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I'm headed to Michigan with my Montauk 17 on Monday and I have already rented a slip in a marina on the St Joseph River near Lake Michigan. I've been boating in Florida for the past 21 years and have never worried about falling into the water here but with the low temps of Lake Michigan water I'm worried if I fall in I may not be able to get back into the boat again. Yeah, being 68 sucks. Anyway, I am hesitant to use one of those swim platforms on ebay because of the lack of transom wood support. I'm also hesitant to mount a ladder or platform where there is no plywood backing. What would you suggest I use get back into the boat? I don't want to use a rope ladder as I like to get out of the boat down here and wade fish the sandbars and those seem twisty and flimsy.
I winter in Ft. Myers and summer in St. Joseph, Michigan. It’s now about 12 years since I’ve joined this group. I gave my 1972 whaler to my daughter and sold the 17’. Bought an O’Day 28 sailboat and sailed on Lake Michigan. Yesterday I bought a 2005 130 Sport.
I think you owe it to yourself to look at the swim platform with ladder offered by a sponsor of this site, Martin Marine Design. I added one to my classic 16-foot Whaler for both safety and convenience reasons, and am very pleased. Not inexpensive, but I consider it to be a very good value.
