Easy access ideas

I have a 14 foot 1946 Crestliner aluminum boat. My fishing partner is having trouble getting in and out due to her Parkinson’s. Looking for some ideas to modify the bow of the boat to make it easier for her to get in and out. I took some aluminum and made a temporary bracket on the front seat to act as a grab bar- but need a better more sturdy and much higher solution. Even thought about making a casting deck - love the boat and get lots of compliments on it, so not sure which way to go. Any suggestions much appreciated!

I think it is great you are trying to help them out! I have a 3’ long SS shower grab bar that we never got to install at my Father’s house, you are welcome to it for free, if you picked up the shipping cost. Check your boat to see if that would help if mounted on the top of the gunnel.

Where you say you need a higher support, is that for them to step into the boat from a dock? Is there anyway that they could sit on the dock first? And then swing their feet into the boat and then hoist themselves down to a seat or a platform on the seat and then finally transfer down to the seat, in stages so to speak?

Get some grip tape, like they use on skateboards:

Skateboard Grip Tape


Those seats and siderails can get slippery with only the slightest bit of water. Put the Grip Tape wherever you expect to need to put a hand or foot.

I almost broke my leg when I was stepping off the bow of my tracker and my foot slipped, jamming my leg between the Trolling motor and the front of the boat. At that point, I stuck the grip tape on the front, and I am MUCH happier now.

Good luck!

Perhaps even a gas assist, height adjustable pedestal seat mounted securely to the floor? Like used where I suggested, if they could sit on the dock, swing their legs over, then maybe they could shimmy (sp?) into the single seat as fully raised? Just to get into the boat?

Then use the height adjustment feature to lower down to the beam-width boat seat height? Oceansouth sells height adjustable pedestal seat posts on eBay for $85 of so, offering 5” of height adjustment.

As a last resort, Chewy sells tri-fold folding ramps for dog entry into cars or onto stairs. Maybe one could be put from dock to middle or front boat seat? And the from the dock, they could slide their butt up/down the ramp for easy entry.

Just thinking outside the box ...

All good ideas. Another might be a vertical grap rail. I find being able to grab something fixed without having to bend down when I step into the boat is a big help.

I got this pic from Fish On Fabrications site (here on the TB sponsor's forum). I'll bet they could send something that would fit your boat.

That's a pretty boat!

Like Dalett, I used to fish with a friend who had a stroke, he NEVER stepped into the boat but would get down on the dock and kind of rolled into the boat, it worked, he exited in the same fashion.
That boat is nice, I now have a 1654 FB GRIZZLY with the wide bow, that boat is extremely easy to access from the bow, might look at a 1448 or bigger jon boat with a nice flat deck on the bow as another option.

Thanks for all the ideas! Fishing is done for the year for her- tore her rotator cuff getting out of boat. Surgery and the. Long rehab! May have to look into a boat with casting deck as suggested!


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janichols said:

Thanks for all the ideas! Fishing is done for the year for her- tore her rotator cuff getting out of boat. Surgery and the. Long rehab! May have to look into a boat with casting deck as suggested!


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Ouch! I hope the surgery and recovery go well for her.

Sad to hear that, also hope that all goes well for her.