morty, I provided a link to the fire port in reply #45 on page 3. Pictures worth a thousand...exactly what is a fire port, why did catalina omit them, and what does one have to with some kind of auto system in the engine compartment? as far as the swim ladder, i have one and have never considered allowing access when nobody is aboard, no more than i would provide a ladder to my house windows, though i do live on the twenty-eighth floor.
Catalina didn't "omit" them, they just weren't "the thing" back when this boat was made. I don't know if they include them in new boats.
IIRC, the ladder thing was to allow the skipper or crew to get back on the boat. A boat ladder isn't quite the same as your analogy, since there are other ways to get on a boat, this was just dealing with from the water.