Aluminium boat dive ladder question?

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Hi everyone,Just wondering if it would be OK to weld another run onto my boats dive ladder or should I have a new one welded? The problem with this one is that's it's too short and doesn't protrude into the water far enough making it very difficult to exit the water with all your scuba gear on. At the moment the ladder when stowed is level with the rear gunwale so if I had another run just welded straight onto the end it would stick up over the top of the gunwale. The way the ladder is attached to the boat now is an aluminium tube is welded to the boat transom and the ladder swings inside the tube. I was wondering if another aluminium tube can be welded to the bottom of the ladder with another ladder section added so that when the ladder is stowed up the extra section would fold back on itself and not protrude over the gunwale. Would this be strong enough?Cheers Nick Attached Images
Reply:I've seen dive ladders that folded. Usually they had a bracket and pin arrangement to secure them when outstretched.Personally I dislike the style ladder shown in your picts. To use one you need to loose your fins to get on the boat. I much prefer a T style ladder where you can keep your fins on until you are all the way on deck.I was trying to find a pict of the dive shops old boat as I think it might have had a folding ladder originally. Best I could find was the current boat and you can see the ladder easily stands at least 8' over the gunnels. Other pict is the best generic T ladder pict I could find..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Gee,Maybe telescope another rung onto that, with a tube inside a tube and a couple of spring-loaded pop-pin mechanisms, or something similar. Although, that wouldn't really change the folded-up height. Oops!Last edited by C. Livingstone; 02-06-2016 at 06:24 PM.
Reply:Hey thanks for the comments DSW but as its my personal boat a 5.3m centre console which I also use a lot for fishing also, a ladder that big sticking up would severely inhibit my casting for Mack Tuna schools haha. I have been on several dive live a boards with the ladder design you pictured where there is ample room and no problem getting out of the water with fins on and personally like them better as well. Unfortunately I just don't think it's suitable for mine what with a small transom door with a step on it as well. I was trying to come up with a design working with what I had already rather than getting a whole new ladder. I was more wondering if the design I suggested would be strong enough and something an aluminium welder could easily do. Hmmmmmm what to do. Think I'll just try and find a local welder and see what they say. CheersNick
Reply:I concur with the "T" style being WAAAAAY easier with fins. I've made quite a few of them that are more than long enough. Just make them in sections with a bushing & PTO pin. Secure, easy to store, and long enough to be useful.RyanMiller Multimatic 200 tig/spool gun/wireless remoteMillermatic 350P, Bernard/XR Python gunsMiller Dynasty 350, Coolmate 3.5 & wireless remoteCK WF1 TIG wire feederMiller Spectrum 375 XtremeOptrel e684Miller Digital EliteMiller Weld-Mask
Reply:You could definitely add a lower rung.  There would not be as much stress on the new rung, since the diver would still be partially buoyant on the first step.  My preference on ladders for divers is always stainless, rather than aluminum, but yours appears to have pretty good support and bracing built into it.  I always pull my flippers off before climbing ladders to avoid "Donald Duck" tripping over something.Miller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig  Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma