Tried climbing in your dinghy from the water?

[endoftheroad]

My 1994 Caribe 10'4" has a flange thats about 2 inches and located at the top of transom facing aft. When boarding from the water I reach up over the tube and grab this handle like fiberglass flange, with my body snug at aft side end of tube I simply pull and kick and up I go sharp as a navy seal. I'm 44 years old, 205lbs and 5'11".

You may have a different fiberglass design as I imgine a catamaran owner wouldn't possibly own a RIB that's 20 years old but hey, it doesnt leak, gets used every day and even looks great.

Buying a boarding ladder for an inflatable is such a cat owner kind of thing to do.

endoftheroad

[Jimbo485]

LOL!

Thread drift....... Or what??

Actually we have an old monohull Walker Bay from the 90s with a sail rig, oars and 4HP outboard. Yes, occasionally we do use that outboard.

[sww914]

ARP!!!

[Ocean Girl]

The "man up Sally" mentality may not be the best solution. You need to be able to board your tender easily. Most accidents occur in the dinghy, many times you are alone. Set up something that you can get in with one good leg and one good arm.
We secured painter so it can be grabbed running midship, plus rope ladder off the beam. Call me a pansy, I'm getting some kind of ss ladder for our tender.

Great topic
Erika

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by peterp

Thanks Daddle, I will practice more but in the meantime I will buy a dinghy ladder, and cut down on happy hour.

NO NO NO, increase your happy hours!

All you need is a rope with big knots in it as a ladder, no need to spend money on this, buy more beer with the money.

JackB

[janice142]

I've been pondering the same thing. Mine's an ancient (okay, 41 years old) fiberglass dink. She does have three small fenders on each side which have increased stability but I'm not sure I can get back into her alone. I'm open to suggestions.

Solo, so there's not going to be anyone available to balance the dinghy while I haul myself aboard. And it's too cold right now here to try anything so it's all theoretical at this point. Any ideas?
And the boarding ladders shown on Defender are all for marshmallows. The other site is for both rubber dinghies and larger boats -- not tiny row boats.
Oh, and mine usually has a trolling motor at the transom along with a Group 24 (small, lawn mower sized) battery aft. I don't believe the weight would be enough to ballast me going over the bow. Maybe.

[Cotemar]

This may be a better option for your fiberglass dink.

out-of-stock Stainless Steel Swim Ladders 4 Step - Telescoping

[hellosailor]

Presumably there is a rope running around the dink at the top of the tubes already, or at least, grommets to run one?

I think simply using a couple of loops of old halyard or dock line as boarding steps is about the simplest cheapest most effective way to go. Preferably tied into the far side of the boat, so it stays flatter as you climb aboard.

But I would never try to climb on the outboard unless it was absolutely necessary. i don't like props, it would be all too easy to slip, hit the prop, and get injured by the blades. Better to simply stay away from things that can do that.

[landonshaw]

If you want something to try, practice climbing back into your boat without the swim ladder down. We sail with dinghy davits so there is no way to get aboard over the stern, and I sail alone at times. I'd like to know if I ever go over, and am able to get back to the boat, that I can get back on. Hard but it is possible. Getting into the dinghy when it is in the water is just grabbing on and kicking. In you go.

[Richard_W]

How about a piece of rope/line extending under water to support your feet. Instead of the rope you could use a sling like one used in climbing, or add wooden plank as a step.

Similar idea to the one in this boarding ...

[boatsail]

I hope i explain this right......

to climb in try this....


tie a rope to the starboard side of the dinghy with knots ties about every foot or so.....drape it into the water on the starboard side of the dinghy....you will notice that when you try and use it to climb up, it wont really help because it will only get you to the top of the rail and then you have to do some sort of acrobatics to get your body over...this way does not work and is equally hard with a ladder or whatever way you try


here is my suggestion to make the process easeir

use your rope with knots ties every foot or so....tie it to the starboard side of the dinghy.....make sure it is long enought to go over the port side of the dinghy and into the water...now you can use this hand over hand to pull yourself past that darn sticking point of hte rail at the top because it gives you something further up the line so to speak.....try it once ...do it each way and you will see that it is easeir...

it is easier because you will be pulling youself using the same method the entire time instead of trying to change from pulling yourself to pushing yourself like you would be doing if you were just to pull your self over the side and into the boat.

hope it helps....if you want me to make a little sketch or something like that and post the photos if my explanation is not sufficient, just let me know.

[roverhi]

When the anchor was down, our Avon Redcrest went in the water and we followed soon after. Climbed into the dinghy without any problems and then onto the boat. Worked fine for us but my wife discovered an issue when we were cruising back from Tahiti. We anchored in Keauhou Bay on the Kona Side of the Big Island. I went into town for something and my wife who had grown a considerable belly during the sail up as she finished her 2nd trimester decided to go for a swim. It didn't occur to her that baby bump that had grown into a baby basketball might restrict her movement. Everything went fine till she tried to climb into the dinghy and couldn't get her stomach over the side. She was forlornly swimming around the boat thinking she might be stuck till I returned. Fortunately, a passing fisherman realized she had a problem and helped her get back aboard.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

It’s all fun and games, until it not

My guess is that you guys have never read the stories of the older cruisers that fall out of their dingy and then it runs over them and cuts the burgesses out of them. Weak and on their last breath as their wife tries in vain to pull their wet heavy mass aboard with blood pouring down their face.

I am thinking these older cruisers are not saying “just slide right up in there and let out a big ARP! ARP! ARP! When I'm done”

The majority of cruisers are in the 50 or 60’s and a seal ARP! ARP! ARP! Is not going to work for them.

a. I'm in my 50s.
b. My wife could not do what I described, so I am sensative to that. My parents can (late 80s). We have good extended length ladders.
c. If the motor cuts you you have a differrent concern (not using the deadman switch), which is a serious matter.

But all flag waving aside, I see a lot of young folks make boarding a dingy way harder than it needs to be. I see a lot of young folk that never really learned how the swim. I learned to get out of pool using the seel method, straight o my feet, and I still do, with no strain; it's easier than the ladder.

It seems to me that good in-the-water skills is a part of seamanship. As you correctly point out, you never know when some turn of events may have you in the water or helping someone out. It helps if they can help themselves and not expect to be hoisted like a whale, something they should have considered more carefuly if they cannot climb.

[ArtM]

It's a great safety topic, all funning aside. Everyone should be practiced in getting into the dingy and lifeboat. If you are single-handing, then it become a critical skill, and you should be able to do it with fair ease.

I liked the painter idea. A short line with a loop tied in the end for a foothold.

[Kettlewell]

By the way, everyone should also practice swimming more. That would help keep your strength up, is enjoyable (in warm water areas), and is a very useful boat skill. Take the dinghy near shore on a hot day and practice various swimming techniques for getting yourself out. Even if you have your dink nicely rigged up with a swim ladder, you may very well fall in or have to board someone else's dink at some point. Another thing to think about, but requires some more strength and practice, is how to get yourself back on the big boat from the water. Sounds kind of silly, but at anchor I can climb in up the anchor chain pretty easily. I learned this in the Bahamas after leaping into the water one afternoon and nearly landing on a 10-foot long shark.