This may be one of my truly wierd ideas!!! A bow boarding ladder.

Posted By: Sam Hunter, '93 Mac26S, Atlanta & Pensacola
Date: 5/3/09 4:02p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

We really like to beach the boat and go ashore. Like most, we tend to beach stern-to, which can be a bit of a challenge. Drop a bow anchor, bring up the CB, bring up the rudder, build up some speed in reverse, when you get close to the beach, kill the engine and get it UP! QUICKLY!!! I have seen some people go bow-first, then reverse the boat at their convenience. In any case, getting on and off the boat over the bow is a bit of a trick, and I ain't gettin any younger! (Freida may be, but I am NOT!) So, I've been trying to design a workable bow ladder that does not require separate storage and does not get in the way. This is the result. Of course, we already had that big bowsprit from some earlier projects. For this one, I added a triangular plate to the port side of the sprit. (Those are 7- and 8-inch, 3/8 lag screws holding the plate to the sprit, it isn't going anywhere!) The plate is triangular mostly so the ladder will slope somewhat forward rather than just sideways, and just maybe provide a "dry socks" exit from boat to beach. It was also to get the angles right so the ladder would stow nicely in the "up" position. (Sits against the pulpit riser) I've already put all my "Bubba-sized" weight on it, and got up the nerve to bounce up and down on it. Everything held, not even any ominous noises. If I got the measurements right, and if it all actually works in the real world, it will provide a ladder up from the (dry) beach, starting about 10" above the water/beach. Yeah, I know, it is a bit of a wierd idea, but it is something that seemed like a good idea to me. It will get its debut on the Florida 120. Hope it works!!!