Swim step load rating

S

ssobol

Active member
Anyone know the load rating of the factory swim step and ladder?

While we are comfortably under 200# each, I know some people that might be present on my boat that are north of 300#. I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt (or damage the boat) if the swim platform or ladder are overloaded.

At one time for my other boat I was looking at a nice SS boarding ladder. However, I found that it was only rated for 160#, which limited its usefulness a lot.

Thanks.
 
I dont know what the step and ladder are engineered for, but I"M 230lb . and all 3 of my cd16,cd22 and my cc-23 all have th same step and ladder and no problems I've since sold the 16 and 22 . I dont know if the ladder will hold over 300lb ?? the swim step should . You can call up the ladder mfg and find out the rating ?
 
jennykatz":rys393jb said:
I dont know what the step and ladder are engineered for, but I"M 230lb . and all 3 of my cd16,cd22 and my cc-23 all have th same step and ladder and no problems I've since sold the 16 and 22 . I dont know if the ladder will hold over 300lb ?? the swim step should . You can call up the ladder mfg and find out the rating ?
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I weigh 250 pounds, and on my my sold CD 16 several years ago, I fell into the water. Using my Garelick ladder to enter the boat, the ladder broke within the telescoping section and it screwed up my knee. If it happened while at sea, it could have had serious consequences. So I took the ladder apart, and discovered that whoever put the stainless steel parts together, they over torqued the stainless steel internal bolt, and it snapped under my weight.

Stainless steel is a soft metal, and the diameter of the bolt is rather small. I think my model was 19546. The part of the ladder that broke was the internal bolt that keeps a washer in place that is the stop that holds the telescoping section together. I recommend taking the telescoping section apart and inspecting the internal bolts carefully. I fixed the ladder by installing a larger stainless steel boat in both sections with locknuts. It was rock solid after the fix.

In fact, I recommend that anyone with this kind of ladder inspects these parts. While I am no mechanical engineer, in my opinion, the diameter of the internal boat fulfills minimum load bearing requirements and they should have over-designed it to use a larger diameter bolt. If the bolt is not over-torqued during assembly, it will hold, but if it was stressed beyond tolerances such that it just falls short of its elastic limit, then it may break under the weight of a heavy person like me.

Rich
 
I've looked all over the factory ladder that sits off the starboard side of my boat for a rating and can find nothing. But, my two hundred pounds does change the radius of the top curves some when I'm on it. I'd not allow anyone in the 250 plus class to use it. 300 pounds, definitely not. If that baby gives away with someone in that weight class on it, there could and likely would be major physical damage to that person, and at that weight, and with a broken boarding ladder, how would you get a very large person, bleeding or unconscious out of the water.

Your question brings up a broader issue and that is how does a captain assure that a very large passenger is safe on our smaller boats. I've had to take a hard line with one of my best friends who falls in that 300 pound class.

He has never been a "small boater" and I've told him straight out, no rides on my boat. (His weight has created a physical inability to get over gunnels and into small boats and he can't really get into a decent life vest). I just don't feel I can be responsible for his welfare on the boat. Thankfully, he does understand the potential problems for him in an emergency. He also thinks that any boat smaller than the carnival cruisers is insanity and that anyone who goes out in such boats is crazy. So we are able to still be good friends.

If I weighed in the 300 pound class, and owned the boat, it would be an entirely different story. I'd have to be responsible only for myself. I have seen some really large people who own small boats and they seem to get along fine and have a great time.
 
potter water":313e6bly said:
I've looked all over the factory ladder that sits off the starboard side of my boat for a rating and can find nothing. But, my two hundred pounds does change the radius of the top curves some when I'm on it. I'd not allow anyone in the 250 plus class to use it. 300 pounds, definitely not. If that baby gives away with someone in that weight class on it, there could and likely would be major physical damage to that person, and at that weight, and with a broken boarding ladder, how would you get a very large person, bleeding or unconscious out of the water.

Your question brings up a broader issue and that is how does a captain assure that a very large passenger is safe on our smaller boats. I've had to take a hard line with one of my best friends who falls in that 300 pound class.

He has never been a "small boater" and I've told him straight out, no rides on my boat. (His weight has created a physical inability to get over gunnels and into small boats and he can't really get into a decent life vest). I just don't feel I can be responsible for his welfare on the boat. Thankfully, he does understand the potential problems for him in an emergency. He also thinks that any boat smaller than the carnival cruisers is insanity and that anyone who goes out in such boats is crazy. So we are able to still be good friends.

If I weighed in the 300 pound class, and owned the boat, it would be an entirely different story. I'd have to be responsible only for myself. I have seen some really large people who own small boats and they seem to get along fine and have a great time.
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Harry,

You make a good point, but the issue is not really about weight -- it's more about health. Even on a cruise ship, if a person in poor health or in extremely poor physical shape for their weight and had to get into a life boat, it would be difficult. Even stairs are an issue for people in poor health.

I'm 250 pounds, and when stepping on the gunnel of our Marinaut, the boat barely moves. Our boat is plenty large enough for heavy people and easy to enter, because of the wide gunnel surface and two step descent to the cockpit deck floor. C-Dory's are hard to enter, in my opinion, without installation of an external two-step ladder; if that is done, however, it is just as easy to enter. On the other hand, you are right -- people my weight would have issues stepping from the gunnel to a tender; we would probably sink a small tender!

Rich
 
Agreed on all points. I have a couple friends in the 250 plus category who can out walk me and out climb me. But approaching 300 lbs for a normal frame person, there are more often than not, other health conditions that can cause problems on and around smaller boats.

But, 300 lbs on a boarding ladder is 300 lbs, healthy or not. So, a person probably should be well aware of the real safe capacity of their boarding system.

At my 200 lbs, I'm not totally comfortable with my Dory Factory installed starboard side ladder, but I'm not going to change it for something heavier duty. I'm trying to diet down 20 lbs. Very hard at my age.
 
The swim platform on Journey On is strong enough. Yesterday I had 2 ea 5 gal gas cans (60 lbs/27.3 Kg) sitting on the platform and then I (220 lbs/100Kg)climbed up using the ladder for a total of 280lbs/127Kg.) I was impressed.

The 25 platform/ladder may be stronger than the 22 ladder, because in 5 years it's never bent, sagged or complained and we use it at home to load the boat.

Boris
 
I can't tell you exactly, but when I removed our step it did not come off easily. In fact, I was able to jack up the rear of our 25, off the trailer, with it. Look in my album for pics. It will hold >200#. The ladder would be the weak point IMO, as it can bend inward toward the stern when climbing up. I don't think it would be an issue assuming the force is direclty down on the treads, but it's not a perfect world.
 
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