Marine boarding ladder

Abstract

A marine ladder includes a base and a stair assembly connected to the base. The stair assembly includes four telescoping assemblies, each having an outermost member and one or more telescoping members telescopingly extendable therefrom. A step is connected between the respective outermost members of the four telescoping assemblies. Further steps are connected between respective telescoping members of the four telescoping assemblies.

1 . A marine boarding ladder comprising:
 a base configured for connection to a boat;   a stair assembly comprising:
 a first telescoping assembly having a corresponding outermost member connected to the base; 
 a second telescoping assembly having a corresponding outermost member connected to the base, the second telescoping assembly spaced from and parallel to the first telescoping assembly; 
 a third telescoping assembly having a corresponding outermost member connected to the outermost member of the first telescoping assembly, the third telescoping assembly spaced from and parallel to the first telescoping assembly and the second telescoping assembly; and 
 a fourth telescoping assembly having a corresponding outermost member connected to the outermost member of the second telescoping assembly, the fourth telescoping assembly spaced from and parallel to the first telescoping assembly, the second telescoping assembly, and the third telescoping assembly; 
 the outermost member of each of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies having a first end and a second end; 
 each of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies further having a corresponding first telescoping member disposed within and telescopingly extendable from and retractable into the corresponding outermost member through the second end thereof; 
 a first step connected to the outermost member of each of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies; 
 a second step connected to the first telescoping members of each of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies; and 
   at least one lateral stair support connected to the stair assembly and engagable with the boat.   
     
     
         2 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 1  wherein the at least one lateral stair support comprises a first lateral stair support connected to the outer tube of the first telescoping assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 2  wherein the at least one lateral support comprises a second lateral stair support connected to the outer tube of the second telescoping assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 2  wherein the at least one lateral stair support has a telescopically-adjustable length. 
     
     
         5 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 1  further comprising a handrail connected to the base and to the stair assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 5  wherein the handrail is connected to the base and to the outer tube of one of the third telescoping assembly and the fourth telescoping assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 6  further comprising a second handrail connected to the base and to the outer tube of the other of the third telescoping assembly and the fourth telescoping assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 1 , each of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies further comprising a second telescoping member telescopingly extendable from and retractable into said first telescoping member; the marine boarding ladder further comprising a third step connected to the second telescoping member of each of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies. 
     
     
         9 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 1 , the first telescoping member of one or more of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies comprising a stop located nearer the midpoint than the second end thereof, the stop configured to limit extension of the second telescoping member of the one or more of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies therefrom. 
     
     
         10 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 1  wherein the first step is connected to the outer tubes of the first and second telescoping assemblies or to the outer tubes of the third and fourth telescoping assemblies through an intervening step support. 
     
     
         11 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 1  further comprising a lanyard disposed within and extending from the outermost tube of one of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies, and connected to the first telescoping member of the one of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies or to a further telescoping member disposed within and extendable from the first telescoping member. 
     
     
         12 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 1 , the outermost member of one or more of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies comprising a stop located intermediate the first end and the second end thereof, the stop configured to limit extension of the first telescoping member of the one or more of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies therefrom. 
     
     
         13 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 12 , the stop located nearer the midpoint than the second end of the outermost member of one or more of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies. 
     
     
         14 . The marine boarding ladder of  claim 12 , the first end of the first telescoping member of the assembly one or more of the first, second, third, and fourth telescoping assemblies comprising a boss configured to interfere with the stop.