best place to board a boat from tender?

[surekandoo]

I have a 24' sailing boat with a transom hung rudder. There is a permanently mounted folding s/s ladder on the port side of the transom.

I find boarding and leaving my inflatable tender awkward here especially in a tideway.

Would I be better using a portable boarding ladder hung over the side?

 

[sailorman]

I have a 24' sailing boat with a transom hung rudder. There is a permanently mounted folding s/s ladder on the port side of the transom.

I find boarding and leaving my inflatable tender awkward here especially in a tideway.

Would I be better using a portable boarding ladder hung over the side?

tie dinghy along side fore & aft, up & over the rail.
from the stern is down right dangerous in a tideway

 

[prv]

Dinghy work traditionally always alongside, by the shrouds so you can hang onto them. Since boats have grown pontoon-like stern platforms, it sometimes makes sense to board there instead, but I'd tend to revert to the side if there's much current. A ladder helps unless your dinghy is very large and stable.

Pete

 

[sailorman]

Dinghy work traditionally always alongside, by the shrouds so you can hang onto them. Since boats have grown pontoon-like stern platforms, it sometimes makes sense to board there instead, but I'd tend to revert to the side if there's much current. A ladder helps unless your dinghy is very large and stable.

Pete

what do sailing skools teach i wonder

 

[prv]

what do sailing skools teach i wonder

That every night is to be spent alongside in a marina, with the dinghy only grudgingly brought out briefly to tick a box in the Comp Crew syllabus?

Pete

 

[rob2]

Agreed it's safer to board at the widest point of the boat. It might roll a bit, but won't slam like the transom can. Whether you need a ladder depends on the yacht's freeboard, the type of dinghy and your agility. This is definitely the time to be wearing your lifejacket. This is one instance where an inflatable has a definite advantage as you can stand directly on the bouyancy tube close to the yacht rather than having to stand on the centrline on a wet thwart! If you have a spring onto a stanchion base right by your feet, then the dinghy can be held really close while you get a firm grip on the shrouds to pull yourself aboard. Whatever you chose, don't rush things or you can easily slip.

Rob.

 

[sailorman]

That every night is to be spent alongside in a marina, with the dinghy only grudgingly brought out briefly to tick a box in the Comp Crew syllabus?

Pete

more a holiday cruise then,than real sailing

 

[prv]

Agreed it's safer to board at the widest point of the boat. It might roll a bit, but won't slam like the transom can.

It also lets the dinghy lie quietly with bows into the stream. At the stern platform it's most convenient to bring the dinghy side-on across the transom, which is fine in still water but otherwise has it broadside across the tide. I've boarded over the bow of a dinghy before to avoid this, but it's a bit precarious.

Pete

 

[NUTMEG]

On the last boat I used to tie up, fore AND aft, just forward of the cockpit (v narrow side decks) and deployed two ladder fenders to give a leg up and provide a good firm basis for the dinghy.

 

[VicS]

I have a 24' sailing boat with a transom hung rudder. There is a permanently mounted folding s/s ladder on the port side of the transom.

I find boarding and leaving my inflatable tender awkward here especially in a tideway.

Would I be better using a portable boarding ladder hung over the side?

I have always boarded over the side into the cockpit....... with small boat the side decks are not really wide enough to board at the shrouds.

I now use a "fender ladder", see below, hung from the sheet winch.

I put the dinghy painter round one of the stanchions and back to a cleat in the cockpit area. I also put a short warp between the dinghy transom and the quarter mooring cleat.

It takes a little getting used to but it makes getting in and out of the dinghy much easier and safer

 

[Pete735]

We are on swinging mooring and used to board by the stern. Ok if current and wind weak and f/glass tender could be held across stern, but not easy in decent current and wind - as someone suggested only to be attempted with lifejacket. I bought a boarding ladder to hang over the side and life became easier and safer. As has been said already, moor tender by a shroud and use shroud for leverage, life has been so much easier and safer since. Our freeboard will be higher than yours, but ladder fender has to be worth consideration I would say.

 

[VicMallows]

I will take the contrary position!
I always board the dingy (both hard dingy and inflatable) from the transom boarding ladder (straight stern, ladder reaches well below water level.) Usually the dingy just trails behind, but sometimes I tie it alongside just overlapping the stern, particularly when loading things into or out of it.

The thought of boarding amidships from a small dingy, especially an inflatable, horrifies me . (Completely different matter of course with a larger work-boat, ferry, etc). I doubt if I could even manage it without some sort of ladder. (Sadler 29).

 

[NormanS]

I always use a side mounted boarding ladder. The painter has a splice at the end, which is just the right length to put on a cleat at the bow, so that the dinghy lies alongside the ladder. I have no idea how one is able to get alongside a transom ladder, in a strong wind, or in any sea.

 

[Lakesailor]

Even in a small yacht the stern is out of bounds as there is usually an outboard pounding up and down in all but the smoothest water.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I have always boarded over the side into the cockpit....... with small boat the side decks are not really wide enough to board at the shrouds.

I now use a "fender ladder", see below, hung from the sheet winch.

I put the dinghy painter round one of the stanchions and back to a cleat in the cockpit area. I also put a short warp between the dinghy transom and the quarter mooring cleat.

It takes a little getting used to but it makes getting in and out of the dinghy much easier and safer

If you leave that poly-prop' line out in the sun for a while, can I watch you using that boarding fender ladder please?

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Depends on you age. With modern AWBs ( I see you dont have one of them) and geriatric inflexibility, its often impossible to board from the side. Thats what sugar scoops are for.

 

[sailorman]

Depends on you age. With modern AWBs ( I see you dont have one of them) and geriatric inflexibility, its often impossible to board from the side. Thats what sugar scoops are for.

But not in a strong estuary tide

 

[surekandoo]

I will take the contrary position!
I always board the dingy (both hard dingy and inflatable) from the transom boarding ladder (straight stern, ladder reaches well below water level.) Usually the dingy just trails behind, but sometimes I tie it alongside just overlapping the stern, particularly when loading things into or out of it.

The thought of boarding amidships from a small dingy, especially an inflatable, horrifies me . (Completely different matter of course with a larger work-boat, ferry, etc). I doubt if I could even manage it without some sort of ladder. (Sadler 29).

This is what I normally do but I still find it awkward & slightly dangerous ESP. when single handed. Folding boarding ladder has been extended as I found that when I went for a swim once, I couldn't raise my leg high enough to get my foot on the bottom step. Needed help to get aboard!

Fender ladder seems a good options to have on board though.

Many thanks to everyone who has replied.

 

[Marsupial]

Depends on you age. With modern AWBs ( I see you dont have one of them) and geriatric inflexibility, its often impossible to board from the side. Thats what sugar scoops are for.

tend to agree, the problem with any sort of ladder is that often they are not long enough and as the boat moves the dinghy gets caught under the ladder, either the ladder comes off or the dinghy gets damaged. Fender steps or ladders can be a softer option. I tend to board from the transom, approach the boat and tie on to say the starboard cleat then attach the stern of the dinghy to the port cleat so the dinghy is now across the transom and firmly attached. With my advancing years this makes it easier to scramble onto the stern platform with less chance of falling down the gap. I agree that with a boat that's rocking this is not possible hence the fender ladder, and a transom hung rudder makes this method useless. However I would advocate tying the dinghy alongside by both the bow and the stern, you can then stand on the tubes whilst holding on to a shroud - or a preprepared length of line attached for the purpose and climb aboard.

It is a problem and we must always remember that many boating accidents occur when transferring from dinghy to yacht.

 

[Heckler]

But not in a strong estuary tide

8 years pile moorings, AWB, sugar scoop, heavily loaded inflate dink, go across the sugar scoop, one bow line on, one stern line on, pwllheli harbour, piles, fast current at the start and finish of the tide.
I wouldnt even contemplate boarding amidships, sugar scoop every time.
Stu
PS no polyprop on my boat either!