Telescoping swim ladders?

[ERTF]

Do any of you guys have a stainless telescoping ladder mounted under your swim platform? I'm wondering if they get fouled up from dried salt or corrosion from getting splashed so often?

Also if you happen to have a model with an internal spring locking mechanism (link below), please advise on the usability/longevity of that securing method.

https://www.amazon.com/live/video/0d6fb9a4e53f49f79d85fa253444894d?ref_=dp_ib_2_ivx_share

 

[psneeld]

Mine was great for the 10 years I had it until I sold the boat.

I just bought one of the less expensive models.

The rubber retaining latch rotted away, easily replaced and it did get some very light rust on it.... but it was hardly ever rinsed and usually had a bit of exhaust soot on it which I am sure aided in the light rusting.

Worked like a champ.... even no issues with 250+ pounds of me and dive gear on.

 

[AlaskaProf]

Mine was great for the 10 years I had it until I sold the boat.

I just bought one of the less expensive models.

The rubber retaining latch rotted away, easily replaced and it did get some very light rust on it.... but it was hardly ever rinsed and usually had a bit of exhaust soot on it which I am sure aided in the light rusting.

Worked like a champ.... even no issues with 250+ pounds of me and dive gear on.

My experience also.

 

[PhilPB]

Mine is mounted on top of the platform and swings over the platform and flips down. It's a bit old but looks and works great.

 

[kthoennes]

We have a chrome telescoping swim ladder on ours, pretty common model, kind of like this:

https://www.sealuxpro.com/SeaLux-Bo...-Drop-Dwon-Under-Mount-Slide-Ladder-10-3-Step

We're in fresh water but we also have zebra mussels and slime and seaweed (grasses). It does get fouled and sometimes pretty badly by zebra mussels -- which is not good for a ladder obviously -- but we just clean it off periodically. I'm no toothpick and it handles me very easily. I do wish we had the 4-step version instead of the three step though. Our swim step is about a foot or more above the water so I wish the bottom rung of the ladder were a little deeper, but it's okay. We sometimes forget to retract it before leaving but other than the drag, doesn't seem to hurt anything.

Ours had a keeper lanyard originally but it broke off. Never bothered to replace it though because between the fouling and a small bend in one of the mounting brackets, it's not going anywhere when it's retracted. I have to knock or kick it into the retracted position. If it were shiny-clean and the brackets were greased, then I'd probably use a retainer of some kind.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

I have one very similar, but a 4 step model. If you try a three step model, you will find that you have to be able to put your foot up about chest high to actually get on the lowest step (because the swim step is above the water and the first step is actually about at water level, i.e., at your chin height). Be realistic about your acrobatic abilities when wet, cold, and fully clothed.

The other problem, as shown in the video, is that the spring mechanism is very strong. When in the water, you won't have the same ability as the guy in the video. I removed one of the springs during installation and haven't had any accidental deployment issues in +1,500 miles. I was tempted to take both out and just rely on the notched retainer, as was the case with my prior ladder (which was a 3 step that I tried).

 

[AlaskaProf]

I have one very similar, but a 4 step model. If you try a three step model, you will find that you have to be able to put your foot up about chest high
...
I was tempted to take both out and just rely on the notched retainer, as was the case with my prior ladder (which was a 3 step that I tried).

Good advice; mine had no springs and was held up by a strap from retracted step to the platform; easily deployed.


I would also advise placing some sort of handles (even a pair of cleats would work) on the platform. Pulling oneself up by holding onto the sides of the lowered ladder is very poor geometry

 

[CharlieO.]

I put the four-step ladder mounted on top of our platform. Stays nice and clean up there.

 

[PhilPB]

I put the four-step ladder mounted on top of our platform. Stays nice and clean up there.

Same here. I much prefer this and my platform has plenty of room.

 

[Figment]

I had one on the previous boat, and adding one to the current boat is on the winter worklist.


I prefer the under-mount because my bare feet find plenty of objects to stub on already thankyouverymuch.


The comment about the 4th step is right on, I wouldn't bother with the 3-step and if someone sells a 5-step please show me.

 

[psneeld]

I had one on the previous boat, and adding one to the current boat is on the winter worklist.


I prefer the under-mount because my bare feet find plenty of objects to stub on already thankyouverymuch.


The comment about the 4th step is right on, I wouldn't bother with the 3-step and if someone sells a 5-step please show me.

Plus under keeps all the hardware recessed so inflatables don't hit it when coming alongside the swim platform.

 

[kthoennes]

That would prevent fouling (storage above the water) but our boat fortunately has a recess in the underside of the swim step for the ladder above the water line, so no need to clutter the surface of the swim step or creating a potential trip hazard. On our previous boat (Carver 32) we had a drop down ladder, kind of an "L" bracket, that flipped up and the swim ladder rungs matched and met the boarding ladder rungs. Held in place with a hook on one of the aft deck boarding ladder rungs. I always thought that was a pretty well thought-out design, except if you were alone, say you fell in and needed a ladder to climb out, you wouldn't be able to deploy it while swimming in the water. Well, you could reach up and grab the bottom and pull it in, but only as long as it wasn't latched to the boarding ladder. This photo isn't our boat, but same model, same configuration. I did stub my toe on those hinge brackets a few times.

 

[Xlantic]

I have one from a different manufacturer but very similar design. Works great.

Mine doesn’t have a spring and I see no need for one: the weight of the ladder keeps it down and locked in place. In a planing boat the spring might be need to keep the ladder in place as the boat bounces around.

 

[Slowmo]

Ours is also mounted under the platform with 4 steps. It is spring loaded, you have to push in and lift a bit to release it. I've tested it from the water and yes you can release it from the water. The undermount leaves the top of the platform free (other than the tops of the bolts).