Question for TrepMan

[Rocky Lohman2]

Hey, I saw from your boat picture that you had a ladder on your boat( I have a PT 185 which is similar to yours). I have some questions if you don't mind. Did you have any problems accessing the bolts necessary for mounting it? Does the ladder work well for getting in the boat? Where did you get the ladder (two step?)-it looks like one in the BPS catlog.

Thanks

 

[TrepMan]

Rocket - The ladder is the BPS one. I can't speak for details on installation as I had Tracker Marine do it for me. What they did is mount it close enough to the motor that the top 2 sets of screws are through bolted to the transom (you can see the screws/bolts in the splashwell, and the bottom 2 sets of screws are through bolted as well and accessed through the battery hatch by removing center battery.



It works great for getting in/out of the boat. We use it all summer for tubing, kneeboard (ok TRYING to kneeboard!!! LOL) and just getting back in after anchoring and swimming (always in lifejackets) in coves. The only thing I am going to do this spring is mount a plastic handle just on the top of the transom end cap so there is a grab handle on top to help get over the last step into the boat. The only issue is to remind new riders to NOT grab onto the steering bar on the Merc on their way up/down.



A few others have added ladders, I if had todo it again, and knowing now how MANY times a year we use it, I might get the ladder/platform that one of the guys (sorry can't remember who) has on their Targa Deep V boat. That would make it easier for my kids.



Trep
http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=803&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

 

[Rocky Lohman2]

Hey thanks for all the info. I think it will be one of my first spring projects.