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ContinuousWave Whaler Moderated Discussion Areas ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area OUTRAGE 18: Boarding Ladder
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Author | Topic: OUTRAGE 18: Boarding Ladder |
rgy |
posted 07-09-2010 02:20 PM ET (US)
[W]hat is a good [boarding] ladder for 1984 OUTRAGE 18? Storage is a problem. I'm thinking of making a rope ladder with some PVC steps. What do you think? |
Tohsgib |
posted 07-09-2010 02:47 PM ET (US)
After you or someone else kills themselves trying to use it....buy a 3 step(or 4 step) Windline retractable ladder for about $100. Stores easily in a cooler or in the console at about 2x2 and 5" flat. |
White Bear |
posted 07-09-2010 03:44 PM ET (US)
Best response I've seen in a long time. Buy a commercially made ladder. |
Bobber |
posted 07-09-2010 05:53 PM ET (US)
I'm using a $29 rope and PVC-step ladder from the transom of my [SUPER SPORT 17]. The loop at the top goes over the stern lamp standoff. It is not ideal, but works fine for me and the kids once we learned to put the left foot on the third step and the right foot on the cavitation plate of the engine and then heave in over the cutout. Takes a bit of coordination until you get the hang of it. Folded up the ladder measures 10" x 10" x 3" and fits nicely in the bow locker. |
jimh |
posted 07-09-2010 06:07 PM ET (US)
Agile and strong teenagers can probably climb aboard an OUTRAGE 18 from the water without much of a ladder. The criterion should be that a less-agile person should be able to get back on board from deep water, and perhaps with some wave action. I recall one afternoon when we anchored our boat for a swim on a sandbar. We did not have a boarding ladder, but because the water was very shallow, we figured we could get back on board quite easily. While we were in the water, the wind shifted and blew the boat around to a new orientation. The boat was now riding at anchor in deep water, over our heads, and we had a heck of a time getting back on board. Since then we always carry a boarding ladder, which, as noted, takes up space and can be hard to stow. |
fishgutz |
posted 07-09-2010 06:10 PM ET (US)
Get a ladder that is deployable from the water. Otherwise you are just wasting money. It's a safety device. Don't shortcut. |
L H G |
posted 07-09-2010 06:59 PM ET (US)
For years and years I have boarded from the water by stepping on the engine cavitation plate(s), bear-hugging the engine, and stepping into the transom splashwell. with twin engines it's a breeze between them, but can also be done with a single. The old in-line 6 Mercs were great, since they even have handles on the back of them! |
jimh |
posted 07-09-2010 09:33 PM ET (US)
I think the only people who rely on stepping on the [anti-ventilation] plate of their outboard motor to reboard their boat are people who never go in the water. |
Ridge Runner |
posted 07-09-2010 09:59 PM ET (US)
Do you have a swim platform? If so I have a new three step retractable ladder that mounts under the platform that you can have for the price of shipping. |
lizard |
posted 07-09-2010 10:51 PM ET (US)
Actually, JimH, it is the only way we boarded boats in my younger slimmer days. No one had a ladder. Stepping on the cavitation plate was the way in. All waterskiers came in off of the plate. I am rather certain, however, that would be a challenge for me now. |
dfmcintyre |
posted 07-09-2010 11:33 PM ET (US)
Larry / Jim - For years, I boarded the same way, until seeing the results of what can go wrong. Talked to a guy down in Florida who boarded the same way (just like us, for years with no problem), until one day, while boarding and a rogue wave rolled the boat enough to make him slip. A stainless steel prop pretty well took out his achilles tendon. That's made me a believer in some sort of boarding ladder. Don |
number9 |
posted 07-10-2010 01:03 AM ET (US)
Carry the a/v plate boarding forward a little. How about some nonskid on the upper surface to make boarding safer. Bill |
bdb |
posted 07-10-2010 09:17 AM ET (US)
This is a serious issue, and I've posted my opinion on it here going back many years. Fishgutz has it absolutely right. If you cannot deploy a boarding system from the water you're asking for trouble...big trouble. Many of us have found ourselves in the water unintentionally; fallen or slipped overboard. If you're alone, injured, or say have just small people on board you're going to have trouble, possibly lethal trouble getting back aboard. Fishgutz says it's a safety device and he is dead nuts on. Just like the safety lanyard on your ignition key and a life jacket. Harpoon Harry (resurrected) sayin' there's two kinds of people: Those who've had it happen to them and those who will. |
jimh |
posted 07-10-2010 09:32 AM ET (US)
I strongly agree with the two points made above by several participants: --the boarding ladder should be deployable from the water, and --there is very substantial risk of injury from the propeller when trying to use the anti-ventilation plate as a step. The stainless steel propeller that I am currently using on my boat has extremely sharp trailing edges on all blades. Those edges could easily cut into the soft tissue of a foot. |
dfmcintyre |
posted 07-10-2010 09:46 AM ET (US)
Interesting, thought provoking thread that's developed into two distinct areas in my view; emergency boarding and standard sitting at anchor boarding. I really like the idea of placing a good aggressive non-skid coating on top of the anti-cavitation plate. And the thought of placing a line leading to even a rope ladder somewhere where the person, alone in the water could deploy it has merit. Then there's the boarding ladder at anchor. They are usually too narrow or don't go deep enough in the water, or both. Regards - Don |
russellbailey |
posted 07-10-2010 03:07 PM ET (US)
The 1984 Outrage 25 I bought came with an interesting boarding ladder. It is a folding stainless steel model that mounts by inserting it into one of the rear rod holders in the gunwale. There is a tube that inserts into the holder to hold the ladder in the right position. Folded, the entire ladder fits easily into the rear fishwell (for example). When anchoring in shallow water, I don't fold the bottom down, as it will touch the bottom. I don't know if this is a production item or if the prior owner had it custom made. It has worked really well and I've been impressed with it. Still, once I absorb the purchase cost of the boat and some other more pressing changes, I'll add a swim platform on the rear (most likely made by Raymond Martin). I find a swim platform with a undermount ladder the best way to get into a boat, and really like the one he made for my Striper 15. It is also very convenient when anchoring in shallow water to easily step off to the bottom. |
GRAND NUSSIE |
posted 07-12-2010 02:21 PM ET (US)
Many folks have already made wise comments but since I feel that this issue could become very serious when you least expect it, I've got to throw in my 2 cents. --As teenagers more than a half century ago, we used the "pool swimmer" method. Ladders were rare. Now? Are you kidding? --Use the cav. plate? Noway! We NEVER went near the prop-engine running or not. --Many ladders are too short and too narrow. At least for us old coots. --The ladder should be deployable from the water. Yes, I jumped in once forgetting to drop the ladder. Fortunately, I could from the water. --A rope ladder? Not for me. I've tried one. But if it works for you- --I'm a member of "those who've had it happen", so I will tell you my story which is much like jimh's. I anchored on the bar in the Big Lake (Lake Michigan) in 4 plus feet of water putting my trusty 35 yr old 3 step hook ladder on the side rail of my 16. Two hours later, when the breakers started developing I decided to get out of there. It took a good half hour to get aboard as the breakers kept dislodging the ladder (and me) and collapsing the downwave standoff. To say the least, I was poohed. And scared. --I now have a 4 step ladder which I bungee cord on but it is not a good solution. Still looking. Dick |
davej14 |
posted 07-13-2010 11:15 AM ET (US)
The Windline collapsible ladder that is mounted permanently to my transom is always in place, out of the way and easily deplorable from the water. I cannot imagine a better solution. I posted pictures of the Windline boarding ladder on Picasa. Here is the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/dave.jahsman/ WindlineLadderOnMy2000Dauntless14# I am the second owner of the boat but I believe it was rigged from the factory as shown. The brackets are spaced at 11.5", the overall height when stored is 13.5" and when deployed the bottom step is 22" below the pivot point of the bracket. I believe there is also a four step model available. |
JayR |
posted 07-13-2010 11:49 AM ET (US)
For what it is worth,my fishing partner can barely swim. He rarely remembers to wear his PFD (read that as doesn't want to until reminded). He's found himself in the water a few times unexpectedly. The last time,he nearly drowned (I was not there). He made it to the boat and was unable to get aboard on his own. The other occupant on the boat was not strong enough to get him in. He only survived by shear luck. Got pretty banged/scraped up in the process. He now has some auto SOSpenders. I think that for those who frequent rough water or may be exposed to rogue waves, the ladder deployable from the water is a damn fine idea. |
Mumbo Jumbo |
posted 07-14-2010 11:17 AM ET (US)
Here are a several images of a Windline three step folding ladder. I have this ladder on my Outrage 18 and on the Eastport pictured in one of the images. It is strong, well designed, and deploys perfectly. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/Buckra/Windlineladder.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/Buckra/1964Eastport.jpg |
Mumbo Jumbo |
posted 07-14-2010 12:22 PM ET (US)
I should point out that I have the TDL-3X ladder on my Eastport, not the more expensive TDL-3XP. The 3X ladder does not have the hand grip -basically a flat bar that connects the two ladder legs on the ladder platform- found on the more expensive TDL-3XP. I don't think the handgrip feature is really needed on an installation that has u-shaped tubing securing the ladder platform to the transom. |
toomanytrains |
posted 07-17-2010 11:58 AM ET (US)
I now have owned five Boston Whaler boats and have used several types of swim ladders. The one that works best is a swim platform with a three step ladder that folds up. If you fall overboard, all you need to do is reach up, grab the ladder, and flip it into the water. When not in use it is out of the way. I just ordered a new SS and teak swim platform for my new 1993 Outrage 17. Wanted a little more teak on the boat. A ladder should be onboard, but spend the money and get something that works. Think about it as a life jacket. |
Russ 13 |
posted 07-18-2010 12:12 AM ET (US)
To the original poster, I have a folding boarding ladder that is aluminum that I would be willing to sell. I agree that a well made ladder is very usefull and a good safety item. I am using a swim platform with an attached ladder on the 22 Outrage. |
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