Steamboat_Willie
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2008
- Messages
- 28
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-24 C SE
- Vessel Name
- Steamboat Willie
As we continue to thoroughly enjoy our R21EC we have found that the choice and mounting position of the swim ladder that the factory installs could use some ergonomic improvement. Both my wife and I consider ourselves reasonably able-bodied sailors but find it a bit challenging to climb out of the water and back into the boat using the existing swim ladder. Since the ladder is only a "3-step" we find that in order to lift one's foot onto that first bottom step one has to lean way back into the water while hoisting one's foot upward. The bottom step is just not low enough into the water.
Because the bottom step is at such a height we find ourselves sort of pivoting our body upward with all of our weight directed inward (perpendicular) to the transom. In addition to the amount of physical strength one needs to exert to hoist yourself up I have to believe that this is also subjecting the ladder itself and the mounting hardware with unnecessary physical flexing and horizontal stress. And the second issue is that the two upper mounting brackets at the top of the ladder are set too far in ("forward") on the swim platform. When you finally step onto the TOP ladder rung your foot is now, essentially, a bit "under" (forward) the rear edge of the swim platform and as a result we've both bumped our shinbones on the edge of the swim ladder more than once. (ouch!)
Unfortunately the mfg of the existing swim ladder does not make a 4-step version in a configuration that allows the ladder to retract back in and under the swim platform as the 3-step currently does. They did tell me that they make a similar 4-step ladder, a model 351R, http://www.marinedepot.us/ladder/B00351/B00351.htm that could be modified to use our existing 3-step ladder mounting hdwr but no guarantees that the horizontal spacing and the diameter of the new ladder vertical tubing would fit into the existing 3-step mounting brackets. What started out to be, what I thought was, a rather simple substitution of one ladder with another has only yielded more questions. Maybe it's just not worth trying to alleviate this inconvenience that I've described.
Has anyone else with an R21EC experienced this same inconvenience with the swim ladder on their boat and given any thought to a possible solution? Comments appreciated.
Thanks.
Ed
Steamboat Willie
2008 R21EC
Because the bottom step is at such a height we find ourselves sort of pivoting our body upward with all of our weight directed inward (perpendicular) to the transom. In addition to the amount of physical strength one needs to exert to hoist yourself up I have to believe that this is also subjecting the ladder itself and the mounting hardware with unnecessary physical flexing and horizontal stress. And the second issue is that the two upper mounting brackets at the top of the ladder are set too far in ("forward") on the swim platform. When you finally step onto the TOP ladder rung your foot is now, essentially, a bit "under" (forward) the rear edge of the swim platform and as a result we've both bumped our shinbones on the edge of the swim ladder more than once. (ouch!)
Unfortunately the mfg of the existing swim ladder does not make a 4-step version in a configuration that allows the ladder to retract back in and under the swim platform as the 3-step currently does. They did tell me that they make a similar 4-step ladder, a model 351R, http://www.marinedepot.us/ladder/B00351/B00351.htm that could be modified to use our existing 3-step ladder mounting hdwr but no guarantees that the horizontal spacing and the diameter of the new ladder vertical tubing would fit into the existing 3-step mounting brackets. What started out to be, what I thought was, a rather simple substitution of one ladder with another has only yielded more questions. Maybe it's just not worth trying to alleviate this inconvenience that I've described.
Has anyone else with an R21EC experienced this same inconvenience with the swim ladder on their boat and given any thought to a possible solution? Comments appreciated.
Thanks.
Ed
Steamboat Willie
2008 R21EC