Next priority - boarding ladder

[konstan]

Climbing back into the boat using one of those West Marine plastic/aluminum ladders is really hard, both me and the Admiral really struggle. The darn thing swings under the boat too much.

I think I want a permanent mount SS transom ladder.  I want it to be easy to use but I also want it to look good. How good is the transom ladder offered by Hutchins? Are there advantages to it over Garelick?s?

[bruce]

On the PC, the transom ladder looks good, and works OK, but it is a pain to climb around the boom gallows uprights, and the tubular treads aren't comfy, for my feet anyway. For swimming off the boat, many prefer ladders mounted over the gunwales on the side.

I know the 7" 4-step WM portable ladders well, and have made them a pleasure to use by installing infills in the hook that conform to the coaming snuggly. The ladder no longer swings under the boat in use. I've modified 3 at this point, with a request for a fourth. I use 1 1/2" StarBoard for the infill these days, a 12" x 12" piece is enough for both hooks, $38 on eBay.

The WM ladders are very easy to modify. As set up, the treads are all wrong, but they are easily moved by relocating two screws per tread, one on each side. The stand offs are also poorly-located, but, unlike some designs, they are separate from the treads, and are also easily moved to where you want them. This is on a PC of course, but the same thing might be possible on your 16. Use a couple layers of 3/4" plywood, and they'd be even cheaper.

[konstan]

Lengthen the stand-offs, then? I think I might try that...

[bruce]

Easy to do, it's just 1" aluminum tubing. Chose the same ID and OD, the fittings don't care. I moved mine up so it landed on the hull higher, and had to trim the stand off tubing shorter.

I use McMaster Carr.

[brackish]

that is a very clever way to modify a fairly ineffective ladder and make it work well.  And there is a lot to be said for being able to avoid back stays, running rigging, and in my case a stern rail to get in the boat.

If you were to go with a permanent stern mounted unit, make sure you get one with reasonably sized flat treads.  The factory installed ladder on my 23 was very uncomfortable to use until I modified it and added UHMW treads on the stainless steel tubing rungs.