I picked up some 1/2″ rope this week to make a boarding ladder for the sailboat. It seemed simpler and much cheaper than buying a transom ladder, or pre-made rope ladder.
Ben immediately decided that we should build the rope ladder from “The Magic Tree House” series of books. He even brought down a copy of one of the books so we could look at how it was made.
This morning we went out to the workshop and picked out some wood (I think it is cedar) that was the proper size and didn’t need milling. It was a quick project with both boys helping. The rough lumber isn’t slippery, so it makes the ladder safer.
Total time: 5 minutes picking out lumber; 10 minutes cutting the lumber by hand; 10 minutes to drill the holes on the drill press; 10 minutes to make into a ladder with both boys helping.
We finished in time to head to the submarine base and spend an hour and a half swimming at North Lake before lunch. Now to build the boat ladder….
