Swim ladder plans

[old_mouldy]

Hi there...

Anyone got any inspiring plans OR advice for designing a swim ladder (transom mount, preferably folding)

D

[Ian McColgin]

Just a thought - why transom mount?

Many motor and sail boats put it there since it's fairly easy and cost effective to put it there more or less permanently. You needn't work to deploy it.

However, I find transom mounted ladders most unseamanlike. They are harder and riskier to board whether from a dink or the water at any time, but especially in a seaway.

Further, they are nigh on to useless in any sort of rescue operation both exposing the casualty to increased risk from the propeller and in making approach and pick up more difficult that approach alongside.

Your boat and your call, but I'd make a nice classic wood folding unit of the standard pattern and hardware with attachments at the lifeline gate on each side of the boat.

G'luck and beware the osterizer

[mmd]

WB #84 had a how-to article on building a folding ladder; might be worth a look-see.

[old_mouldy]

Ian ...
Its a lapstrake. A 300lb diver and gear seamonster would SHRED the laps in no time. I use my fancy wooden boat for such unspeakable things!

[old_mouldy]

GUYS ! Thanks but the WB84 article says it is for a BOARDING LADDER.
I could be wrong....

WOOD
SWIM
FOLDING
TRANSOM!

Heeeeelllllp (sound of man going down)

[mmd]

Old_mouldy!

WOOD!
LACK OF SPECIFICS IN ORIGINAL POST!
MOST OBVIOUS ANSWER FIRST!
ADAPT FOR APPLICATION!!

... now that I have THAT out of my system, I designed several dive support boats for tourist coral-reef diving when I was in the southern Caribbee that had ladders that were fabricated from anodized aluminum pipe and looked more elegant than industrial. Would these be of any interest to you, or are you really set on wood?

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

There's your answer. MMD will have a ladder you can actually use.

[John E Hardiman]

The most important thing is that the lowest step be at least 3' under the water, or it will be effectively useless for everybody except the two seals, the Navy one and the trained one.

Seriously, this is one of the most important points for the ladder being useful to get out of the water. You have to be able to get you legs under your body floating verticaly. If the step is too shallow, you only have your arms as your legs will be out in front of you, and you're back where you started - pulling yourself out by your arms alone. Most ones I've seen don't go down near far enough.

[mmd]

Excellent point, John. The other commentary we received from the dive operators was that 1) most tubular metal folding ladders actually floated, making it difficult to make that initial step easily, and 2.) most were too narrow to use easily without removing your flippers first.