Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

[JimKW]

Here is the back of the boat with the ladder down. She really has a hard time getting in. Years ago she had arthritis in her knees and refuses to ever really get on her knees. When I get on I just tap one knee down and then I get right up on the opposite foot with no problem. Any suggestion on what I could put on the back that would look good and make it easier for her to board the boat?

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

perhaps a better hand hold around or near the rear cleat, and at least another step between the two you have now

i say this, as I to had trouble getting on our old boats swim platform. our current one uses a 3 step ladder so the distance between is much more manageable for some one with sore joints

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

I can see where another handle could help, a handle identical to the one above your vent mounted right above the ladder step.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Trying to visualize looking at the back of the boat where she is having trouble. She gets her foot on the ladder step just fine and gets ahold of the handle above the vent. It's getting from there onto the swim platform and up onto the back that is the problem. If there was another step she would be fine. It is a pretty long step from the ladder to the swim platform which I really can't do either w/o using me knee. The younger thinner people just step right in.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

thats what it looks like to me jim. seems like you have a handle on her problem.

to big of a step from the bottom step to the platform. in the pic it looks like the top step dosnt do much. i might be missing the angle and use of the top step though

 

[gcboat]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Thinking that maybe you should put your arm over your wife's shoulder and say " c'mon darlin' - let's go figure this out". Sure might save some time with her input.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

check out a new ladder 3 or 4 step and mount it on the other side of the boat above the rub rail with a new grab handle.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Thinking that maybe you should put your arm over your wife's shoulder and say " c'mon darlin' - let's go figure this out". Sure might save some time with her input.

This is joke right? She thinks it needs a whole new swim platform. There really is only one step on the bottom of the ladder. Wonder if I could find a two step ladder to replace what is there?

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

I have the same ladder and it sux! Only fix is to get a new one with 3 or more rungs. <where's that list of things I need to do this winter?>

 

[dmbfan7810]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Hi Jim,

Reading your last post, I sure think you diagnosed the problem already. With only one step on the ladder, that's a long reach up to the platform without going to your knees. My bride has experienced the same problems in boats we've ventured in with friends. I think it makes perfect sense that a longer ladder with 2 or even 3 rungs would aid anyone in boarding without taking a knee.

Good luck Sir,

 

[45Auto]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Your best bet is probably an "over-platform telescoping ladder" like these:

http://www.iboats.com/Windline_Over...753237294--**********.628006021--view_id.4470

It'll mount on top of the swim platform, and give you three or four steps, with the final one much closer to the swim platform then what you have now.

Yours would have to fold flat onto the swim platform, you don't have enough real estate back there for it to mount into a hatch like on my 225. It would fold the same, you would just be able to see it folded onto the swim platform.

Folded ladder:

4-Step ladder extended:

If you have between $2000 and $3000 to put into it, the ultimate is one of these Swimplatform.com platforms with the ladder built in below it:

http://swimplatforms.contentpros.ne.../Crownline180BowRider/tabid/2611/Default.aspx

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

jim here is a pic of what it took for me to be comfortable getting in and out of the water
not close to what you have but might give you some ideas.
more steps pulse the hand hold where i can pull my self up from realy help me. for reference the swim platform is 3 to 4 inches above the water in still water.



nice pic and idea 45. wouldnt have posted my pic in if i had seen yours first.

looks like just what she needs

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Jim, I see another problem you may have overlooked. The ladder is attached in underneath the rubrail, so when you are climbing back onto the boat, you are vertical, or even leaning back slightly, virtually forcing you to put you knee forward. My wife has similiar issues, so I can visualize where she would have difficulty. Having more steps may not do it. With your boat style, I would have to install a folding ladder with a curved top that would be outside the rubrail and attach approximately where your left handle (or line tiepoint) is and the other side on the platform. I guess that would have to be custom.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Hey Jaxnjil, what is all that white stuff in your picture???

The problem I have around my boat is the freaking bushes grow so fast down here in the swamp (New Orleans) that I had to stomp them down to get the pictures of the ladder!

 

[dmbfan7810]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Jim, I see another problem you may have overlooked. The ladder is attached in underneath the rubrail, so when you are climbing back onto the boat, you are vertical, or even leaning back slightly, virtually forcing you to put you knee forward. My wife has similiar issues, so I can visualize where she would have difficulty. Having more steps may not do it. With your boat style, I would have to install a folding ladder with a curved top that would be outside the rubrail and attach approximately where your left handle (or line tiepoint) is and the other side on the platform. I guess that would have to be custom.

Not necessarily. I agree with you about the ladder being below the rail but it's not really about ladder position as much as it is about the height of the last step that places your center of gravity and torso above the rail. In getting a ladder that does just that would solve the problem without spending a whole lot of cash or making large scale modifications to the swim deck. The hand hold at the aft deck allows for the swimmer to board in manner that places their body in a position of not leaning back due to the rail, so long as it's placed forward enought.

Most ladders move in the water. The key to boarding is placing your body in a position that your waist is above the rail, enabling the swimmer to board without requiring anything more than a 90 degree angle of the leg bones at the knee. Anymore than that requires stress at the hip or the swimmer going to a knee to board the vessel.

Just my .02.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Since I started this conversation, I just went out, put the ladder down and tried stepping up onto the swim platform from the bottom step. I could barely lift my leg that far on dry ground with nothing moving. The ladder is made by Windline (still has the label on it). I wrote down dimension and will see if I can find a ladder that will provide a step higher. There is no problem with leaning backwards.

I really think having the bottom step about six inches lower and another step halfway between the current step and the top of the ladder would do the trick. I do NOT want one laying on top of my swim platform. I have to figure out something that will fold up under like this one does.

She thinks it really needs another handle, but I don't see where that is necessary if she could just step up a little higher. To be honest she doesn't even like getting on a step lader in the house.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Hey Jaxnjil, what is all that white stuff in your picture???

The problem I have around my boat is the freaking bushes grow so fast down here in the swamp (New Orleans) that I had to stomp them down to get the pictures of the ladder!

just a little colorado high mountain fluff

could send you some ups

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

I would have to say mounting a ladder on top of the swim platform would help. I don't have any pics handy, but my ladder is a two-step mounted on top of the swim platform, it just folds up and rests against the grab-rail. It may look tacky, but it sure does help.

BTW, this is a little off subject, but your Crownline, if I'm not mistaken, that is the LPX version, is it not? We were looking at one of those brand new in '97 (my parents, that is) and it was a nice boat, however the dealer wouldn't budge on the price.

 

[RoyR]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

Maybe you can add on of these, it could double as a wake boarding tower

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150345968377&indexURL=

 

[woosterken]

Re: Wife Having Trouble Boarding When Boat In Water

maybe you could find some thing like mine,it has four steps and two grab handles.
but I don't have a platform.

woosterken