I am buying a swim ladder for my 226 Seafarer (2001) and the Grady dealer gave me a cost of $560 for the GW ladder, but looking around I see after market version go for $150-$300. Any reason I should go with GW and spend the extra $$$$?
just a ladder or a complete swim platform? and is that an installed quote?
i actually took the ladder off my '02 gulfstream and replaced it with a longer windline four step. i think windline is the oem for the swing down ladders anyway.
Entire platform and ladder. It doesn't have anything right now. $560 was just the part. Another $150 to install. Grady service guy said the cost is for higher gauge stainless and a platform of similar material to the hard top. From what I can tell teh GW platforms are a little bigger (longer) than the other ones.
in that case, if it were me, i would go with the dealer install of the gw platform. you then know you are getting something (more or less) specifically made for your boat. price sounds ok too, i know my ladder cost me about $150 7 years ago. ron
I don't know what the quality of the after market platform is but I can tell you from experience the GW holds up. I am 250# and used platform and ladder all the time and not gingerly, was amazed at how well it stood up over time.
Don't know what Grady is using now, but my '86 had/has a Detmar. Looking at what is on the market, $560 sounds like a tremendous markup. I'd look at marine stores and see what manufacturers they carry ... :wink:
