mcmxi
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25DLB
I started a thread last year about buying a boat and got to use the boat for the first time just over a week ago. My friend has a boat ramp and dock at his place a couple of miles north of Flathead Lake so it makes getting on and off the water much more convenient. However, the boat ramp and dock are not next to each other so getting on and off the boat once the boat and trailer are in the water isn't easy due to the height of the bow and bow rail. There's a "swim" ladder at the stern but you'd be waste deep or deeper going that route. This past weekend I began to make a ladder that would help with getting on/off the boat, and certainly make launching and recovering the boat safer.
I really enjoy welding projects and solving problems. I also like rummaging around in my steel scrap pile and building something from "nothing". It's not efficient to have to dismantle parts or old projects with plasma and a cut off saw in order to make something else, but it's certainly cheaper.
I built custom front and rear bumpers for my '98 Jeep TJ over 20 years ago. About 9 years ago I updated the bumpers to Smitty Built products and over the years have used the old bumpers as donor material for various projects. Once again I was able to use part of the old rear bumper and make the upright out of a section of 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" x .125" tubing. The ladder rungs are 1" Sch. 40 pipe that was part of a frame that came on the LMTV M1078 that I got last year. The 1/2" plates that clamp the ladder to the trailer tongue came from a large plate an ex-coworker gave me years ago, as did the gusset at the bottom.
I added a loop to the top of the ladder so that I can run a bow line through it and back to a cleat on the boat when I'm launching the boat by myself. It'll allow me to keep the boat secured once the safety and winch lines are disconnected.
I don't think I need to add gussets under each rung but I'll most likely cap the ends for a nicer finished look and to keep water out. The rungs are 10" long and 10" on center (staggered of course). Most step or extension ladders use a 12" spacing for the steps or rungs. I had to provide clearance for the winch handle and tubing that the winch mounts to, so they dictated the location of the rungs.
I was thinking that I'll prime the steel when I'm done with the welding, and then give it a nice coat of silver paint to match the trailer. The bolts shown are temporary so I'll need to buy four fairly long 9/16" bolts, nuts and washers. I don't need grade 8 but probably grade 5 or something. If anyone has any suggestions to improve the ladder, or notices any issues I'm open to all. So here's where I'm at.
I really enjoy welding projects and solving problems. I also like rummaging around in my steel scrap pile and building something from "nothing". It's not efficient to have to dismantle parts or old projects with plasma and a cut off saw in order to make something else, but it's certainly cheaper.
I built custom front and rear bumpers for my '98 Jeep TJ over 20 years ago. About 9 years ago I updated the bumpers to Smitty Built products and over the years have used the old bumpers as donor material for various projects. Once again I was able to use part of the old rear bumper and make the upright out of a section of 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" x .125" tubing. The ladder rungs are 1" Sch. 40 pipe that was part of a frame that came on the LMTV M1078 that I got last year. The 1/2" plates that clamp the ladder to the trailer tongue came from a large plate an ex-coworker gave me years ago, as did the gusset at the bottom.
I added a loop to the top of the ladder so that I can run a bow line through it and back to a cleat on the boat when I'm launching the boat by myself. It'll allow me to keep the boat secured once the safety and winch lines are disconnected.
I don't think I need to add gussets under each rung but I'll most likely cap the ends for a nicer finished look and to keep water out. The rungs are 10" long and 10" on center (staggered of course). Most step or extension ladders use a 12" spacing for the steps or rungs. I had to provide clearance for the winch handle and tubing that the winch mounts to, so they dictated the location of the rungs.
I was thinking that I'll prime the steel when I'm done with the welding, and then give it a nice coat of silver paint to match the trailer. The bolts shown are temporary so I'll need to buy four fairly long 9/16" bolts, nuts and washers. I don't need grade 8 but probably grade 5 or something. If anyone has any suggestions to improve the ladder, or notices any issues I'm open to all. So here's where I'm at.
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