Emergency steps on rudder

pugwash

pugwash

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 May 2001
Messages
985
Location
SW London
Visit site
The whole problem of getting aboard one's boat from the water is harrowing so I was wondering about fitting three or four fold-out mast steps to the rudder. The boat (Holman) has a typical sloping transom, like a Twister, but a big transom-hung rudder and rudder-post. I sail solo a lot and I'm just as worried about an accident in a river or calm water as at sea because I'm an old fart with dodgy fingers. Are steps a good idea? Or should I be wary? Any other notions?
 
long trailing/floating line whilst properly out at sea a good idea. 300m at 6knots gives you two minutes to catch hold. Longer = better i suppose. There again you've got dodgy fingers so best clip on...
 
Hello Pugwash
The Tradewind 34 that shares my pontoon has folding steps on the transom hung rudder. The owner tells me that he has tried them out as an exercise, and that he found them effective. However, they require strong hands and arms as there is nowhere to put your feet. You rely on your upper body strength to haul yourself out of the water.
 
I was similarly concerned, because I am a feeble old fart too. I made up a chain ladder, with rungs of merbau. These were sold by my local timberyard ready milled for garden decking. I made the ladder long enough [about 8ft, I think it is] so that when I unroll it into the 'oggin I have rungs to stand on. I keep it rolled up just inside the bulwarks at the mizzen shrouds.
Peter.
 
Thanks for the compliment, Kris. Just to give a bit more detail, I used 5/16" galvanised chain [left over from an earlier project] and cut a slot down the end of the rung to house the chain. The slot was, of course as wide as the thickness of the chain links, and as long as their width. The links are kept in place by a small batten of wood across the end of the rung, and screwed [or copper nailed] in place. The bottom ends of the two lengths of chain are shackled together. A better job would be to use a single length of chain in a 'U' shape. I found after I had done the job that the chain was from two different sources, and naturally, the link length was very slightly different. This causes the rungs at the bottom of the ladder to sit on a slight angle, which looks naff. You'd still be glad to see it if you were 'in the drink' and gasping! I'll try to remember to take a piccy of it next time I'm at Swallow and send it to Peter Willis.
Peter.
 
Now, here we have a difficulty!

I have not been able to find a way of stowing the dan buoy in such a way as to make it "self launching" only when the lifering is thrown. I cannot see how to rig the ladder so that you can deploy it from the water.
 
I certainly echo the reported difficulty of getting back aboard out of the water. On Saturday I swam back out to the anchored boat after landing by dinghy on a sandy beach. I'd only had one drink in the pub (honest!) and the two hundred yard swim was pretty easy. I'd imagined it would be easy just to climb up the bobstay, but found in practice it was completely beyond me. I'm fit with strong arms, but I was jolly glad of the accompanying party in the dinghy to help me aboard.
That was in warmish water after only mild exertion. Imagine being cold and exhausted, your strength ebbing as you make one last desperate effort to grab a rope or the rail 3 feet above you. I'd say unless you were deliberately entering the water, to swim or cut a rope from the prop say, then your only chance at sea would be a lifeline or nothing. Your chances of swimming after the departing boat, and even catching it, yet alone clambering aboard, are pretty slim.
 
Alas, my experience has been that this type of system is fine until you are really punching to windward in a blow, when the drag of the water washing over it constantly undoes the slip knot!
 
I found that the fine cord didn't undo as easily..... I tied a loop in the end that dangles near the water, and have to give it a good solid tug to get it to release.... it has come undone a couple of times, but then as its on the beam a long way from the prop its not a problem, just a bit untidy! In fairness, I don't actually rig it very often though.....
 
Hi -- thanks for your helpful reply. But I'm confused. The whole purpose of having the steps below the surface on both faces of the rudder is that it gives you places to put your feet. I don't understand why your Tradewind neighbour has a difficulty. But it's a very important point. Could you explain a little more, or ask him about it? Many thanks.
 
I had this set up on my last boat, which had a transom stern. The outward rake of the rudder post can make it quite hard to use, but it was just possible. If the top of tghe rudder blade is parallel with the waterline for six inches this makes a good top step.
 
I suspect that the angle of the torso to the lowest step is such, that the legs cannot achieve any meaningful push vertically until the body has been raised a bit out of the water by the arms, thus improving the torso/leg angle and alowing the strongest muscles to lift you out of the water. IMHO the lowest step needs to be abt 1m below the waterline (my ladder does this and it is easy to get up from the water even when the swimmer is pretty exhausted - (proven in a real rescue)
 
Agree about the amount of power needed to pull a human's mass up to a step on or above the water line.

Since the key point seems to be that we need to have some form of step below the waterline, has anyone an idea how to set up a line running to a "toggle"? holding a ladder/set of steps at gunwhale level. Pull on line (dangling in water), ladder comes down below water level. Climb.

OK, before someone says it, there needs to an avoidance of a ladder falling on the head....
 
Pugwash comments...

Thanks to all. Some great ideas here. I already have a Plastimo plastic ladder on webbing verticals which unrolls when you reach up to the gunw'le and pull a loop, but it is only five rungs and not nearly deep or heavy enough. PD's idea of a heavier and longer ladder built of thin chain and heavy wood makes a lot of sense, and I intend to make one this winter, but the release need be no more sophisticated than a velcro strap or cover. I remember the Hiscocks shaped steps on the trailing edge of their rudder so they could climb up easily, I think on Wanderer III. Mirelle and Saranbande are right, the key factor is a pair of steps about one metre below the waterline, perhaps a tad more, on which you can heave yourself upright and partly out of the water. After that, it's easy. This is mainly an in-harbour situation (where most accidents happen). At sea the whole story is different, and 'clip on' is right. Again thanks.
 
This has been a most useful thread. Thank you.
My long counter stern (Trintella 29' ) puts the rudder out of reach to the feet. No-one mentioned the Mobo- type s.s. ladder fixed to the transom with pull-down section to give a couple of steps below the water. Don't they work ? Are they too dangerous to someone in the water when stern rising and falling ?
Ken
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top