www.iFourWinns.com

I was in a hurry Friday morning 7/11/08 at the launch ramp. My 12yr old and I launched the boat. I backed the truck in, walked on the trailer tongue and entered the boat via the bow ladder. I forgot to fold the telescoping ladder back into the anchor locker. When backing the boat off the trailer the bow ladder hooked onto the trailer winch. (I gave her a good strong even long pull in reverse with the Bravo III and 6.2 before realizing my situation. It only took seconds before my Oh Sh*t light came on). I bent the bottom rung which tweaked the uprights. I had to force the ladder into the closed position. Besides the heads up, don't do what I did, what are my options for a replacement bow ladder without going to Four Winns? Personally, I would like a bow ladder that could telescope further (Say a 5 rung ladder?) but still fit into the H240 anchor locker. The ladder I have (had) barely touched the water making bow entry difficult for the kids jumping off the bow. Is there a longer ladder out there that will stow in the existing locker?

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Jeff
2006 H240 6.2 MX 320HP B3
La Habra, California

Man your lucky that's all it did, I was thinking it might have pulled the mounts right out of the fiberglass.

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08 210 SS Sunset Orange 300 Horse MPI Bravo1
98 Dodge Ram 12 valve Cummins 425 RWHP

Is it the SS ladder in the front or the white one?? I have a white one I will sell.

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+1 to that! You can buy the same factory ladder through places like Overton's, but I'm not aware of a longer one that will fit.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

If you find a longer one let us know. I'd happily add a couple more rungs if I could.

Insert "that's what she said" joke here.

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2005 Horizon 210, 5.7L Volvo

The admiral thinks mine is plenty long. Even funnier, mine recently got a bend in it too. I expect I'll take a hammer to it.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Pulled a similar move today only it was my fat butt that caused it. Unloading the boat and I had jumped up on the bow but the strap had too much slack and the boat started going off the trailer, I scrambled and got the ladder back up before any real damage could be done.

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2005 Horizon 210, 5.7L Volvo

My advice: don't get it caught on the winch.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Don't get caught with the Wench by the Admiral or you may never get the ladder straightened out again no matter how much you try to hammer it

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

Well, turns out the last two sections were bent quite a bit, but with some creative use of hammers and a monster vice they straightened it out pretty good. Some of the rubberized coating came away. All I have to do now is find some white Plasti Dip, and re-install.

Oops!, my mishap was with the swim platform ladder, my 200H doesn't have a bow ladder.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

[I forgot to fold the telescoping ladder back into the anchor locker.[/b] When backing the boat off the trailer the bow ladder hooked onto the trailer winch.

I just happened to be working on a fix for this issue when I read this thread. Out of shear lazyness I wanted something that would be quicker than getting the bow ladder out and puting it away agin each time I launched the boat. I made a step from 3" Steel Channel, beveled plastic bushings, alum. treadplate, 1/2" hitch pin, and S.S. Lag bolts & hardware. The channel must be cut out for the support beam and winch hardware if mounted colsed side up or just cut out for the support beam if mounted open side up. Make sure you leave clearance room for the winch handle to rotate fully and put the hitch pin at least 2/3 rds the way towards the front of the contact area between the step-arm and the winch-stand. I hope that if anyone builds this same kind of step that you have more than a hacksaw and drill. I spent more energy building this thing than I whould've using the ladder for five years, but it works very well, and is easy to install and remove(60sec. or less for both).

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Mike
Smithville, MO
08' Hayabusa, 2011 Subaru Outback, 03' Infiniti G-35 S.C.

THAT MOD IS KICK A$$ !!! I'm making one this winter . . .

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2008 Four Winns 210 5.7 GI/SX
2007 GMC Sierra 2500 Crew
1966 Fed-Up Wife

I'm just going to pay Mike to make me one (shhhh, he doesn't know it yet) but I'll put non-skid on it for wet feet.

Most awesome job.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Very nice job! It amazes me what people think of and can make up when necessary. Keep showing us your mods so we can steal them

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

unbelievable awesome
I don't have the bow ladder and it's darn near impossible to climb into the bow. Where did you get the clevis pin?

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Brian
2007 Four Winns H200 - VP 5.0L GL/SX
2003 Chevy Avalanche Z66
Canyon Lake, TX