Entering a sailboat over a sugar scoop transom in heavy seas

[Markus Trezise]

Just wondering if any sailors who have sugar scoop transoms have had difficulty boarding their boat over the transom, when there is a lot of lateral movement due to heavier seas than would be desirable. Also, how to enter a boat that way easily / safely.

Additionally, any advice on how to go about that boarding boats when there are rougher seas to minimise any risks. Thanks for any responses.

[Dockhead]

The transom is a death trap on any boat if the boat is pitching in significant wave action.


If the boat is not rolling, then boarding from the side with a boarding ladder is preferable.

[Markus Trezise]

Thanks Dockhead,
Much appreciated.
Cheers.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

The transom is a death trap on any boat if the boat is pitching in significant wave action.


If the boat is not rolling, then boarding from the side with a boarding ladder is preferable.

As an aside, according to Safety at Sea experts, also an important consideration for MOB recovery. Midship reboarding is important. Fortunately on sailboats a boom or halyard as hoist is located midship. But some planning is required.

[JPA Cate]

When the boat is pitching, best scramble aboard where you can grab onto the shrouds. They're meant to take heavier loads than your body.

Our boat doesn't pitch much, the stern is broad and flat (yes, a sugar scoop), so the bow may go down, but has a lot of flare to resist that, but it is hollow, a bit, so the entry is fine, but the flare starts right there. What happens is that we don't pitch much. We come alongside the port side, and climb right onto the stern. The non-skid paint is quite aggressisve there, and it is not a major problem to get aboard from there. We do have a man rope, to help board when we come athwart the stern, which one can use to help oneself. Also it helps from the swim ladder. We have perforated toe rails, and so we have a step, that halves the size of the step from dinghy to deck. It, too, has non-skid on it. And I use it coming from dinghy via shrouds to deck.

Having a step like that, whether you hang it from pad eyes or whatever, will help whoever's going up and down there feel safer.



Ann

[Markus Trezise]

Thanks Ann,
Much appreciated.
Cheers.
Markus.

[Kettlewell]

Obviously, a lot depends on the particular boat, the configuration of the stern, and the dinghy type. One thing we have on our boat is a step that hangs from the base of a stanchion, making it much easier to step up from the dinghy to get on the side deck of the boat. The step is small and lightweight, and can basically hang there most of the time, even when sailing, without interfering with anything. Like this one: https://defender.com/en_us/c-level-s...q4PoLAeRAdRM3c

[team karst]

Note that many ladders will have a couple of seriously powerful pinch points when “active” in seas. Ive boarded dozens of different boats in open ocean, in dive gear dress and platform slap is the other high risk area.

[Shanachie]

The key to boarding any boat in any position is good handholds to pull yourself up.


I carry an inflatable dinghy on weaver davits on my sugar scoop stern. We find it easiest to always board the boat from the dinghy. It only takes a minute to lower it.


From the dinghy, even in choppy conditions, it's easy to reach up and grab part of the stern rail, then lift yourself up onto the sugar scoop. This is no problem for me at age 70.

[thinwater]

Yes, boarding at the side can be better.


Pilots and divers learn, however, that you can board a ladder with considerable pitching if you watch the motion and then grab the ladder (foot and tow hands) when it is at a low point and immediately climb. It requires agility and confidence.

[Kettlewell]

Not sure if the OP is wondering about boarding from the dinghy or boarding from the water while swimming. One trick I have seen some use with sugarscoop sterns in bouncy conditions is to bring the dinghy up alongside the transom so that the bow might be more near the aft end of the cockpit, then step out of the side of the dinghy onto one of the stern steps. In other words, don't bring the bow of the dinghy up to the sugarscoop. But, in really rough conditions if the boat is pitching it might be better to come alongside in the dinghy to avoid getting caught under the sugarscoop.

[Cheechako]

I agree the side is better. It's not easy to keep a dingy at the stern and get off with any pitching going on.
The shrouds are a good handhold. In addition, if there is any sea action, when the dingy lifts it's good time to step aboard the mothership.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Not sure if the OP is wondering about boarding from the dinghy or boarding from the water while swimming. One trick I have seen some use with sugarscoop sterns in bouncy conditions is to bring the dinghy up alongside the transom so that the bow might be more near the aft end of the cockpit, then step out of the side of the dinghy onto one of the stern steps. In other words, don't bring the bow of the dinghy up to the sugarscoop. But, in really rough conditions if the boat is pitching it might be better to come alongside in the dinghy to avoid getting caught under the sugarscoop.

This is a good point. In fact, I designed the sugar scoops on my cat (I laminated them) so that they were cut down on the inner side. There was even a clipping point forward to secure the dingy perimeter line, like ting to a dock. Moving the dingy forward just this 4 feet and securing it along side, instead of lying cross wise in the open with no hand holds, made a huge difference in safety.


Swimming was never a problem. I've done enough open water diving that reboarding was never an issue. From a dinghy is much harder.

[MicHughV]

The dink and the stern are typically going up and down at the same time.
Plus I find that grabbing onto the dink davits gives me that extra leverage to safely and easily transfer from dink to boat.
Timing is everything though, but once you've done this a few times, it becomes old hat in no time.

[deblen]

I suggest each of you try jumping in the water,fully clothed,on a safe calm day,with a safety line.
Then,try climbing back aboard your boat.
Cheers/Len


https://www.fisheriessupply.com/just...g-ladder/rl100