Boarding a RIB from the water

[Stephan]

I'll chime in, having tested many, many different ladders for boarding inflatables. Rather, my wife was the tester, as she does not have a ton of upper body strength, balance or grace when it comes to this feat.

Her #1 favorite was a folding Italian model https://www.defender.com/product3.js...207&id=1506004, but it was a bit expensive. Stowed the most compactly and was the simplest to use.

Her #2 choice was much less money and it was lighter. https://www.defender.com/product3.js...207&id=1505987

Easy to add a d-ring to the tube as a securing point, or use an existing eye on the transom (if one exists) or (if it is a paneled or wood floor model inflatable), run a webbing strap around the floorboard when assembling the boat and leave it there to secure to when time to use the ladder.

These options do not tuck under the boat if the tubes are properly inflated and are simple, easy boarding solutions.

The mention of the step on the cavitation plate. Bad idea. Just not meant for that use and, yeah, the cav plate can break [or you can slip off the painted aluminum and catch the prop].

Rope ladders and webbing ladders scored low for my wife, as they all tucked under and you need core and upper torso strength to utilize. They work for many folks, just not as easy as the above alternatives.

Fair winds to y'all.
Stephan

[nmccubbin]

My wife uses the foil
I would need it if dressed for cold weather.
I am considering adding a 3/8” square strip on the top outer edges to avoid a foot slipping off
Anybody tried that?

[AJ-SeaChange]

If you do eventually by a folding aluminium step for your dinghy you may want to have a giggle at my wife and I trying to figure out where to attach our newly purchased step last summer in Calpe, Spain.



Apart from being a bit of a lark it may save you some time too.



The ladder part starts at the 11:50 mark in this video https://youtu.be/lCWsaocRdVk Have fun!

[Amapola]

We bought a dinghy boarding ladder that works great with our AB rib.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-...yABEgI2KfD_BwE

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

I think this is a technique that anyone who uses an inflatable should learn. If one ever gets tossed out of the boat and a boarding device is not available this could save your butt. It is actually much easier than it looks. One piece of advice; if you use this technique to reboard after snorkeling take off your fins first. If you don't they can get caught on the opposite tube and prevent you from completing the roll into the boat. Don't ask how I know.

That is totally awesome - would never have thought of it!

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by atlantical

I did the fast rescue boat course at Stonehaven Scotland years ago. In part of the course, they capsized the rib with a crane in the harbour, there were three of us in it, we had to get out from under the rib, then swim behind it, and trigger the righting bag, then when it righted, we got back in, the first person in, climbed up on the outboard, and over the transom, the next two of us, went over the sponson at the stern, helped by the person that had gotten in. We didn't all go up the transon, as they wanted to show, that there was more than one way to get in. It was a 22 foot rib, and it is hard to get over sponson at rear, but you can do it without help.

Of course, I was young and fit then.

For those who are on the edge of being able to clamber aboard without a ladder or other aid, don't underestimate the utility of your buoyancy in water. Learned this on a Missouri river paddling raft trip. Grasp the handles (facing the dinghy/raft) and descend (vertically) as far as you can go back into the sea while still holding on. With as rapid and as smooth a motion as you can muster, in one fast movement (with a dolphin kick as noted above), vertically rise and pull inboard as your center of gravity gets up there. Most people tend to try to start to pull aboard slowly and evenly, thinking that if they start the pulling action as high as they can be it will help, when the opposite is true.
This isn't magic and won't allow someone who isn't close to being able to get aboard suddenly able, nor will it address the issue raised earlier about being really fatigued, as it does take good coordination and strength. But if you are close, it might give you the edge you need to make it over the tube.

[captainwoody]

Originally Posted by meridian28

Another way is to put your back to the dinghy, reach behind your head and grab side ropes if there are any, pull your legs up and over your head. Sounds hard but is fairly easy.

This is how we do it.

[Judyfood]

As a charter skipper in the Bahamas I have guests of all shapes, sizes, ages and athletic ability. Getting back in the dinghy can be a problem for sure as well as good comedy. After a charter where I couldn't go to the best snorkeling spots for fear of my guests not being able to re board the dinghy I got this solution from another captain.
Tie a bow line on the end of a line to make a loop that you can put your foot in. Hang it at water level with loop just under the water attaching the other end to the handle on the opposite side of the dinghy. Insert foot into loop and then using the same line pull yourself in. Not as comical but effective!

[flyingfin]

Originally Posted by SteveSadler

Many tenders have a foil on the outboard. Not only does it provide an easy step to board.

Bad Idea, seen lots of blood from people who do not have great balance and wind up slicing their feet or ankle on the prop

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by Judyfood

As a charter skipper in the Bahamas I have guests of all shapes, sizes, ages and athletic ability. Getting back in the dinghy can be a problem for sure as well as good comedy. After a charter where I couldn't go to the best snorkeling spots for fear of my guests not being able to re board the dinghy I got this solution from another captain.
Tie a bow line on the end of a line to make a loop that you can put your foot in. Hang it at water level with loop just under the water attaching the other end to the handle on the opposite side of the dinghy. Insert foot into loop and then using the same line pull yourself in. Not as comical but effective!

Another useful tip for the ladies - if the awkward, face forward to the boat clambering is in the cards, be sure to wear a swimsuit with some kind of neck strap in the front. No bandeau/strapless suits. My wife was really frustrated that as she was trying to clamber aboard, she had to be mindful that the friction with the dinghy tube might pull down the top of her suit and that made things just that much more difficult. It can be embarrassing to have difficulty climbing aboard and then to compound that with swimsuit malfunctions is, as my children would say, really awkward...

[sail4evr]

I bought this aluminum boarding ladder that has a mounting bracket on the back of the dingy which you attach the ladder to. The ladder is what is traditionally used by people with fins as it allows them to climb the ladder. A central tube with rungs placed on center. With this ladder attached and a line from the front of the dingy the person in the water pulls on the line to keep their weight into the boat as they walk up the steps. For overweight and elderly or people with low upper arm strength it is very easy. I have had many guests on my charter boat who qualify for this type of assist and they all get on miraculously. It goes on and comes off in 15 seconds. Doesn't store well on the dingy because it is 3 ft long so i keep it on my cat until i need it.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by lestersails

Another useful tip for the ladies - if the awkward, face forward to the boat clambering is in the cards, be sure to wear a swimsuit with some kind of neck strap in the front. No bandeau/strapless suits. My wife was really frustrated that as she was trying to clamber aboard, she had to be mindful that the friction with the dinghy tube might pull down the top of her suit and that made things just that much more difficult. It can be embarrassing to have difficulty climbing aboard and then to compound that with swimsuit malfunctions is, as my children would say, really awkward...

Seen that happen, and not just with dinghys but also boarding river rafts when a person falls off in a rapid or goes swimming in the calm stretchs, but river rafts typically have much more freeboard to contend with.

Also happens when water skiing and wake boarding or body surfing waves.

Bottoms also have a tendency to slide down if your waist is not smaller than your hips and / or the suit bottom has elastic waist band. More than just a plumber's crack reveal.

I recall my schools first coed water polo during physical education classes during high school, after the first day, the ladies were told to wear one piece suits due to missing tops [which seemingly one of the guys would find] and of course the ladies got even with yanking down the guys trunks. The PE coaches had to learn how to approach mixed gender athletics. [Still remember the head football coach telling the boys and girls after the team memberships for the day had been arranged, designating the teams by saying to one side, Shirts and to the other side, Skins and the mens' coach walking to the sideline of the field all the while the lady's head coach staring at him with this "That so isn't going to work look". First shot at coed football during PE class. All the kids trying to figure out how hard the contact could be and exactly where contact could occur. Big advantage to the ladies on the teams as the guys were gentlemen and were not going to block or tackle hard and there were so many places you simply couldn't grab the female ball carriers. But after a few plays where the girl's dished out hard blocks and tackles on to the guys and broke tackles for long runs, the game became quite physical, but not cheap shots nor cheap grabs.

Started my learning to climb aboard with row boats, canoes and small sailboats sometimes after tipping them over and / or filling them fully or partially with water.

[Blaine]

Hi All, great thread with much appreciated info. Here's a quick product update. The St. Croix ladder seems to no longer be available. I talked with one of their dealers in San Diego who said the company had been sold and was unresponsive. (I also looked at the St. Croix website and there was nothing there.) The dealer said it was too bad -- that she had this ladder on her own boat and that it worked really well. If you're interested in this ladder, the next choice seems to be the one at West Marine that Amapola linked to in post #49. It's a hundred bucks cheaper than the St. Croix was, but it's made in Taiwan vs. the U.S. so hopefully that accounts for the cheaper price instead of lower quality. The specs are virtually identical.

[1Jazzsailor1]

Without a doubt.....check out Up&Out boarding ladders

[Blaine]

Hi All, not sure how to edit my previous post so here's a postscript; the St. Croix ladder was 9 lbs, and West Marine's ladder is "about 7 lbs.", so maybe the St. Croix was made of 1 1/4" stainless vs. the 1" of West Marine's version?