Tried climbing in your dinghy from the water?

[Cotemar]

Coast Guard statistics indicate that a vast majority of boating fatalities occur on boats smaller than 20 feet, often because the victim could not reboard the boat. Though accident reports may indicate drowning or hypothermia as the cause of death, it is safe to say that in many cases, these individuals suffered because there was no way to re-board their boats.
Small boats like jonboats and inflatables don’t usually have fixed boarding platforms or ladders and reboarding without assistance can be very difficult, impossible in some cases. So a small, portable boarding ladder is a necessity on these boats, especially for solo boaters.

[boatman61]

Arp Arp Arp...

Don't have to be young to be daft..

[Cotemar]

Boat U.S. dingy boarding ladder testing and findings

1) Plastimo Rope Boarding Ladder
2) Sea-Dog Step 5 Rope Ladder
3) Davis Swim Stirrup Reboarding Ladder, Rated Best $22
4) Doyle Quickstep Boarding Ladder Rated
5) C-Level Sea Steps Safety Ladder (1 step) Next Best $34
6) C-Level Sea Steps Safety Ladder (3 step)
7) Garelick Inflatable Boat Ladder
8) Plastimo Folding Inflatable Ladder
9) Plastimo Five Step Safety Ladder
10) Garelick EEz-In Gunwale Ladder
11) A 10' length of 5/8" polyester line

The perfect length (about 20 inches below the waterline) for all the testers.

Foundation Findings #44 - Boarding Ladders - Top Rung: Ladder Lessons Learned

[Richard_W]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Boat U.S. dingy boarding ladder testing and findingS

3) Davis Swim Stirrup Reboarding Ladder, Rated Best $22
5) C-Level Sea Steps Safety Ladder (1 step) Next Best $34

The perfect length (about 20 inches below the waterline) for all the testers.

Foundation Findings #44 - Boarding Ladders - Top Rung: Ladder Lessons Learned

Good link with good info ... thanks ...

One can make a #3 or #5 equivalent from the stuff found in the boat or garage ... a piece of rope/line and a wooden/plastic plank ... for next to nothing.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Coast Guard statistics indicate that a vast majority of boating fatalities occur on boats smaller than 20 feet, often because the victim could not reboard the boat. Though accident reports may indicate drowning or hypothermia as the cause of death, it is safe to say that in many cases, these individuals suffered because there was no way to re-board their boats.
Small boats like jonboats and inflatables don’t usually have fixed boarding platforms or ladders and reboarding without assistance can be very difficult, impossible in some cases. So a small, portable boarding ladder is a necessity on these boats, especially for solo boaters.

Wow, I was just joking about the killer monohulls, but I guess it's no joke. So a critical safety feature on any boat is a way to get back on board if everyone jumps in without a ladder.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by ArtM

Wow, I was just joking about the killer monohulls, but I guess it's no joke. So a critical safety feature on any boat is a way to get back on board if everyone jumps in without a ladder.

Should be compulsory in all marina's thats for sure... on a boat I'd have thought would be common sense..
Smell the coffee Phil

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Should be compulsory in all marina's thats for sure... on a boat I'd have thought would be common sense..
Smell the coffee Phil

It occurs to me that this is also a security risk while in anchorage. Those boats may have been originally designed to be unboardable on purpose.

[ReMetau]

Originally Posted by Richard_W

Good link with good info ... thanks ...

One can make a #3 or #5 equivalent from the stuff found in the boat or garage ... a piece of rope/line and a wooden/plastic plank ... for next to nothing.

Although I can climb up into our inflatable without a ladder. We made one of these with some extra line we had and a piece of starboard from the local salvage store.

Although not easy, I can also climb back on board our HC without a ladder. by "jump/swimming up to the cap rail" and using the bit of rub rail to get my toes onto.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Swimming is a must, but back to reality
There are a lot of cruisers out there that cannot swim
Sounds crazy right. Next cruisers party you go to after a few drinks ask aloud who cannot swim. You will have owl eyes of amazement.
I always thought it was a given to be a good swimmer and cruiser. NOT.
I worked on a lobster boat in my teens and my captain said he did not know how to swim. Are you kidding me, you’re on a boat every day. No I do not know how to swim ________

I can't swim! - but am very comfortable in the water (and under! - PADI advanced diver ).......the secret for me is have a little bit of bouyancy on me or near (and that is usually an Avon) and to think carefully before jumping in, including on how to get out again - and if not sure then I don't. I think it's called looking (and thinking) before leaping........

With the 9' Avon then the seal approach works well enough (don't really want a ladder in it, for space reasons!) - of course that does need you to not be whale shaped .........but what also helps and maybe could be tried for those with larger tubes (on their dink!) is having a line run from the opposing rowlock to over the side you are clambering up - having something to grip on helps a great deal......but do still need leg power to swim yer way on.

.......or for the larger sized "seal" perhaps could test out the MOB crane?

[GeoPowers]

So you're riding along headed to the local grocery strore and/or bar, feeling good because you've got your dinghy boarding ladder aboard, then catch a bikini out of the corner of your eye. You turn around fast to get a better look just when a bigger-than-average wave comes up and and...opps, you fall outta the dinghy. Assuming you were actually wearing your kill switch properly......and the dinghy hasn't taken off out of reach...what good is the boarding ladder (safely stowed aboard and out of the way to prevent trip hazards) if no one else is in said dinghy?

I dunno, I'd focus first on practicing getting into the dinghy on your own power, and then focus on tying a bowline-in-a-bight or two along the first few feet of the painter, which is usually attached to a D-bolt on the bow, for use as a foothold.

I'll give it to you, I'm in shape and getting into an inflatable is not a graceful evolution. But I submit that a basic level of swimming ability and strength training has greater safety value than a boarding ladder.

Don't get me wrong, if you feel safer with a boarding ladder, then get it! However, if you're gonna use a dinghy ladder you need to make sure you can reach it and it is deployable from outside the dinghy!

Frank

[slowshoes]

Originally Posted by GeoPowers

r...what good is the boarding ladder (safely stowed aboard and out of the way to prevent trip hazards) if no one else is in said dinghy?

Frank

See the telescoping transom ladder mentioned in an earlier post - always there and easily deployed while in the water.

[Kettlewell]

Somebody's post got me to thinking. How about a dinghy painter built so the first few feet of it is a small rope or webbing ladder? It would always be there, ready to deploy if you needed it, and you could pull it down from the water. Probably could use it even if the dink was tied up to the mother ship.

[Richard_W]

Originally Posted by GeoPowers

Don't get me wrong, if you feel safer with a boarding ladder, then get it! However, if you're gonna use a dinghy ladder you need to make sure you can reach it and it is deployable from outside the dinghy!

So very true ... this is on the books for power boats for years, not just to have a boarding ladder (or other reboarding device) but to be able to deploy it while in water. The same extends to a dinghy in my neck of woods, although not mandatory for a low freeboard vessel (less than 50 cm) ... just a common sense based on one's ability.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by GeoPowers

I'll give it to you, I'm in shape and getting into an inflatable is not a graceful evolution. But I submit that a basic level of swimming ability and strength training has greater safety value than a boarding ladder.

For a lot of cruisers, strength training and good swimming ability aren't viable options.

In an emergency situation - a REAL emergency - you need to be able to get into your liferaft/dinghy if injured, in freezing water, and even if exhausted.

You don't need the extra equipment, but there are others who do.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by GeoPowers

Assuming you were actually wearing your kill switch properly......and the dinghy hasn't taken off out of reach...what good is the boarding ladder (safely stowed aboard and out of the way to prevent trip hazards) if no one else is in said dinghy?

Don't get me wrong, if you feel safer with a boarding ladder, then get it! However, if you're gonna use a dinghy ladder you need to make sure you can reach it and it is deployable from outside the dinghy!

Frank

AGREE

Just as you should have your safety kill switch attached to your wrist.

Your boarding ladder or line should be attached and reachable over the tube or from the stern.

RIB - 1st place - YouTube

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