attaching boarding ladder

[DaveC426913]

My X has stern boarding ladder mounts, but no ladder. I've bought a new ladder intending to replace the whole thing, but drilling new holes and attaching new mounts seems more effort than needed. The old mounts are only about 3/4" to 1" narrower.

How viable do you think it might be to simply bend the old mounts out 3/8"?

[DaveC426913]

:slaps forehead:

The holes won't be parallel anymore. I'd have to bend the inner arms as well, so it's just as short as the outer arms. But then the ladder would have a 1/2" play side-to-side. I guess I could slip a couple of spacers on the bolts...

[Crikey]

You'll never do it to your liking, so I would suggest simply moving the holes (as needed) then plugging what's left over.

R.

[K9Kampers]

The holes won't be parallel anymore. I'd have to bend...

Yes, but... those ladder arms have a radius bend that won't allow it to lift up into a vertical position, just slightly above horizontal at best. Also looks like it's proximity to the rudder bracket would interfere with rudder motion - use quick pins to install / remove it.

[Crikey]

On another hand - my own experience is that owning your own boat (over time) and having to drill holes, to achieve your own ends, results in the better outcome - regardless of the sale-ability further down the line..
R.

[Gabby_SC]

alternative way, would be: Remove both brackets Make all measurements and then take them to a local welding shop and have them make you a flat stainless bar. About 1/4" x 11/2"x necessary length to reach across existing holes. then weld the brackets on at necessary distance. There you go a sturdier bracket that will look a lot better on your boat. I'm sure someone here on the net could provide a scematic and post it

[DaveC426913]

All great ideas.

I'm afraid I must fess up. One of my primary motivations is to not even have to take the mountings off to alter them, let alone put something new on.

I hate trying to work on the transom from the inside.

[yukonbob]

Why not leave the brackets in place; manufacture a bar that will span the two brackets and mount the ladder off that.

[DaveC426913]

Why not leave the brackets in place; manufacture a bar that will span the two brackets and mount the ladder off that.

Well, I see a few problems with that off the top of my head:
1] That will add an extra inch and a half to the distance that the ladder sticks out. It's nearly cozying up against the rudder and outboard as it is.
2] That would make a pretty rickety attachment point.

I guess I gotta draw the line somewhere.

[DaveC426913]

Yes, but... those ladder arms have a radius bend that won't allow it to lift up into a vertical position, just slightly above horizontal at best. Also looks like it's proximity to the rudder bracket would interfere with rudder motion - use quick pins to install / remove it.

True. The mount points that come with the ladder allow a more full range of motion.

Unfortunately, I still can't make use of the extra range. The 's rudder steering bar is in the way.

[seahouse]

Dave -

The easiest way to do this, and still stay within the restrictive bounds you've outlined, is to slit each of the tubes in a vertical plane, such that the spacing between the slits coincides with the distance between the outermost tangs of the brackets, and slide the ladder top tubes over the brackets.

If you're careful you can do this with an abrasive wheel that will give you the needed width to the slit. Or carefully lay out lines for the edge of the slit and saw them out. You might want to drill holes (at a diameter slightly larger than the slit width) where the slit ends so you end up with a radius at the end of the slit that you can cut up to. You will need to use longer screws for the pivots, nylon nuts preferred so you don't pinch the ends.

The appearance of the end result does depend somewhat on your level of skill, which, from what I've seen, is pretty good.

-Brian.

[DaveC426913]

Bah. The ladder has a 90 degree curve at the top. It will not fold out of position. Even if it could it will interfere with the motor swing, rudder swing, steering piston or all three.

I'm going to forego the lower mount and attach it to the transom outboard of the rudder, like this one:

[tp56ihs]

I was wondering, has anyone mounted a Armstrong dive ladder on a 26x. Any issues?