Boston whaler

[Nemrod]

Here is a pic of the ladder from Garlick, they make several styles, this is the one I wound up with. Currently I retain the standard swim step but for scuba we use the single pole Garlick:

The ladder can be flipped up and left on the platform or I can stow it on clips on the side of the center console:

Roll Control rails and tank holders, I can carry up to eight tanks in the rails:

This Body Saver mat actually absorbs a lot of shock making for a more comfortable day:

One of the disadvantages to foam filled double hull boats like the BW is that repairs can be a PITA. As well, hull damage left unattended and poor maintenance can lead, maybe, to a waterlogged hull which is then nearly impossible to repair. Running cables, access to the under floor area, internal transducers etc are impossible because the inner boat is bonded to the outer boat and filled with foam, there is no bilge!!!!!! so you cannot run wires, mount brackets etc. There are hard points built into the hull for mounting stuff but still running new wiring, sonar cables etc, PITA is all I can say.

Advantages, the d---m thing cannot sink and even filled with water it retains surprisingly high stability and if lucky the design is self bailing and de-watering so it can be driven back on top, with luck. You can pull the plug on this boat and it will just sit there sticking it's tongue out at you. Of course, any boat can capsize and once upside down they usually stay there.

Last summer, 60 plus gallons, 4.00 bucks a gallon, that is 240 dollars to fill up, imagine having a larger boat with a 120 gallon tank, hmmmm, there may be a reason I like small boats and cars.

N

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Dunno about the Outrage, but my classic Montauk has a tunnel from under
the console to the stern. It was a bit of a pain getting the first line snaked
through, but after that I left a nylon line in it, and any time I have to pull
something else through, I pull the something else AND a new nylon line.

I personally don't see a need to get back on with my tank and fins on, so
the little three step telescoping ladder I have is just fine.

 

[Nemrod]

Dunno about the Outrage, but my classic Montauk has a tunnel from under
the console to the stern. It was a bit of a pain getting the first line snaked
through, but after that I left a nylon line in it, and any time I have to pull
something else through, I pull the something else AND a new nylon line.

I personally don't see a need to get back on with my tank and fins on, so
the little three step telescoping ladder I have is just fine.

Yes there is a tunnel in the Outrage, the fuel cell is in there and there is usually a tray for the wiring and cables and yes there is a pull string. I installed those trim tabs in the pic, talk about a pain, I may had to rest for a week after that.

The Montauk is a smaller boat with lower freeboard, it might be fairly easy to reach down and lift gear back aboard but even with our little Outrage it is a long reach down to the water and a little more than my back is up to, getting back aboard with the ladder is so easy, turn around and sit down into the quarter seat or lean against the leaning post and slip the gear off easy. There is no right way, in our inflatable we take the gear off in the water and drag it back aboard as you do usually, both ways are fine. We prefer a ladder.

Side note, the water logging issue is much exaggerated and much of the confusion results from exaggerated light hull weights given back in the classic days to try and make the BW boat seem less heavy in comparison to the competition. Nowadays advertising accuracy is a little more enforced, maybe. Essentially many supposedly waterlogged Whalers are not waterlogged, the hull weights given were much lighter than actual weights--they fibbed. That is my opinion and I have seen evidence to support it several times. The bare hull weight of our 19 footer is in excess of 2000 pounds, kind of chunky for a 19X8 foot boat, we bought it new, it has no water in it.

N

 

[c-snake]

Those are great looking boats Nemrod and Kurt.

I used to have a Garlick ladder on a boat years ago. Kept forgetting to bring it in. I finally got smart and stole one of those red pony tail bungees from my daughter, put it on a rung of the ladder. Any time I put out the ladder, the bungee went on the throttle as a reminder. Old feeble minds like mine need these things. I still use this system on our current ladder.

Those mileage numbers are amazing. I have an older EFI engine and am lucky to break 2 mpg on a 23 footer with a single 200HP.
Great idea leaving the stock ladder on with the dive ladder bracket mounted in the middle. Best of both worlds.

 

[Nemrod]

Yeah, I wondered about leaving the swim ladder on, I thought we might bump our knees on the dive bracket but in fact it has proven to be a non issue and thus I decided to retain the ability to use both. The tread material I placed on the dive ladder bracket prevents slipping and that is of course where the foot is placed as we board. Actually getting back aboard is easier than from many commercial boats.

Garlick offers a shear pin for the ladder and they also have a single pole collapsing ladder that I may consider upgrading too, not sure it is as strong as the floating aluminum we have now.

During boarding we place our feet with fins still on onto the lower rung. Then step up one rung (or not) and remove the fins, toss then into the boat and then climb aboard. Piece of cake.

N