But all it takes to solve a problem is a person with the right talents to spot it. Mechanically-minded Corey Schaub had been designing boat parts for a decade and worked as a service manager years before that. Working with heavy construction equipment and watercraft, he knew how to see what wasn’t working and how to make things better.
And of course, Corey and his family also owned a pontoon. Living on a lake in Traverse City, Mich., meant they spent plenty of time playing in the water.
“When you jump in the water as much as we do, you’ve gotta get back on the boat. There were no ladders of any comfort whatsoever. Since we also have a dog, we found it impossible to get her in the water without struggling to get her out. We decided to solve two problems at once and build a ladder that both our family and our dog could use,” he said.
And after winning over the innovation award judges at IBEX, even more boaters wanted one, especially if they could add it to their current pontoon. So Corey and his team designed an aftermarket ladder that will fit any pontoon, called the Easy Step Boarding Ladder.
David Lansky, who boats on Lake Arbutus in Michigan said, “The Easy Step Ladder is a wonderful product. It’s more like a folding stairway than a ladder—a walkway that folds down into the water. The steps are all about 6-8 inches apart so you don’t have to pull yourself up vertically. You feel safe using it because it’s so stable. The textured stairs are close to 5 inches wide, which is a far cry from other ladders that use one-inch round pipes.”
Customers are also impressed with the high quality and style of the ladder. Not only is it sturdy enough to support up to 400 pounds, but it also doesn’t wobble under the weight and has textured stairs to eliminate standing water on each step. Easy Step Boarding Ladders are precision-built to last with stainless steel handles, heavy-wall aluminum extrusions, and internal stainless steel cables. They’re also effortless to deploy.
The folding design has a retracting strap and can be easily deployed while standing on the boat or dock—no need to kneel or lean over the water. With the self-draining design, the ladder won’t retain water, which makes it easier to pull out of the water.
“Because it’s lightweight, the ladder is gentle on the hands. A canvas strap runs from the handle to the middle of the steps and can be opened with your thumb to then unfold the ladder. Because of the way the ladder is angled and put together, it requires little or no strength to pull it up and put the snap back on,” David added. “Not to mention it’s good looking! The black steps match our boat’s color scheme and the high-polished chrome handles match the chrome on our pontoon.”
Customer Phil Swanson said, “The Easy Step Ladder is engineered brilliantly, so hats off to the folks at LilliPad. It’s made a transformational change in our water enjoyment. My son has disabilities, so he had been excluded from any sort of swimming because our stock ladder was straight up and down and was impossible for him to use. My wife has had knee replacement surgery and while she could get up the old ladder it was a real struggle. This has really made a difference in our ability to enjoy the water. It’s brought them both total joy.”
“Without the Easy Step Ladder I would never have been able to get in or out of the boat to use the water,” customer Steve Webb said. With debilitating back problems, he was unable to walk without pain but loves the therapeutic effects of being in the water. “I was a bit nervous to see if I could get back in the boat using the Easy Step Ladder, which I recently installed on our 2022 Crest Caribbean LX. But I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the ladder is to use while putting zero strain on my back! Being able to get in the water has allowed me to use it as therapy, because in the water I can walk with much less load on my hips and back.”
Courtney Roxby, who breeds Golden Retrievers said, “As an avid dog lover, I needed a solution for my dogs getting back on our boat. The LilliPad Easy Step Ladder was the PERFECT solution! It’s a total game changer for both dogs and humans, and will be a mandatory accessory for any future boats!”
Using its Ghost Mount System, another NMMA Innovation award-winning design, the included handle for the Beach Ladder can be easily removed when not needed. This ensures the deck of your pontoon stays clear.
Phil added, “It’s straightforward to install. I’m no engineer and I could figure it out pretty easily. Honestly, I had a harder time taking the old one off!”
Unsure at first, Kenny was convinced this would be a great purchase once he used his friend’s LilliPad ladder. “I actually ordered mine while I was still sitting on their boat. It’s well worth the cost and easy to install yourself. If you’re thinking of a new ladder system for your boat, consider the LilliPad Easy Step. You won’t be disappointed,” he said.
They designed a high-quality diving board that can be used by both children and adults, and is engineered to give the jumper an exciting bounce while keeping the boat stable for everyone else. And once the Schaub decided to start a business marketing their fun-for-all-ages diving board, they first had to come up with a company name.
“When we started the diving board, one of the first things we talked about was what would we name our new product? We both said LilliPad, because it’s like you’re jumping off a lily pad into the water.” They also might have been a tiny bit enamored of their newborn daughter, Lillian.
These days, Lillian has grown to love diving into the water just as much as her older brothers, and the company has grown exponentially as well. In addition to the REVO and Easy Step Ladders and the diving board, LilliPad Marine also manufactures a grill mount, a flagpole for your pontoon’s stern, and an innovative funnel system that makes it easy to fuel your pontoon at your dock. From fun to functionality, this company thinks of it all.