Safety ladder?

[Joe the plumber]

I've just bought one of these:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrakidz-331900000053-Climbing-Ladder-Synthetic/dp/B01FVKAL66/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

 

It looks to me as though it would be very handy for anyone who's fallen in as long as it can be secured to the boat somehow. It takes up hardly any space, and look at the price.

 

Clearly, one reviewer on Amazon is of similar mind.

 

I hope this is of interest, but is it actually a good idea?

[alan_fincher]

Probably quite hard to use.

The fact it only has narrow rungs mean if it hangs against your boat hull, you probably will not get an adequate toe-hold on to the rung.

Also I suspect it will float, so you will need to fight some of it under water in order to start climbing it.

 

One with large flat submersible rungs would increase your chances, but probably still harder to use than you might think.

[nicknorman]

Have you ever tried climbing up a rope ladder? It's not easy, worse when weighed down with wet clothes, and I seem to recall that the best way is climbing up the edge, ie one leg/foot each side. You couldn't really do that if the ladder was against the hull.

[DHutch]

We have a similar but all plastic affair, which has some (folding) stand-off bits, and is basically the same density as water (neither floats or sinks). Having never used it earnest I cannot say what it would be like, however while I expect its still fairly hard to use, i expect its better than a rope/wood ladder and certainly a lot better than nothing.

 

Both do however basically rely on another crew member or passer-by deploying it for you.

 

 

 

Daniel

[RichM]

I have heard that they can be hard to use, especially on the stern of a narrowboat. One person told me that the ladder wrapped around the swim of their boat when they tried to use it, making it hard for them to get out. - they leave it out whenever they're moored up.

 

That said it would certainly be better than nothing and possibly quite feasible for those who are fit and able. If there's any weak or non able-bodied people on your boat it may be worth considering an alternative.

[Murflynn]

the best emergency ladder is horizontal fins or steps made of round bar fitted to the rudder, and a strong rope to haul yourself up with.

[Jerra]

I certainly doubt you could use the rungs as handholds (like you might on an ordinary ladder. Your weight would swing the rungs up against the boat trapping your fingers.

 

I think if you were to use a rope ladder to get out it would need fairly wide flat rungs which would hold a rope (which would need to be quite thick for easy gripping) away from the hull. Then you could use the ropes to grip as you put your feet on the rungs.

[KJT]

I think one of these would be easier to use, and the hooks and arms fold flat for storing on the roof.

 

http://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-aluminium-ladder-5-steps-h136xw35cm.html?sqr=Boarding%20ladder.V6Ogd7xLOrU

 

Ken

[Joe the plumber]

Hmm, lots of good points there. Perhaps I'll keep my new rope ladder for the back garden!

 

Thanks folks.

[alan_fincher]

I think one of these would be easier to use, and the hooks and arms fold flat for storing on the roof.

 

http://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-aluminium-ladder-5-steps-h136xw35cm.html?sqr=Boarding%20ladder.V6Ogd7xLOrU

 

Ken

 

Described as having 5 steps, but a picture shown with only 3. Depending on depth of hull it is being hung off, iit was as per the picture, rather than the description, the lowest step might be to high for it to help much with climbing out. Whatever ladder you have really needs to have bottom rungs well under water level.

[bizzard]

I suggest we all wear nylon stocking, with ladders in em, to climb up.

[RLWP]

I suggest we all wear nylon stocking, with ladders in em, to climb up.

 

Those particular ladders always lead to interesting places

 

Richard

[magpie patrick]

the best emergency ladder is horizontal fins or steps made of round bar fitted to the rudder, and a strong rope to haul yourself up with.

 

In extremis one can get up the skeg, rudder and tiller of a narrow boat - extremis is when one is in the River Avon in the dark and finds that, even at the edge, one's feet won't touch the bottom.

 

It wasn't my boat either, a rather alarmed young lady came out to find the monster of the deep standing on the back deck!

 

(Juno now has a safety ladder)

[Phil Ambrose]

I think one of these would be easier to use, and the hooks and arms fold flat for storing on the roof.

http://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-aluminium-ladder-5-steps-h136xw35cm.html?sqr=Boarding%20ladder.V6Ogd7xLOrU

Ken

I fully endorse ladders such as these,have got me out more than once. These bits of kit come in various guises and are pretty common in use on the Broads were unlike a lot of canals, you can't just walk out.

Phil

[alan_fincher]

 

In extremis one can get up the skeg, rudder and tiller of a narrow boat - extremis is when one is in the River Avon in the dark and finds that, even at the edge, one's feet won't touch the bottom.

 

However when the rudder decides to swing firmly around to its own "extremis" and jam your foot firmly partially under the uxter plate held in by the raised end of the rudder you can end up in a bit of a mess.

 

But please don't ask me how I know this.

 

Less chance of further injury if someone is about who can hold the rudder straight as you are attempting to climb it, (although if the tiller bar is currently removed, keeping it from moving may be harder than you might think).

[Sea Dog]

I intend to wear a pair of those adjustable stilts plasterers use the next time I fall in. A couple of clicks and you can stroll out at your leisure after rather nonchalantly appearing to walk on water.

[frahkn]

I've just bought one of these:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrakidz-331900000053-Climbing-Ladder-Synthetic/dp/B01FVKAL66/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

 

It looks to me as though it would be very handy for anyone who's fallen in as long as it can be secured to the boat somehow. It takes up hardly any space, and look at the price.

 

Clearly, one reviewer on Amazon is of similar mind.

 

I hope this is of interest, but is it actually a good idea?

I have seen a similar ladder packed in a canvas pouch which in turn was tied, upside down, below the side rail of a cruiser stern boat.

 

As it was upside down and closed with velcro, it could be torn open from the water using a cord placed for the purpose. This dangled just above the water.

 

Frank.

[KJT]

Described as having 5 steps, but a picture shown with only 3. Depending on depth of hull it is being hung off, iit was as per the picture, rather than the description, the lowest step might be to high for it to help much with climbing out. Whatever ladder you have really needs to have bottom rungs well under water level.

They do 3, 4 and 5 rung variants. The 5 rung one would seem to fit the bill.

 

Ken

[rustydiver]

I intend to wear a pair of those adjustable stilts plasterers use the next time I fall in. A couple of clicks and you can stroll out at your leisure after rather nonchalantly appearing to walk on water.

Not if your on the G&S canal I plumbed the depth at one spot when fishing off the boat this week and it was about 12ft deep just off the bank.

[BrumSaint]

We've got something like this.

 

http://www.mes-marine.co.uk/store/product.php?id_product=9201221

 

The 'ladder' is stored in the bag, which is tied to the stern railings. If someone falls in they pull on the ribbon to release the 'ladder'.

 

We bought it after my wife fell in at Eturia, as we turned in to the Caldon canal, she is only just over 5' tall and the water there is 3'6" to 4' deep. The combination of depth & her lack of height meant it was very difficult to climb out. Since buying the ladder neither of us has fallen in, but we hope the fact that the bottom steps are below the baseplate level will make it easier to climb out.

[frahkn]

We've got something like this.

 

http://www.mes-marine.co.uk/store/product.php?id_product=9201221

 

The 'ladder' is stored in the bag, which is tied to the stern railings. If someone falls in they pull on the ribbon to release the 'ladder'.

 

We bought it after my wife fell in at Eturia, as we turned in to the Caldon canal, she is only just over 5' tall and the water there is 3'6" to 4' deep. The combination of depth & her lack of height meant it was very difficult to climb out. Since buying the ladder neither of us has fallen in, but we hope the fact that the bottom steps are below the baseplate level will make it easier to climb out.

Yes, that is it.

[Sea Dog]

Yes, that is it.

And quite promising it looks too! Do the rungs float? (a bad thing); have you tested it? (a brave but sensible thing); did it work? (that would be a good thing).

[Jerra]

And quite promising it looks too! Do the rungs float? (a bad thing); have you tested it? (a brave but sensible thing); did it work? (that would be a good thing).

I was wondering if the rungs are held away from the hull in anyway, otherwise where do your knuckles fit.

[Sea Dog]

I was wondering if the rungs are held away from the hull in anyway, otherwise where do your knuckles fit.

In between the bones of your fingers, but that's not important right now! (Hold the rope Jerra, not the rungs)

[rustydiver]

force 4 do a ladder similar to the one above.

I've been thinking about getting one off these. Maybe a diving weight strapped to the bottom rung to help it sink.

Mounted to the rail bag resting on the gunnel with a strap to the brass circle mounting on the hull to keep it there.

When i get one i will don my drysuit and give it a try.

 

I'm reluctant to mount right at the rear when you try and climb it, the ladder if the prop is still going, ladder goes under with your foot.