Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

Ten Tips for choosing the right boarding ladder

by Sail-World Cruising on 15 Aug 2012
Boarding Ladders - photo by West Marine SW
Every boat of a certain size needs a boarding ladder. But choosing the right boarding ladder for your boat could make a critical difference to your life on the water some time in the future.

Here are ten tips to help you make the right decisions:



1. Firstly it's only the very strong-armed who can pull themselves up the side of a boat of any size without some assistance, either from above, or from a boarding ladder. So when choosing a boarding ladder it's an excellent idea to work out a way of releasing it from in the water. While it may be useless in a stormy sea, it can nevertheless be useful in calm or enclosed waters, especially if you are on your own. One good method of doing this is to have the boarding ladder set into a swim board, but this involves stern mounting, which raises another issue.

2. Boat ladders must extend below the level of the water to be effective. Ladders with at least 2-3 rungs below the surface are the best, but this means they must either fold or be removed when underway.

3. Ladders should be mounted so that the steps extend far enough into the water to make climbing aboard as easy as possible and at a spot that's convenient for boarding. For example, stern ladders are quite common on sailboats, but this is frequently where the motion of the boat is the greatest. On sailboats with a fixed pushpit, a better place may be on the side, near the cockpit, where the lifeline gate is located.

4. Comfort and security is important, particularly for those less athletic. Broad, nonskid treads are better than 1' stainless tubing, which can be remarkably painful under bare feet for some people.

5. Finger and toe security is also important, so the best ladders are those that stand off away from the side of the hull, because that provides clearance for small digits.

6. Side rails that extend above deck level provide a handy place to grab.

7. Construction is another decision. You'll probably have to decide between stainless-steel, aluminum or plastic. Aluminum is lighter and less expensive, while stainless-steel looks better and is stronger. Plastic treads are fine and are quite comfortable.

8. Whether you decide on a removable or fixed ladder depends greatly on the type of sailing boat:
Swim step ladders hang down from swim steps and usually fold up on top of the step. Since the swim step is so much lower than the side of the boat, these ladders generally need only 1-3 steps.
Transom ladders hinge up and down and generally match the appearance of the pushpit.
Removable ladders fit in brackets bolted to the hull or deck. The brackets have keyhole slots that hold the ladder securely, yet allow it to be removed quickly for storage.
Many ladders fold in half so they can be left in place without dragging in the water. They can be used while folded when boarding from a dinghy and extended when swimming. They are also easier to stow.

9. Rope ladders are flexible, collapsible and lightweight, but they're not ideal as a primary ladder because their flexibility makes them difficult to climb. Try in calm water before you rely on them as your sole reboarding method.

10. Finally, how to choose the right sized ladder:
First measure the height of the freeboard to the water, you then should plan to have 2 rungs / steps beyond this distance. Depending on where it is placed, this could be a long ladder and so most are designed to fold or be easily storable.

There is another issue to consider - can you get back into your dinghy unaided? If you can't then maybe you need to consider a some kind of ladder for that too!

Cyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERNoble Marine 2022 SW - FOOTERStoneways Marine 2021 - FOOTER

Related Articles

How Seldén Carbon Masts are made
I took a look around the Seldén Mast factory with Richard Thoroughgood to find out more I took a look around the Seldén Mast factory with Richard Thoroughgood from Seldén to find out a bit more about how the carbon tow reels become the masts that we use when out sailing.
Posted on 12 May
Legend Owners hit target to raise £20,000
Raised for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust at 30th Anniversary AGM The Legend Owners Association (LOA) has been supporting The Ellen MacArthur Cancer trust as their chosen charity since 2006 and over the years has raised £19,000 for the charity. The aim was to reach £20,000 during their 30th Anniversary year of 2025.
Posted on 12 May
Next RYA Connected Webinar tonight at 7pm!
Growing membership through non-competitive activity After a pause in April, it's time for the third in the series of webinars aimed at helping clubs boost membership and sailing participation.
Posted on 12 May
ARC Europe sets sail for Bermuda
A fantastic week of activities under the beautiful Caribbean sky ARC Europe 2025 has enjoyed a fantastic week of activities under the beautiful Caribbean sky. The odd shower did not dampen enthusiasm within the participants or the Yellow Shirts.
Posted on 12 May
UK Tall Ship confirmed for SAIL 2025
Eye of the Wind will be one of the highlights of the Grand Parade We are pleased to announce that the renowned British tall ship Eye of the Wind has confirmed its participation in SAIL 2025.
Posted on 11 May
The new Y6
Intuitive solo sailing redefined We proudly announces the creation of the Y6, a groundbreaking model designed for effortless, intuitive solo sailing.
Posted on 9 May
Race For Water first stop in Marseille
Campaign to raise awareness of the importance of ocean preservation First stop in Marseille for the Mediterranean campaign of the Ocean and Climate Odyssey, organized by Race For Water, aiming to raise awareness among the general public, schoolchildren, and businesses about the importance of ocean preservation.
Posted on 8 May
SW108 Kiboko 4 wins Sailing Superyacht of the Year
At the 20th edition of the Boat International World Superyacht Awards Southern Wind Australia and New Zealand is thrilled to announce that the SW108 Kiboko 4has been awarded both the "Sailing Yacht" category win and the prestigious title of "Sailing Yacht of the Year" at the Boat International World Superyacht Awards.
Posted on 8 May
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Lite Jacket
Will it become your new favourite jacket? We all have that one favourite jacket, which no matter what the weather or where you're going, it's the one you pick out above everything else. The new Dynamic Lite Jacket from Henri-Lloyd is set to become the new fave jacket.
Posted on 8 May
Bulwarks and Bulldust – new Vodcast Show launches
Join us as we pan for the gold dust, whilst sifting out the bulldust. Bulwarks and Bulldust looks at the serious subjects from inside the world of boating, but we don't take ourselves too seriously. The show covers off everything from Off The Beach to Superyachts, Powerboats to Ocean Racing, and the marine industry itself
Posted on 6 May