Tried climbing in your dinghy from the water?

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

I just ordered on of these Davis Swim Stirrup Reboarding Ladder, Boat U.S. Rated Best for a rib at $22

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

Why make my own, when I can buy the best for $22

If you made your own, you would know every knot and twist of your ladder and feel safer in the water and dink. In case it needs repair or attention, you would fully be able to fix it. I'd also like $22 more beer.

JackB

[SmartMove]

I will admit I have not read all of the posts to this thread. I scanned enough to see the young or fit vs 50-60 or older stuff. First I will say, we have a s.st. collapisible ladder for our dinghy. For us it is not about whether we can get into the dinghy but about being able to get into the dinghy easily (at our age). While at anchor, I routinely do the arp arp thing to prove to myself I can still do it (a hold over from the river rafting days, when you never knew when you would be under the raft!).

Both hubby and I can do the arp arp thing, but chose to take the easier route these days. However, we do keep up the skill because you never know.

[Andrew Troup]

Some people, for whatever reason, don't have a realistic prospect of boarding a dinghy without some sort of assistance, and there are helpful ideas in this thread to address that.

But for those who are in the grey area (in other words, currently cannot, but could potentially do it with some work on their technique, their strength, or both):


I think it's worth remembering that the dinghy you are climbing into may not be your own. Maybe you're visiting or sailing with friends, or your dinghy sinks, or you fall from a bigger boat and a dinghy -- or something similarly difficult to climb onto -- is the only option for self-rescue...

of some light fingered person may have decided they need your boarding ladder more than you do ...

So it seems to me that if you have a genuine choice between solving it with, or without, introducing (or modifing) an item of gear, it might pay to focus on doing without. Then, if the gear is available, it's hopefully a bonus rather than a necessity.

(I say "hopefully" because when the chips are down you might be too cold, or hurt, or drunk (!), or the dinghy in question might simply be unboardable)

I guess I'm noticing a shift in boating culture over the last few decades, from added gear being a last resort, to it being the first port of call. Probably web forums make the latter seem more prevalent than it really is.

[goboatingnow]

I know I can just about make it into small dinghies with small diameter tubes, the bigger ribs ( especially carribe) I find impossible as I can't reach the other side, I'm 6'5" there's a lot of me in the water. If I can reach the strop on the other side I can get in ok. Otherwise I just lift myself up in the air , but can't get enough of me to overbalance into the RIB. I suspect its technique , but the waters too damm cold hereabouts to be practising and hence you get cold fatigue very quickly.

I also find lifejackets make it very awkward as do full foulies etc.

Dave

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

SNIP
getting tired / exhausted is an important consideration - and no matter how fit "you" start off everyone gets to the same point of being completely and utterly knackered and incapable of helping themselves - the only difference is how long that takes!

For those who have not tried to board an inflatable dink it is an eye opener on the effort / technique required, especially when you realise that would be doing pretty much the same if boarding a liferaft from the water. Despite those having ladders, as only fabric / rope they can never be that great - if nothing else should convince "you" to desperately try and get into the liferaft direct!

Also bear in mind that if wearing a bouyancy aid (per the pic a few posts back) that you will have changed from being a slippery seal to a whale!.......the bouyancy aid (bigger gut that does not flex!) can make it impossible to board on own over the tubes.....give it a go!

Have to agree with DOJ about this. It is one thing to brag about how easy it is for one to get into their dink and ignore the obvious fact that we all get tired, sick, injured, or are just having an off day. Not to mention what happens when a few beers start making even getting into the bunk so hard you may wind up sleeping on the floor.

[tuskie]

Originally Posted by downunder

You may have done your certification with FAUI like me in older days ?

Showing your age there Downunder!
Arh, the good old FAUI days, when scuba diving was taught properly in Australia. Before tanks and fins, we had cylinders and flippers. I remember an assistant FAUI instructor, ex Royal Australian Navy, berate a novice saying, "a TANK is an armoured vehicle operated by men in green and of limited intelligence, THAT is a diving CYLINDER!"

Back to the thread, I can't imagine anyone having any sort of boat and not be able to get into it from the water, especially a small one that you are likely to fall out of.

Murphy's Law says that if you do fall out of the tender, (a) you'll be fully clothed, (b) it will be dark and blowing a gale, and (c) you'll be under the influence of drink or fatigue (or both).

So at least find a way the suits you and your crew to get back aboard, that at least works with the weight of wet clothes and is manageable in sloppy conditions. Practice.

[ozskipper]

Easy.. In an emergency, partially deflate the side of the tender you need to get into.

[Kettlewell]

Easy.. In an emergency, partially deflate the side of the tender you need to get into.

I'm not sure it is that easy to reach the valves on many bigger RIBs.

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

I'm not sure it is that easy to reach the valves on many bigger RIBs.

Well, if the OP can afford a tender that takes a 20hp OB. He can stab the side with his dive knife lol

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by tuskie

SNIP

Back to the thread, I can't imagine anyone having any sort of boat and not be able to get into it from the water, especially a small one that you are likely to fall out of.

Murphy's Law says that if you do fall out of the tender, (a) you'll be fully clothed, (b) it will be dark and blowing a gale, and (c) you'll be under the influence of drink or fatigue (or both).

So at least find a way the suits you and your crew to get back aboard, that at least works with the weight of wet clothes and is manageable in sloppy conditions. Practice.

I still stand by my original post. There is a big difference between getting into a tender in good conditions and bad conditions. Two weeks ago a couple of buddies and I all went out of the harbor and just past a small island to dive for lobster. Not to say it was cold (it was the Florida Keys) but we were all wearing 3mm vests at least. After a couple of hours in the water I returned to the tender and getting in was a bigger task than I expected. I had my pole gun (with the barb removed) which I had been using as a tickle stick in one hand and a net with a lobster in the other hand, along with a bag with three lobsters tied to my weight belt.

I am 67 but consider my self in good shape, after all I was able to get my limit of lobsters, but it took me more than one try to get in the RIB. I could easily imagine circumstances where I would have a real problem getting in the RIB, or on the sugar scoops of my cat, if I was cold, tired, hurt, or what ever. Not sure what the best answer is, but I am looking for some type of ladder (whatever). But one problem I see is that to be of any use a ladder would have to be deployed and it is quite possible that if one fell out of the RIB the ladder would be safely stored under the seat with the anchor and of no help getting in the RIB.

I am still looking for a good solution to getting out of the water.

[thinwater]

A contingency option I've not seen mentioned:

Use the painter as a step. Once I had a guest that was struggling. I boarded first, flipped the painter (5/8" line) over the bow in a loop (about 30" below the water) and tied it off. Worked fine. Yes, a ladder is better (I have one now), but this worked in a pinch.

I have a rather long thick painter, not because I tow (davits) but because my wife has inner ear problems and knee problems; whether boarding from the boat or getting off at a dock, I have to lash the dingy VERY firmly fore and aft. She then uses my skull as a railing. For her, boarding a dingy from the water is not a valid option even with a ladder. She can board the main boat with a sturdy ladder.

[seandepagnier]

Adding a ladder is the incorrect solution. Instead, you should be removing the outboard.

By rowing, in time maybe you will lose enough weight and gain the strength needed to be able to climb in.

[Cormorant]

I haven't read through this whole thread, but could you leave a 1/2" line tied athwartships, say, between the oarlocks? That would give purchase for hauling yourself up over the tube. You still need some upper body strength to do it, but less than you do just heaving yourself over the tube unaided. Maybe leave a few knots in it for easier gripping.

Of course, it will always be in the way in the dinghy, but probably one of those things you just get used to.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Also worth a try if someone is in the water and wearing a bouyancy aid and someone else is onboard the dink is to bounce them up and down a few times to get some momentum going before they "go for it".

The idea of partialy deflating a tube does have merit where someone really needs to be recovered from the water.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Andrew Troup

I guess I'm noticing a shift in boating culture over the last few decades, from added gear being a last resort, to it being the first port of call. Probably web forums make the latter seem more prevalent than it really is.

I'm noticing that too - (what seems to be) a lot of people saying that the first thing you'll have to do with a boat is spend $20,000 outfitting it.

It doesn't make sense to me. The first thing I'll want to do is sail it, and worry about outfitting it as the need arises.

I think it stems from an assumption that everyone is the same kind of sailor, and therefore has the same requirements.