Source for Trailer Tongue Stairs

[LBGreg]

Q1: where can I purchase a three-step trailer stairs for a MagicTilt trailer tongue used with a 2024 190 MONTAUK ?

BACKSTORY
I am overjoyed with my recent purchase of a 2024 190 MONTAUK. Coming from 17-years of owning a 1982 MONTAUK 17, the 190 MONTAUK is a huge upgrade.

[Jefecinco]

I doubt any set of stock stairs would fit and would require modification for use on your trailer. A local metal fabricator could probably make a set of stairs for your trailer. A few photographs of stairs on similar trailers to yours could help the fabricator. It could be useful to construct a "mock up" made of wood to ensure everything fits as desired.

[jimh]

I have seen stairs on trailers for big pontoon boats, but I do not recall seeing a Boston Whaler boat trailer rigged with a stairway on the trailer tongue.

When a pontoon boat is on a trailer they are often quite high off the ground, and getting on or off them is difficult, except that many have a gate in their cockpit railings at the bow. That makes have a few steps on the trailer a logical way to get on or off the boat via the bow.

In contrast, most Boston Whaler boats have bow railings, so getting off or on the boat while it is on the trailer via the bow is not particularly the best way. Most often people will get onto a Boston Whaler when it is on a trailer by standing on the trailer fender and swinging a leg over the gunwale.

[dpatnaude]

I also just bought a 2023 190 MONTAUK with a split bow railing. I think having a set of stairs on the trailer tongue would be great for solo launching.

On another 190 MOTAUK for sale on Boat Trader I noted the steps seen below in Figure 1. But I can't figure out where that accessory might have come from.

Fig. 1. A trailer fitted with steps on the trailer tongue to allow access to the bow of a 190 MONTAUK with the split bow railing option.

trailerSteps.jpg (73.98 KiB) Viewed 95 times

Every [trailer stair step accessory] I have found so far would not have the right dimensions to attach to the tongue of [some trailer identified as] this trailer, that is, the use of 3-inch x 4-inch U-bolts [compared to some other unspecified trailer] using 4-inch x 5-inch U-bolts

--Dave

[jimh]

Dave--finding that photograph of a set of two steps installed for access to a 190 MONTAUK with the split bow railing is a very good illustration of the utility of that set-up. Thanks for posting that image. However, you need a trailer set-up with the 190 MONTAUK boat position rather far back from the tongue to create the necessary space for the step accessory to mount, and, of course, the split bow rail option.

Every [trailer stair step accessory] I have found so far would not have the right dimensions to attach to the tongue of [some trailer identified as] this trailer, that is, the use of 3-inch x 4-inch U-bolts [compared to some other unspecified trailer] using 4-inch x 5-inch U-bolts.

I don't quite follow your comments about the size of the U-bolts. Perhaps you can clarify the intended meaning.

Q2: what size U-bolt attachment is necessary for the particular trailer you have and want to install steps onto the tongue?

Q3: is the trailer you have the trailer supplied by Boston Whaler with the 190 MONTAUK?

[Jefecinco]

When retrieving our 190 Montauk solo I often wished I could have safely dismounted the boat via the bow to facilitate winching the boat onto the trailer completely. Our 190 was purchased new with the bow railing delete option. I would have wanted a stair rail to feel safe using the steps. The photo was an excellent example of a stock step which could probably be readily modified for various trailers.

[dpatnaude]

I contacted seller of the boat and trailer [seen in Figure 1 above]. He indicated that these steps shown are the

Extreme Max 3006.6812 Galvanized steps found on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6N9B1T4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

The Amazon listing indicates that the mounting plate fits trailer tongues up to 3-inches x 4-inches. I measured the OEM Boston Whaler MAGIC TILT trailer tongue as having dimension of 3.75-inches x 5-inches.

The person that installed these steps indicated that they were able to enlarge the holes in the base plate and utilize larger U-bolts (not included) to successfully mount the steps to the trailer tongue.

--Dave

[jimh]

When retrieving our 190 Montauk solo I often wished I could have safely dismounted the boat via the bow to facilitate winching the boat onto the trailer completely.

I believe that typically you would need the boarding step feature on the trailer if you were using a ramp that did not have a companion courtesy dock at the ramp area, that is, at a ramp that just descends into the water and provides no way to get onto the boat once the boat is in the water.

I first encountered that type of ramp in Kentucky on a visit there many years ago, and gave it the categorization name as a "Kentucky Ramp" in my article about different types of boat ramps.

Two Schools of Thought
How Ramp Design Affects Trailer Performance
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/refer ... hools.html

Up North in the more genteel waters of the Great Lakes and our Michigan inland lakes, almost every launch ramp facility provides a courtesy dock. However, I can see in tidal areas providing a courtesy dock may be more complicated due to the frequent and daily change in water level. The courtesy dock would need to be a floating dock to provide the most utility to the boater trying to launch or load his boat. Also our northern waters are freshwater and only used seasonally. The courtesy docks are typically mounted on skid piers and just dragged up the ramp and out of the water in the winter. The result is much less decay of the ramp over time compared to saltwater year round sunlight.