Boat Ladders

If you and your crew often enjoy going into the water for a swim or a dive, then a boat ladder will be a truly irreplaceable piece of equipment for you to have. Allowing you to comfortably get off the boat as well as board it from inside the water or from a dinghy, boarding ladders are a must-have for recreational vessels. Available on the market in a multitude of styles and sizes, relatively easy to install and really affordable, boat ladders are must-have pieces of equipment.

A boarding ladder is engineered to allow boaters to easily get in and out of the water from the swim step or the deck of your vessel. To make the latter an easy and enjoyable task to cope with, boat ladders must be positioned and installed correctly. Firstly and most importantly, the boarding ladder should be located in such a way that it does not interfere with the turning of the drive or outboard. Secondly, the properly mounted boat ladder should extend well under the surface of the water to make climbing up easy. Typically, a comfortable boarding ladder has up to three rungs underwater.

There is a number of boarding ladder types commonly used by boaters depending on the specific parameters of the vessel they own. Among these types are transom ladders, removable ladders, over-the-gunwale ladders, platform and swim step ladders. Transom ladders are a common choice for sailboat owners, while their construction allows the ladder to be hinged up and down, perfectly matching the general look of the pushpit. Removable ladders are secured to your vessel's hull or deck with the help of brackets with keyhole slots inside. This allows to remove the ladder for storage when it is not use.

Many owners of powerboats typically choose swim step ladders. This kind of boarding ladder hangs down from the swim steps of your boat. Underneath the water, the ladder usually contracts or folds up on top of the step. These ladders typically have no more than 2-3 steps, while owing to their construction, they already extend lower than the side of your boat. Over-the-gunwale boat ladders are used for small sailboats or runabouts and may differ in their size and looks as to be compatible with the width of your gunwale. Pay additional attention to the material the ladder is constructed of (plastic, stainless steel, aluminum) and the type of steps it uses.