new design boarding ladder.

[ebb]

New to me. A unique and different ladder that might be strong enough (in 4 or 5 or even 6 step versions) to withstand loads put on it when boarding from the water.

If you go overboard with clothes on your movements are restricted.
Here is a ladder that you can get customized to the length you think you need
for the steps to be accessible for you to climb out of the drink.
I'm thinking three steps IN the water minimum.
Any boarding ladder has to be thought of FIRST as a life saving device.

The word 'collapsible' is in the description -
but the solid s.s. rod rungs are LINKED and slide to extend or compact.
The steps seems wide enough for bare feet, some bare feet.
And as designed wide enough for BOTH feet to be on one step.
When extended the ladder becomes surprisingly stiff, yet still has give to it.
The top step and other related rod pieces of the model I saw have been dipped in a thick polyurethane.
It seems to pull up from full extension quite easily with a light cord.

The model I saw was attached to a two legged life-line gate stanchion -
since the concept, imco correct: which is to mount the ladder off the side of the boat rather than the stern.
But I think something more substantial like a three or four legged anchor system would be better, especially if it gets regular use.

Each ladder is customed to your boat.
You send them certain simple measurements with your order - like the stand-off from the hull - how tall the unit is mounted - number of steps.
Imco this ladder will take abuse that telescoping and tube ladders can't.
In a comparison test with other tube and rope boarding ladders,
THIS, imco, would win hands UP!

Around $300? A lot. But it is made with 316. And it's made in the US. Hopefully made with pedigreed alloy.
There are three distinct models: dock, dinghy and boat.
I'm talking about the boat model.
It's worthy of a picture here!

It looks like rugged cruising gear that will last for decades.

www.up-n-out..com/ boarding ladder
www.scandiamarineproducts.com

[Tim D.]

Pretty Cool, Looks like it would be easy to put an emergency tether release on it also.

[mbd]

Here you go...

[ebb]

Here you go...

Stand corrected. The Up-n-Out is attached to the toe rail but is housed folded up onto the lifeline.
Makes sense.

Thanks for bringing the pics over, Mike!
Gotta admit it LOOKS good.
Maybe an open mesh cover over the unit would keep lines out of it? And still allow deployment.

Interesting just how you'd rig the trip line?

[Commander 147]

Ebb where did you see it? Did they give any indication of weight loading capacity?

[ebb]

Mike, Didn't want to admit it, I guess, saw the ladder at the Strictly Sail market., on Sunday at Jack London Square, Oakland. I had forgotten about it and would normally go during the week. It turned out they had cleverly integrated the 'show' with the regular farmer's market, so the rather sterile upgraded tourist area was decorated with vendor canopies and choice ethnic foods. There were no crowds either at the gelcoat marina or at the booths. But Garhauer always has a bunch of people around it every time I've been to the show.

I like to ferret out entrepreneurs and mom-n-pops. The fee to have a space in the tents is expensive. Many moms-n-pops can't afford to be inside, and the entreprenuers are on the internet. I also looked at bottom paint vendors whose chemists are falling all over themselves coming up with copper alternatives.

So I stopped at Scandia Marine Products.
They have two products: plastic wheel wrap and the Up-N-Out ladders. And the inventor Dave Niickelson was the vendor, so I asked about his boat ladder, extended it, pulled it back in the compact position. Noticed that the stainless rod rail diameters got narrower for each descending step. He cold bends the 316 rod. He explained his method using a sophisticated machine that produces precise and controlled bends. Must be some machine as the top rungs look like 1/2" rod. The linking has to be not only loose to allow "collapsing" but also to make the ladder stiff and bend outwards (away from the hull) when extended. This loop/bend/knot in the rails is the true innovation of this ladder.
The top step is coated, so I asked about covering stainless with tool handle dip. He explained his coating was polyurethane, which translates in my mind to nearly indestructible rubber deck coatings.
He knew the stainless steel oxide drill and pointed out that his material was solid 316 rod, not tubing. Kind of avoided the issue.
But it was the solid rod what got my attention.

I think the design is impressive. When extended the ladder is stiff but not rigid. A welded tube ladder depends on its hinges for stiffness and strength. There are no hinges in this ladder - except at the toerail.

Tops-In-Quality make great tube boarding ladders. But I wouldn't trust extending one of theirs to three steps below water, especially moving water. Maybe you can. But I imagine awkward angles pulling myself up with a foot on the lowest step and pushing inward on the rungs with all my weight.
I'm certain I could really 'collapse' a fully extended telescoping or a folding tube ladder . They maybe would hold together enough for me to get up, but I bet they couldn't be used again.
If I over loaded the Up-N-Out I'm thinking maybe I could unbend a rod to get it working again.
I think there is a case for a longer ladder in the water because if you don't have to lean way back or extend your butt out to get a foot on a step, you are more likely to ascend with you body in a dignified position and less likely to leverage the climbing device into a pretzel.

Comparison weight loading numbers:
Scandia Products and Tops-In-Quality don't have any figures on weight loading. I haven't seen figures like this. If they did have such an animal it probably would be in the static load category like 4-legged fiberglass ladders are stickered with. The only marine product rating agency we have is Practical Sailor.
Even if PS was able to design (what I would consider) a proper comparison test, they would almost certainly forget to include the Up-n-Go in their comparison with other boarding ladders, because they seem to do things like that.
Maybe they have, correct me, please!
Obviously wet-blonde tests are not supported with dry numbers.

Don't know what I'd like to see in a test.
Load bearing in the five or six hundred pound area?
Also want to see a fully suited 200# Coast Guardsman pulling himself out of moving water with the Up-N-Out in question.
A video would be very cool.
Just NOT going to happen.
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(later edit, 1/26/11)
QUESTIONS
Weight of unit, comparison with alternatives?
Cost comparison.
Deployment: Ease of removal and mounting.
Access from the water with ladder packed on deck. Trip line.
Location on boat.
Maintenance issues.
Space needed. Collapsed ladder takes up volume that looks awkward.
Aesthetics. Does it need a cover or house to store in.
Protection from robbery, looks expensive.
Difficulty attaching to Ariel/Commander. Reaching fastenings through cockpit lockers.
AND (Jerry's) All important 'weight loading capacity' numbers.