IMO, the best ladders are metal (any), hinged at the top, and not fixed at the bottom. They go a bit into the water, about 40-50 cm, are fairly wide (50-60 cm) and have flat steps. The reason why hinged at the top is much better than fixed, is that if/when a big person is coming from the water, in swells, both the boat and the person will move. The hinge allows you (and any equipment or stuff on you) and the ladder to move while standing on the ladder, rather than having to resist the water movement. It makes a big difference. No effort required, you just walk up the ladder. A ladder like this allows one to board, easily, safely, in 1-1.5 m high swells. For anyone who has not tried this, those are big waves/swells and no dinky, little, fixed, std, "marine" ladder will be safe and easy. My opinion is coloured by being a diver, with 20 years experience, all over the world, and having boarded from the water plenty of times exactly in these kinds of conditions. These types of ladders were the common ones in Honduras (Roatan ie the Bay Islands) where drift diving was the norm, and everyone got picked up from the water. 1+ m swells were no big deal, just standard stuff, and no-one of the maybe 100+ boardings I myself saw ever had any problems. This was also for picking up everyone, I am not talking only about super fit surf dudes. To lift the ladder, it was either lifted off (pins) or turned up and secured (hinge). Any hitch/pin/shackle arrangement would allow water-based deployment. > Hi! > > I think I have seen what you are describing but not 100% sure. > Just to be sure we are on the same page, might you describe? > > Lee