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Bow Mount Ladder

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JCFaraone

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[SIZE=10.5pt]Does anyone have a bow mount ladder?  Often times I find that we congregate in the water near the bow of the boat and I thought it would be nice to have a ladder there.  Pros and Cons to mounting a bow ladder?  Experience with bow ladders?  Recommendations on bow ladder?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Thanks in advance![/SIZE]
 
As hard as I try to remember to pull mine up mounted on the back and still forget. If it was mounted on the front it would most likely be damaged the first time it was left down. But that is me.
 
I am thinking about the same thing. Please post your decision and what ladder you used if you go that route.
 
I am curious as well. Good question.
 
No, like the one in the link previously posted, it slides and sits flush the rub rail.
 
How easy is it to walk up?  Do you use your hands or can you just walk up .  I have a feeling the doggie boards may be easier to use but harder to store
 
Bull said:
No, like the one in the link previously posted, it slides and sits flush the rub rail.
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We looked at those online and my wife's first comment was that it does not have hand rails.  Does the lack of hand rails hinder anything?  Also it says there must be a minimum of 20 inches between toons for it to fit correctly.  Is it safe to assume there is enough space on a tri-toon?  The boat does not stay at my house and going out to measure it may prove to be difficult.

Thanks.
 
I mounted a ladder on the bow just like the one mounted on the swim deck except with 4 steps instead of 3.  My dealer provided 4 stainless washers so it matched the rear washers.  You can see it in the stowed position between the center and right pontoon.  Sorry about the picture I was testing my new Rigid light bar to supplement my docking lights.

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CrackerJack said:
I mounted a ladder on the bow just like the one mounted on the swim deck except with 4 steps instead of 3.  My dealer provided 4 stainless washers so it matched the rear washers.  You can see it in the stowed position between the center and right pontoon.  Sorry about the picture I was testing my new Rigid light bar to supplement my docking lights.
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Easy to get in from the water without the handles? This is my main concern.
 
I just noticed that Amazon has a Norestar swim ladder coming up on lightning deal soon. It looks like that looks like it might be the exact same ladder I have on my 2275 GCW (3-step version). There is a 4-step version that might be good for a bow mount option if anyone is still looking into it. 
 
I would think there would be enough room since the nose cones taper to a point up front where the ladder would be mounted.

I wonder whether the cross bracing under the deck is spaced such that this can be mounted easily.  S models have different spacing than the Gs and Rs, but up front, I believe there's extra bracing even on my S model.  Worst case, you might have to bolt it to a sheet of 12 gauge steel, then mount that to the cross members.

Looks just like our rear ladder, except they did away with the rubber stretch-strap.  We are on our second strap, but it got a LOT of use before it tore off.  The replacement was free (warranty).

I would think it wouldn't be a problem without hand rails.  When the boat is beached, the deck is probably no more than 30 inches off the ground.  I can step up on that without a ladder pretty easily, but I'm only 48!

If you are climbing this from out of the water though, you probably need the railing.

I ask everyone that gets on the beach to get back on the boat from the rear.  That way they bring in less sand since they are already in the water.  Our beach is shallow so even at the back of the boat you can pretty much just turn around and sit on the rear deck of the boat, then swing your feet up and stand up.  I don't think I'd put a ladder on front of our boat unless I really had trouble climbing on.  That day will come though...  Can't wait.

I also forget to put the rear ladder up on occasion.  If you forgot the bow ladder, and it somehow ripped off (because you were going fast) my guess is you'd also be going so fast you'd hit it with the prop before it sank.  That would certainly make you wish you never installed it.

The more I think about it, the more I probably wouldn't do this unless family/friends really had trouble getting in the boat, and they couldn't get in from the back.  If you're doing this just out of convenience so you don't have to swim around to the rear ladder, I'd probably weigh the pros and cons carefully.
 
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By the way, if you're using the bow ladder off a beach, you may only need the 2-step.

If you are planning to climb up the bow ladder from in the water, you probably need a 6-step ladder (which isn't offered on that Amazon link).  My express runs bow high though, but it's a pretty good reach up to the deck from the water up front.  It's probably a good 2 feet higher off the water than the rear deck.

Anyway, just my 2 cents before you order one.  Think about how long it would need to be for you and whether your bow rides high or not.
 
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What I'd really more than a ladder is a bow mount ramp. Not that useful for day trips, but it's priceless for all the lake camping I do. The motorcycle ramp works great, but it sure would be nice if it stowed between two of the toons instead of taking up room on the boat. 

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The way I see it, the rear ladder is for people boarding from the water. If beached, my bow is up a bit and most people can sit on the bow and then hop off a few inches. For boarding from the front, use the reverse. I think it would be difficult for most people to board from the bow via a ladder in deep water without handrails. Lastly, I have seen two bow ladders. Maybe I have passed more, but the two I noticed were both down and the boats were underway. The ladders looked like they were going to bend or break. With my luck, I would forget to raise the ladder and pay dearly.

With that said, I can see a need for a front boarding "ramp," as noted by bcpnick. It would seem that a slider system could be installed between the toons. It would have to be engineered to hold a certain amount of weight and properly attached to do so. I could see a latch towards the bow that would need to be released and then the ramp is pulled forward to a certain pivot point, lowered and locked in place. When it is time to go, release the lock, slide the ramp back under the boat and secure with the latch. The rear of the slider would be welded shut. Just my rambling thoughts.

Cheers, Steve
 
I agree. A long ramp would be much better than a ladder.
 
Don't stop there, escalator
 
I have a factory style ladder installed on my 2250 GSR. It is the factory ladder without the grab rails. Since the extended bow gives you something to grip, boarding is no problem.

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