Marine Boarding Steps, Boat Ladders, Dock Steps, and Boat Boarding Stairs
For vessels with high freeboard, safe boarding is a concern. Dock steps help everyone embark safely in all conditions, not just little children or the less limber adults. Courtesy lighting around the dock adds allure, safety and easy spotting for an approach to the dock.
Dock Steps
Board your boat safely with durable, slip-inhibiting dock steps. We recommend, UV resistant polyurethane dock steps, by Todd Enterprises or Taylor Made Products. These dock steps are light weight and easy to stow. Many of our dock steps also can be purchased with optional hand rails. Both manufacturers’ dock steps can be permanently mounted to your dock. Steps are available with single steps, double steps, triple steps and/or four/quad steps. Todd Triple and Quad Steps include one handrail.
Boat Boarding Stairs - Sea Stairs
Are articulating stairs that changes its geometry with the movements of the tide and provide safe, convenient boarding. Mounting plates are installed on the boat which allows for the sea stairs to be added, removed, or stowed anytime. Boarding Stairs usually come with safety handrails. Sea Stairs Casters glide smoothly and quietly over dock surfaces. When not in use, stairs fold flat and can be stored on the boat until the next port of call. Our Boarding Stairs offer a safer, more affordable alternative to Marquipt Sea Stairs.
Dock Safety Ladders
Dock safety ladders are much like old-school fire escapes; they are stored collapsed and out of the way until an emergency. Should someone fall into the water, they simply swim to the unit and grab the bottom rung. The ladder will then extend into the water allowing the accidental swimmer to exit the water and reset the unit for the next unlucky customer.
Boarding Ladders
Boarding ladders allow boaters to get in and out of the water from the deck or swim step of a boat and aid in boarding from a dinghy. Although they can sometimes be used to help in the retrieval of a crew member who has fallen overboard, they are typically of little or no use in rough seas. Boat ladders must extend below the level of the water to be effective. We like ladders with at least 2-3 rungs below the surface, which means they must either fold or be removed when underway. Common ladder types:
- Over-the-gunwale ladders for runabouts and small sailboats. These have hooks that vary in width to match the width of the gunwale.
- Swim step ladders hang down from powerboat swim steps and usually contract underneath or 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.
- Platform ladders create a mini-swim step on one side of the outboard or outdrive. These come with a platform and side rails.
- ladders on sailboats 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.
