Bad Knees

[Eric Ballard]

My wife has bad knees and has a hard time getting back in the boat after swimming. Does anyone have any tricks to make it easier getting back in the boat after swimming?

Thanks!

 

[veedubtek]

Sink the boat. Let her swim over it. Then pump the water out. Easy peasy. Got any other brain-busters?

 

[John Mcpartland]

Surf onto the swim deck

 

[Eric Ballard]

Sink the boat. Let her swim over it. Then pump the water out. Easy peasy. Got any other brain-busters?

I did that and my insurance company might not want me to do it again... LOL

 

[BlackandTan]

Does she have enough arm strength to put her hands on the swim platform and push herself up while turning to put her butt on the swim platform?

 

[Eric Ballard]

Does she have enough arm strength to put her hands on the swim platform and push herself up while turning to put her butt on the swim platform?

some, but it's hard for her. I'm adding some more handholds, but looking for more ideas.

 

[swatski]

some, but it's hard for her. I'm adding some more handholds, but looking for more ideas.

More handholds will help for sure. But also - moving everyone available, temporarily, to the back and the swim platform will tilt the boat aft, and you might even be able to get the lower swim deck to go under the surface a bit, or get even - and that will make things much easier for sure.

--

 

[GTBRMC]

Possibly find an aftermarket ladder with 4 rungs vs std 3. Getting up on that first rung is a bitch for my knees, too.

 

[Ronnie]

I agree with @GTBRMC and ended up calling windline to get a longer ladder for a Seadoo I once owned. The ladder only had one additional rung but it helped a lot, especially my wife and her friends who are not very tall. The extra rung allowed them to almost stand on the ladder when they got to it in the water v. Climbing it initially. Windline makes the ladders installed on Yamaha jet boats you may want to give them a call if you don’t see what you are looking for on their website and you may be in for a pleasant surprise. FYI a new ladder without a warranty claim runs around $150 for the one installed under the swim platform.

 

[zipper]

All good ideas, well most of them. My approach would be to make her more buoyant, so she would only need 2 steps. Sitting on the edge of an inflated "inner tube" gets her body mostly out of the water, and boarding should be easier. I do know that boarding while sitting on an edge of an inflatable SUP is very easy. If you were in colder waters, a wet suit helps float you up. But probably not where you are. I used this method after scuba diving, take off the tank and weight belt, and we quickly boarded a Boston Whaler with no ladder. We did have fins on. Good luck to both of you.

 

[McMark]

What about a floating portion of mat to swim on to? Not suggesting anything but maybe a dog reboarding mat or something like that.

 

[Ilmmct]

@Eric Ballard in addition to the grab handle editions that you are considering, how about some adjustable and wide straps that could connect to each side of the wobbly ladder. They would connect to tie-down eyebolts to provide ladder stability and also provide a thick strap for potentially improving where your wife places her feet to gain access to the swim deck. Thinking snapbooks and adjustable straps that make for easy connection when needed and collapsible for stowage.

 

[Ronnie]

Another alternative is to extend the current ladde with a rope ladder, the tricky part being how to keep the rope ladder submerged.

 

[sk380]

Use a really short ski rope with a handle and attach to tow point. Find out what length gets her the most leverage to pull herself up on the platform.

 

[seanmclean]

So, don't tell her this is made for a dog - but something like this might help?

https://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Load-Pup&i=71039

Or just put a handle on her life jacket it and drag her in, like I do the dog.

 

[giroux68]

130 bucks more, some times I hate this forum. But that is exactly what I've been looking for for the dog. My wife is on her own

 

[giroux68]

That's exactly what I've been looking for to keep the dog from clawing up my new seadek.

 

[Eric Ballard]

Thanks guys! All the suggestions are really helpful.

 

[Papa]

Try an Overtons water saddle. When I had knee surgery I used that to help me get up on the first rung. Worked pretty good. Also works for floating and enjoying adult beverages.
Papa

 

[2kwik4u]

I fight the same issue with a good number of my family members. More often than not it isn't the knees, but the general dexterity/flexibility/athleticism to simply put two feet on the lower rung with knees bent, reach for the handle, and then push up with legs while keeping a good grip. Either the grip, the knees, the belly, the legs, the back, the arm strength.....something usually makes it a hard way to go for them.

Uncle has a tri-toon style boat with a 4 rung ladder that folds, and rails that go on the outside of the ladder down to the water line. Everyone LOVES that setup, but it clearly won't work for fiberglass hulled (and stylish) folks. Soooo.......I think I'm going to buy a 4-rung version of the factory ladder this year for us and see how that works out.

I do like the idea of the ski rope at the right length as a supplemental rung for the ladder when needed. I'm going to have to keep that idea in my back pocket the next time someone can't seem to get in the boat with the factory ladder.

So far this ladder has been leaps and bounds better than our last boat. It was one of those "flip out" style with only two rungs, and started with only about 1.5 rungs in the water. Here is the back of it for reference: