Anyone use Portable ladder on bass boat?

[TrepMan]

OK it was 85 here on Sat, and though the water temp is still in the low 60's it will not be long before 80 degrees water temp and we will be swimming and tubing! So, i'm back to considering which type of ladder to use/put on my 700lx. Part of me wants to go with the 2 step mounted ladder like I had on my Tracker but am a bit fearful of drilling holes into the 'glass (even with backing plates), and just going with a portable ladder and are looking at 2 kinds. Are there any pro's or con's of each one? I like the rope one for its storage, but wonder how easy it would be to get in/out of the boat on the side with this for me or the wife and kids? On the other 'hard' portable ladder, will it possibly damage the gelcoat by the pressure that the 2 middle "supports" will put on the side of the boat?



1 is the kind that hooks on the side of the boat with braces that would push/hold up against the side of the boat, like this one from Bass Pro:

or the portable rope ladder like this one:

 

[Jim B]

I have one thats kinda like the rope one. I like it because it stores easily taking up little space. I dont ski from my boat but sometimes i like to talke a swim and it make getting into the boat a little easier.



Personally i think the safest option for someone like me who fished in cold water is an factory installed one but my boat didnt have one and i dont think it was an option on the 882. I really like the retractable one that Triton has on the x boats. Its a really slick idea. I think they should sell that to the other boat company's, its just a great saftey feature and id bet people would buy it. I know a lot of guys that wont have a ladder because they dont like how they look etc, the retractable one would judt be there and dosent detract from the boat and would really save someones life if they fell in in cold water.

 

[Mike Zechman]

I got one from bass pro, that just hangs on the side of the boat for my Champ, it did not work well because of the sides bein recessed, so when you went up the ladder(the first pic) you were at a hard angle, and mine actually broke because of it

 

[fatrap]

Mine tilts way under the gunnel making it just about worthless.

fatrap

 

[TrepMan]

Mike and Fatrap that is what I am concerned about on the hook type ladder over the gunwale.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Trep, I have the "fixed" ladder on my Ranger, it came that way. I think it's ugly, but I do have peace of mind that it's there, I know if I fall in and I am able to get to the ladder I will be able to get up onto the boat.



There are some people who would never own a boat without a ladder, I would bet it's safe to assume that they learned the "hard way"



CJL

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

OH I ahve not had any problems with the drilling of holes, leaks etc, from the ladder. It may also act as a bumper in standing timber

 

[Larry Harp]

I've considered installing on of those folding 3 step ladders on the transom of my PT-185 but I'm afraid I'll bash it up on the trees. I've already crushed a couple of transducer brackets and speedo pilot tubes. I'm like Chris, their ugly but I sure would feel better knowing I can get back in the boat if I fall into cold water when I'm by myself.



Harpo

 

[Gene B]

I have one like the top picture in my boat. It does angle a little, but if it's all the way to the back of the boat it's not that bad.



Gene

 

[Andrew Zuber]

I bought the top one....too much curve to use on the sides of the boat, and not enough room to use on the transom....if we tube, we go to a lake with a sandbar...LOL

It's collecting dust out in the garage...



az

 

[TrepMan]

Harpo - I had this one on my PC 175 and it never "bash it up on the trees.", since it folds up running or going through stump fields its out of the water completely. I had Tracker install it and it worked amazing, the only issue which I didn't resolve before I sold it, is I needed to install an additional handle on the top of the transom to help my wife get all the way into the boat, but it worked great. I would not hesitate to put one on an aluminium boat, my concern of the Nitro is drilling into 'glass, being able to get to the back to put backing plates and so on.

 

[Jim in VA]

I tried the hook ladder route with my PT175. Two major problems. First, the parts of the ladder that brace against the side of the boat were too short. I used longer pieces of small diameter PVC, but even then, the braces tended to slip down the side of the boat. Second, there was no decent place to store the ladder when not in use.



I ended up having my Tracker dealier install a ladder like Trepman's at the back of the boat behind the driver's side. It folds up nicely and works well. Since its bolted through the transom and sealed with silicone, there have been no leakage issues. And in order to have an extra handle at the top, I bolted an aluminum U-shaped handle on one of the transom cross braces near the motor. Great to have and lots of piece of mind when fishing alone!



JC

 

[Larry Harp]

How much did they charge to install the transom ladder? I'm a little skittish about drilling into my transom.:unsure:



Harpo

 

[TrepMan]

Harpo - I'm in NY so I don't have access to my "boat" file at home. I want to say it was like $50 to install, plus the $59 price of the ladder.

 

[Rich D]

Here is my thing with the portable ladder/safety issue. What good is it if you are by yourself? You will have to remove it from whatever hatch it is stored in and keep it close to the edge of the boat, within reach. Otherwise, you are S.O.L.



Either might be fine for skiing/swimming, but for safety I would think a transom mount.



Rich D

 

[TrepMan]

Rich - I am on the fence on this one. in 14 years of boat ownership, i've only fell off the boat by accident once, that was in my 14ft jonboat w/no ladder. That was easy for me to climb back in. On the Nitro, IF I were to fall in and need to get back I figure (should try it this summer) i'd CAREFULY with my shoes on, since it was on accident I fell in, step up on the cavitation plate and "trim" my way up to climb back in.



I think the ideal is the transom mounted ladder, whether factory or aftermarket installed. But i'm leaning for the $20-30 cost try the portable ladder this summer, my bildge on the Nitro is big enough to be able to (I tried it at the dealer) mount/fit the long over the transom hook ladder. But from reading above from Jim i might have to try it and see if it will work, if not take it back and buy the one to install.

 

[Rich D]

The first summer with my boat when I was with a buddy we got to talking about it, so I put a vest on, jumped overboard and made sure I had a way to climb in the boat. I can climb up and in using the motor. Although if I start doing more cold weather fishing, I am going for a permanent ladder install.



I bet these guys only fell out of a boat once too...



Rich D
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/06071/668995.stm

 

[Larry Harp]

You got to keep reminding yourself that it ain't Disney World out there...you can get yourself in serious trouble, especially in the winter and early spring. A couple of years ago a guy told me about a friend of his who fell in while he was fishing by himself in the winter. Long story short they found him floating in his life jacket not very far from his boat, dead from hypothermia.



Something to think about.



Harpo

 

[Greg Neely, P.E.]

Amazing Coincidence! I'm past swimming intentionally from my PT 185; however, Mrs. Oldgringo and I would feel better if there was access to the boat from the water. In your vast experience/s, the ladder pictured above stays up when it should and comes down when called. Right?



I bet I can install it without sinking the vessel.

 

[Jim in VA]

Harpo - I paid something like $135 for the ladder and installation at the dealer. About $75 for the ladder itself and $60 for the install. I've stood on the ladder while the boat was on the trailer in the driveway and its help up to my 200 plus pounds with no problem.



Trepman - even if the ladder fits, testing on the water makes sense. The sides of the boat get awfully slippery when wet and those braces may not stay where they are supposed to! If I had to go the portable ladder route, I'd guess I'd pick the rope version.



For those who want to go the cheaper route, seems that a sturdy length of rope with some loops tied in along the length using non-slip knots might serve in an emergency. Just tie it off to the rear cleat of the boat and leave it on the deck until you need it. I've not fallen overboard (yet!), but I like the ladder there. I know it works, because the family and I like to swim off the bass boat in Lake Anna during summer when the "cold" side gets up around 80 degrees!



Cheers! JC



ps: takin' the little man over to Four Mile Run Creek this weekend. Virginia is stocking a mess of trout in the creek with a Kids-Only fishing period of 9am to 1pm this Saturday at Bon Air Park. Ought to be fun watching him try for his first trout!



JC

 

[Michael Meier]

I have one of the folding ladders in the picture above and it works great. Even my 225lbs can climb up that thing. I have been in the cold water by myself. You need a fixed ladder on the transom if your going to winter fish.