Certifications & Standards
Getting Back on Board—Alone
To be NMMA certified to ABYC standards means that a boat has a way a person can board, or re-board, a boat from the water unassisted. This means the re-boarding device, most often a folding ladder located at the stern must be accessible to a person in the water, who can deploy it by him or herself without aid. This may seem simple, but it can be a tall order as swim platforms and boat decks look a lot higher from the water than they appear when one is perched safely atop them.
Boat Building Standards:
Re-Boarding Ladders
ABYC Standards--
- Re-boarding ladders mounted on the stern of a boat should be positioned as far as practicable from the propellers.
- The top surface of the lowest step of the re-boarding ladder should reach at least 22 inches below the waterline.
- The ladder steps or rungs should have slip-resistant surfaces.
- The ladder should be sturdy enough as installed that each step can withstand a vertical downward static load of 400 lb. (182 kg) without permanent damage.
- The means of unassisted re-boarding should also be described in the owner’s manual.