Swim ladder warpage - Catalina 310

[PEMS]

My swim ladder has twisted to an extent that makes closing both retaining latches difficult.

When in the closed position, I can close the port side latch for the swim ladder easily, but I need to pull heavily on the ladder in order to bring the starboard side in alignment with the stern pulpit rail so the starboard side latch can swing down and hold it in place. I know it is common for these ladders to not align perfectly and one latch being tighter than the other, but this seems extreme. If I close the starboard latch, it is so tight that my wife has difficulty opening it. For the most part I just don't bother closing that side. Other than this, the ladder works fine, opens smoothly and both standoffs rest against the hull when down.

If anyone else has encountered this, was there an easy method for re-aligning the ladder? I will likely take it off and try to twist it back into shape manually, but I am concerned that I may be overlooking an easy method for doing this and potentially making the problem even worse.

 

[DaveJ]

I feel your pain. Last year while on the hard and with the ladder down, someone backed into it with a car (wasn’t me!). I removed the ladder and gently tried to re-bend it, careful to not kink the bends. I’m very close, maybe just a couple of degrees off, but it’s difficult to close. You may have to add or take out a bit of one of the bends, if you stare at it long enough you’ll see it.
Good luck.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I'd remove it and place it on a flat surface to evaluate if the ladder is the issue. Heat works great when bending metal but this is probably way to big to be an effective technique. Perhaps securing it to a flat surface and using a 2x4 for leverage would work to straighten it

 

[DaveJ]

It bends pretty easily, if you use leverage. And of course it ‘bounces back’ a little. Secure the short end in a vice or something similar, apply pressure to the long section.
cheers

 

[east coaster]

My ladder is bent as well, but not yet to the point of requiring a herculean effort to secure it. While the boat is on the hard I will remove it and "persuade it" back to normal. Thanks for the above.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I was thinking something along these lines... put a moving blanket or plywood on the edge of a sidewalk to prevent scratches; place ladder hanging over the curb; have someone stand on the ladder to hold it in place; insert 2x4 in ladder end that's hanging over the sidewalk; bend ladder back into shape