Boarding ladders

Boarding ladders are a set of ladders added to a boat to allow easy climbing or boarding by the passengers in and out of the boat. When boats dock, they often require a ladder to climb in and out of it, as it is often taller and inaccessible without a ladder. For effectiveness, ladders must extend well below the surface level of water, at least about 2-3 rungs of ladder should be below the water surface. Based on this, boarding ladders are mostly temporary and can be fitted or removed from the body of the boat, it can either be foldable ones or the type that is completely removed.

Types of boarding ladders

Choosing a ladder for your boat is important as a boat is not complete without a ladder, as you and other boarders need to get in and out of the boat. Various types of a ladder can be used for boarding into a boat. Common examples of boarding ladders are:

Transom boat ladders: These types of ladders are permanently mounted to the transom of your boat, they are especially ideal for boats without a swimming platform. One major feature of the transom ladder is that it allows you to flip or fold the ladder when not in use. Folding the ladder after use helps in increasing the durability of the ladder to prevent wear and tear.
Gunwale ladders: Gunwale ladders are typically used for small sailboats and runabouts. They are usually lightweight for easy fitting. The padded hooks of a ladder are fitted over the gunwale
Pontoon Boat ladders: A pontoon ladder is specifically made for pontoon boats, there are various models of pontoon ladders that can be fitted over the mount or under the deck. The hooks of a pontoon ladder provide a means of permanent or temporary mounting to the deck of the boat. For permanently-mounted ladders, they have hinges that allow the bottom rungs of the ladder to be removed from the water.
Swim platform ladders: Swim platforms are suited for boats that do not have a swimming platform, they can be attached to the boat’s transom and provide a comfortable means for swimmers to reboard. The ladders are made stable for easy mounting.
Dive ladders: Dive ladders are attached to the boat’s transom through a mounting bracket and set up at an angle for the ease of climbing. Extra stability is also added to be able to fully support the weight of the diving gear attached.
Dock ladders: As the name states, dock ladders are added to the dock of a boat, depending on the model of the boat, the ladders can be permanently mounted or they are removable.

Mounting a boarding ladder

Mounting a ladder to a boat requires extreme care to ensure it does not come off easily off the boat. The shape and size of the boat also determine the type of ladder, general guideline for mounting a ladder are:

Periodically check the installation to ensure it is tightly fitted.