limited mobility

[lowcountryjimmb]

I am 55 years old and had a hip replacement a few years ago. I can walk and climb stairs but cannot do awkward moves like transferring from a dingy up onto the side of a sailboat. I am shopping for a boat between monohull 28 and 35 feet with easy access from a dingy or from the sailboat into the dingy. Appreciating the almost limitless experience available on this forum I am looking for some suggestions of boats and/or equipment that could make it easier for me to get on and off the sailboat. I live in coastal SC and have hopes of weekending initially and then exploring the Keys and the Bahamas in the near future so a shallow draft is also a consideration. Please let me know of what to be looking for. Jim

[shorebird]

Many boats have a walk through transom, allowing easy boarding from either a dinghy or a dock.

[the_alpine]

Walk through transom will help getting on/off the boat, but you still have to deal with the companionway steps. Arguably more than the dinghy transfer.


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[gonesail]

check out the older cape dory 30 motorsailer. they are hard to find but still some around.

[sailcruiser]

I would suggest looking into a boat with a 'sugar scoop' design transom. Many boats today have them. You lift the helm seat and walk through.

Something like this:
(Random photo off google)










SC