climb up. as soon as ya step on a rung it'll go under the boat. if ya manage to get up to a rung that's on the side of the boat, you'll have nowhere to step because the rung is flush against the boat. just the width of the rung is what you'll be stepping on.
if i was gonna attach a rope ladder to my boat i think i'd wanna use a lifting ring on my boat. i only got 3. 2 at the stern and one on the deck of the bow. not real great locations for climbing back into a boat.

imho. get a ladder that hangs on the side of the boat. at least it don't try to get away from you when ya stand on it. these ladders are not the easiest to get up either, but better than a rope ladder. i had my gf's son out with us once. he's kinda heavy and not much into anything. he had a horrible time getting up my hang on the gunnel type ladder. i had to help pull him in. if it'd have been a rope ladder, he'd likely never have made it back into the boat. me, i might be able to get up a rope ladder, but i bet i'd give up and go climb the drive. which to me is easier than climbing up my hang on the gunnel type ladder. i do go either way though. but again. i know i'd give up with a rope ladder and go climb the drive.

me. i don't think i'd use a cleat for hanging a ladder on. just to much of a stress put on it imho... least not on my boat..

good luck with your project and let us know how it works out for ya and where ya decide to attach it at..

 

[riden]

Re: Rope Ladder to a Cleat

Oh I know the rope ladder won't be the best, but I just don't have that much room for storage. And I don't want it permanently attached.

If it doesn't work, I have another idea, that will work, but is a fair bit more work too.

 

[PGFISHER]

Re: Rope Ladder to a Cleat

For storage problems, try making a ladder with opposite hinges at the end of each rung. It will parallalagram to fold and wind up not much bigger than a boat hook.