advice on getting into my dinghy please

[greenalien]

Looks like the major problem you have is that your dinghy isn't sufficiently stable if you get your weight too close to the edge. As others have suggested, switching to an inflatable, or a cathedral-hull dory, would give a more stable solution; however, you could also consider fixing a large fender to the side of your dinghy, which would help to add buoyancy and stability.

 

[wotayottie]

maybe securing both ends hard against the pontoon would help?

thats what I do when getting aboard from the sugar scoop. works well.

 

[Lodesman77]

I would second the suggestion of getting in kayak style, sitting on the pontoon and using an oar behind you. You'll need to be tied on fore and aft to stop the dinghy moving out but it's a very stable system.

 

[Frankie-H]

Just a thought but when I used to row, the skulls had captive rowlocks. I am sure you could still get these or adapt your own. You would need to make them so that they didn't lift out. The the oar would be braced across the dinghy and rigid for you to lean on. Good luck.

 

[catmandoo]

bits of me aren't as flexible as the used to be although getting into the dinghy from the boat is okay - I'm getting in from above almost straight down - since the last knee operation I've found getting in off the pontoon is not as easy as it used to be.

From the pontoon I need to get into the middle of the dinghy and it's all too easy for it to tilt sideways when I transfer my weight from the pontoon to the dinghy itself. If anyone has any advice I'd be grateful - maybe securing both ends hard against the pontoon would help? I can't be the only one who no longer bends in all the places I used to.

Lie on the pontoon parallel to the dinghy and roll in . have done it many times after a few tots . make sure you you tie it at both ends

 

[Frankie-H]

Lie on the pontoon parallel to the dinghy and roll in . have done it many times after a few tots . make sure you you tie it at both ends

Bloody hell. Not surprising there are so many accidents from dinghys and boats.

 

[Lodesman77]

Only a problem if you roll the wrong way...

 

[Burnham Bob]

thanks for all the further suggestions but a line under the seat and tied hard against the cleat on the pontoon is working fine. the dinghy is held steady and when i get in can't rock either way. tying hard onto the boarding ladder at the back of the boat is fine for gettig off the boat into the dinghy, it does rock a little more but as i said in the original post, i'm going down onto the dinghy - not across from the pontoon.

i now have two permanent lines - one each side of the seat which is a grp 'plank' moulded into the hull amidships. they are a little more secure than tyoing to the rowlocks as suggested but the principle is the same. the lines are aloo easy to untie because they are secured where i am sitting, fore and aft lines meant manoeuvering the dinghy until i could reach the cleat.

but thanks to the forum, what was a hairy expereince is now dead simple and the dinghy is now an easy option to get to the boat not a wobbly experience attempted with trepidation.