Boarding your boat

[irwinsailor]

What about one of those fender steps that I see in magazines?

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by David M

Its called a Jacob's ladder. Its used by ship pilots. You can make a miniature version.


A USN petty officer uses the Jacob's ladder of an Iranian cargo ship during a maritime interdiction operation in the Persian Gulf.

I would just call that a 'boarding ladder'. The ladders that run up the rigging in tall ships are often called Jacob's ladders, but I think the original Admiralty term 'Jacob's ladder' referred to the ladder that hangs free from the end of a boat's boom.

Kevin

[mobetah]

Have you considered one of the gunnel mount ladders available from West Marine. We use one to get in and out of the dingy when anchored. Stainless steel, works well and is fairly easy to store. Might work for you.

[GordMay]

Change docks ?

The Tartan Owners have an interesting & informative section on the Tartan Offshore Cruising Ketch. Perhaps one of them can help (there's only 30 of you)?
The Tartan TOCK

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Janny

I can guess that we will have more issues wherever we dock--any solutions?

Congratulations again on the boat.

You will also have problems when you anchor out. If mobility is an issue for you or your husband you are going to need to figure out something easy and bullet proof. It's a ways to the dock but even a bit farther to a rocking dinghy.

OTOH - As you gain experience on the boat you will find it gets easier. Our kids wouldn't even go down the finger pier by themselves at first, much less walk outside the cockpit after getting on the boat.

Now they are like rigging rats, sure footed and confident.

[Janny]

Please excuse me, I posted a reply a few days ago...I swear!

...sometimes I miss my mind the most

Gord, yep just 30 of us, hull #6 is on that site, we have hull #5. Just found hull #26 and am awaiting another reply from them, they're crusing around Belize. From what we've 'heard' the T.O.C.K.s were custom built for their owners, many have different floorplans. Ed came across one years ago and fell in love with the design he saw--and we finally found one.

Change docks--no way, we love our marina and the folks in it. A few blocks to the Sailor's Exchange & West rip-off and just over the bridge to old St. Augustine with a great view of it.

Where there's a will, there's a way...especially with help from y'all!

---------------------------------------------
Dan, thanks again, we think we have a diamond in the rough. She is much easier to scamper around than the Ericson 30 on deck. (Note that 'scampering' to me may be another story.) We still haven't had her christening, cleaning her up first.

Just thought I'd add to the confessional about some things you just don't think of, LOL.

[captainccs]

At our marina some people stack a few upside down beer crates to make "stairs" with.

[Janny]

K, so what can you do with empty bottles of booze?

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by captainccs

At our marina some people stack a few upside down beer crates to make "stairs" with.

You can also make a neat one with milk crates and zip ties.

[captainccs]

Originally Posted by Janny

K, so what can you do with empty bottles of booze?

I never asked!

I think the crates were loaned by the bar and the bottles were in the bar's cooler.

[rebel heart]

Oh, in regards to the "too sloped" comment, you can get a gunwale ladder that hooks over the combing (with padded hooks), and then ladders down. The end of the ladder has points that extend in towards the vessel (with padded points), causing the ladder to be more or less vertical. The hooks turn sideways, so you can store the whole thing flat.

A solid ladder is a heck of a lot more stable than a rope ladder when you're hauling groceries. And, you will need something when you're coming up along side in a dink, so factor that in too.

----

If you want to be real fancy, you could do the big ladders that some people use when med mooring.

[hellosailor]

Janny, speaking of custom built (and lottery tickets<G>) perhaps what Bear needs is a trip to a custom fiberglass shop. Just have 'em cut in some "toehold" steps, in the sides, transom, and bow, and then have the hull repainted. Piece of cake, no extras to carry, deploy, move around the hull.

I wonder if I can get the patent on that, before some clever manufacturer starts doing it?<G>

[Seeratlas]

I'm not clear, are you talking about boarding from the dock? from the water, from both?

For the dock, a set of nesting crates are extremely useful.
For boarding from the sea, I'd check with the tartan group. Someone has already figured out the best solution for your particular boat a long time ago.

seer

[Janny]

You fellas are such a gift, we have much to look into, thanks!

Seer, the TOCKS seem to be a breed of their own, I've finally managed to contact 2 other owners so far and will discuss the issue with them. So far the 6' ladder at the bow works, and we hope to add some type of swim platform at the stern if possible.

[Zach]

I've seen flip down transom steps used on powerboats. But there really is nothing better than a swim platform, and fixed mount ladder for floating docks.