It'll take a pretty long ladder if you can't climb it without using your legs. In my younger days that would have been no problem (worked as a tree climber, in fact), but these days I need several rungs below the water to even think about climbing a boarding ladder.
I built a 3 rung rope ladder using 3/4 x 4 x 12 plywood. Especially useful when beached and then after launching. Small fenders interesting idea as might work for docking. but bulky. I store mine in anchor storage hold.
My ladder goes on either side of prow. A direct front mount may unstabley swing to either side as it will be pushed against the hull.
First rung near water line.
I have a 3 rung boarding ladder, which I've used mostly in boarding the dinghy while out snorkeling. It doesn't work all that well, since when I step onto the rung, the thing tends to rotate under the dinghy, leaving me awkwardly hanging. To a degree, same problem exists in the bow area, because of the hull shape. It's also a tall climb to make it over/past the bow pulpit. Better option is over the side and wading ashore. Because of the relatively flat side of the hull in the cockpit area, boarding ladder works better there.
as you all know.
