Boston Whaler Findings

The Whaler was a completely different experience when compared to the other boats. With higher freeboard and less angle on the side of the hull, ladders that had been impossible on the other boats proved quite convenient on the Whaler. Despite the higher freeboard, testers still complained about swinging but it was the side-swing that proved most problematic.

Again, the C-Level Sea Steps Safety Ladder (1-step), was rated in the top three coming in third place on the Whaler. It was the only ladder that worked well on all the test boats. The top rated ladder for the Whaler was intended for use on inflatables, but the Garelick Inflatable Boat Ladder was preferred on the Whaler for its stability and ease of use. One tester said, “I loved this one!” The single complaint was that it was difficult to deploy. Pulling it through the railing on the boat was cumbersome but once it was deployed, it required very little upper body strength when compared with other ladders.

Another Garelick ladder, the EEz-In Gunwale Ladder, ranked in second place on the Whaler. Though it was also difficult to pull through the railing testers were surprised by its stability. The higher freeboard and slab side of the Whaler provided a perfect surface to push against while climbing this 3-step, hook-style ladder.

Though it didn’t rank in the top-three, the Plastimo Five Step Safety Ladder definitely deserves an honorable mention. It was the only 5-step ladder to rank in the top four on any of the test boats. Testers loved its innovative design but found it difficult to use on the other two boats because of its length. On the Whaler, though, its narrower steps and uncomlicated deployment earned it higher ratings. Designed as a simple bag with two loops for installation, this ladder deploys from its installed location by flipping it over the side of the boat and pulling on the handle to release the ladder. The Velcro flap pulls open and the five-rung plastic and webbing steps fall out of its pouch and into the water.

On a side note, the Boston Whaler used for this testing did have a swim platform and boarding ladder already installed. But, many boat owners with a similar style of boat won’t have a standard boarding ladder installed. For the purposes of this test, we did not use the swim platform and only evaluated the boarding ladders as they would be used on a similar boat without a permanently affixed swim platform.

On the Whaler, testers complained about ladders swinging to one side rather than underneath like the other two boats.

The Garelick Inflatable Boat Ladder was a top-pick on the Whaler.

The Plastimo Five Step Safety Ladder was an 'honorable mention' on the Whaler for it's convenient and compact design.