At DockinaBox® we have perfected the Dock Ladder. This might seem a bold claim, but we truly do believe DockinaBox® has perfected the boat dock ladder. After years of selling dock ladders, we have listened to our customers and designed and manufactured our own.

Choose the Right Number of Docks Steps

Determine the correct number of ladder steps you should have for your dock. It’s best to know your water depth measurements prior to purchasing.

For Floating Docks

The equation for determining the required number of steps for a floating dock is:

  • Height Above water + Your swim depth = A
  • A / 10″ = B (Note: 10″ is the height in inches for each step)
  • B must be rounded up to determine your recommended number of steps

For Example: If your Dock Height Above Water is 15″, add your swim depth 35″ = 50″. Therefore, with our steps being 10″ apart a 5 step ladder would be recommended for this application.

For Stationary Docks

The determination for stationary docks (Pole Docks, Pipe Docks, Crib Docks) is by combining your water depth and your docks height above the water surface (known as Free Board; Distance from water surface to top of dock). Take that height of the top of the dock above the lake bottom and divide by 10″ for the number of steps, adding the last space of 10″ to the lake bottom.

Some Examples:

  • 72” above the lake bottom – 6 step
  • 60” above the lake bottom – 5 step
  • 48” above the lake bottom – 4 step
  • 36” above the lake bottom – 3 step

NOTE: If the water depth is deep, measure from the top of the dock down to the water and add 35″ which will give you the recommend quantity of steps you will require – based upon a 10″ step spacing.