HELP! I am shopping for a boat: what is best ladder configuration?

[flspy]

I am in the market in Florida for a 23-25' center console all purpose fishing/dive/party boat. what leaves me a little dejected is how remarkably poor a lot of the ladder systems are.

Many come with the integrated, telescoping three rung ladder that fits into the extended transom. Hard enough to get in the boat WITHOUT dive gear.

Then I look at where i would mount something like a 4 step Garelick. A better option, but still not ideal. Most of the boats in that size (except cats- they have great ladders and handholds) have nowhere to grab when climbing back on. I want ingress and egress to be as easy as possible given the size of the boat. I do not want to have to do a belly flop into the motor well every time I get back aboard.

Plus, I am an ex-football player and no slouch in the size department, and neither are my buddies. Everyone is over 200# and one is almost 280#. Will we rip the darn ladders out?

Please, if you have a similar situation, and boat, post pictures of your solution. This is the only thing keeping me from signing a check this weekend.

 

[Tom Winters]

You got a problem with the big guy. With gear, wet, and in a pitching sea, you're looking at maybe a 500-pound momentary load on the ladder. The ladder is no place to try to save a buck.

My boat came with a 3-step Armstrong and I added a 4-step Garelick. Both of them have to be lifted manually which is a royal pain in the arse and yet another reason why I'm getting rid of my boat.

Your best bet is to have a swim step/swing-up ladder fabricated for the boat that you buy. These guys over on the other coast made some nice stuff that I would have gotten: Custom Dive and Swim Platforms by Action Welding of Cape Coral had I used the boat more. They can beef up the fittings while it's being fabricated.

That said and done, if you're considering a larger boat, mine is sitting in east Boca next to the house while I'm sitting up here in Connecticut.

 

[flspy]

Great advice. And what kind of boat? I'm in Boca too.

You got a problem with the big guy. With gear, wet, and in a pitching sea, you're looking at maybe a 500-pound momentary load on the ladder. The ladder is no place to try to save a buck.

My boat came with a 3-step Armstrong and I added a 4-step Garelick. Both of them have to be lifted manually which is a royal pain in the arse and yet another reason why I'm getting rid of my boat.

Your best bet is to have a swim step/swing-up ladder fabricated for the boat that you buy. These guys over on the other coast made some nice stuff that I would have gotten: Custom Dive and Swim Platforms by Action Welding of Cape Coral had I used the boat more. They can beef up the fittings while it's being fabricated.

That said and done, if you're considering a larger boat, mine is sitting in east Boca next to the house while I'm sitting up here in Connecticut.

 

[decidedlyodd]

Well, there's always one of these...

[video=youtube;Zfd7TPrW9fI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfd7TPrW9fI[/video]

 

[Tom Winters]

Ok, I guessed that it was in Canada. Nice flat water. I couldn't picture a US insurance firm underwriting that rig on an offshore commercial dive boat.

flspy - my boat is a '97 30' Century 3000CC. It's just too big for two people, and too much work for one useless guy like me to take care of. I did this stuff for a living for a long time, and geez, I just don't want to screw with the monster every time I want to do a dive. I will not shore dive since I did enough of that for two lifetimes for a living as well.

I guess I'm off the grid now anyway since the absolute highpoint of my day was getting a dump permit from the city of Bristol, CT so I can start emptying my garage of all the tons of crap that my late mom accumulated. How frigging sad is that?

 

[flspy]

That is sweet!

Well, there's always one of these...

[video=youtube;Zfd7TPrW9fI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfd7TPrW9fI[/video]

---------- Post added June 25th, 2013 at 09:01 AM ----------

I dive the Blue Heron Bridge a lot - too much life there to miss.
And yes, I know what you mean. I lived in Westchester County for years and the permits and red tape suck. Sorry about your Mom. I had to deal with that in 2008, but at least she lived here in Florida.

Ok, I guessed that it was in Canada. Nice flat water. I couldn't picture a US insurance firm underwriting that rig on an offshore commercial dive boat.

flspy - my boat is a '97 30' Century 3000CC. It's just too big for two people, and too much work for one useless guy like me to take care of. I did this stuff for a living for a long time, and geez, I just don't want to screw with the monster every time I want to do a dive. I will not shore dive since I did enough of that for two lifetimes for a living as well.

I guess I'm off the grid now anyway since the absolute highpoint of my day was getting a dump permit from the city of Bristol, CT so I can start emptying my garage of all the tons of crap that my late mom accumulated. How frigging sad is that?

 

[yardpro]

Ok, I guessed that it was in Canada. Nice flat water. I couldn't picture a US insurance firm underwriting that rig on an offshore commercial dive boat.

a guy here in hatteras has an elevator...

 

[BoltSnap]

Wouldn't a "T" ladder be appropriate especially for divers?

 

[Dsix36]

You can always hire me to build a real ladder for you!!!

I have built a couple of heavy duty ladders for boats in the area. One in Pompano and one in Boca, so I have references if needed.

 

[Dsix36]

fdarden on this forum has one of my ladders and can vouch for my work.