Recessed Foot Step

[Humblebee]

In another thread Poignard posted a link to this recessed step (thanks Poignard). It looks like it might work on my Westerly Longbow which has fairly high freeboard and getting into it from the dinghy isn't getting any easier.
Just wondering if anyone has tried them and if so what they think about their suitability on the hull of a boat?
Chris

https://ajw-veh-fittings.co.uk/product/recessed-foot-step-aluminium-access-toe-flush-fit/

 

[Neeves]

Cutting out a boot sized hole in the hull, even above the waterline, seems a rather drastic preliminary to being able to board a yacht. Surely there is a ladder that would be less drastic to fit (and comfortably accept the toe, of half the foot, of a large pair of sailing boots).

Jonathan

 

[Boathook]

Just another hole to leak and aluminium to corrode. If it was fibreglass it might be considered but I would want access from the inside to be able to fibreglass over to totally stop any leaks. You would also need to choose an area of hull that doesn't flex when moored up or others raft against you.

 

[PaulRainbow]

We have one of these each side of the boat (as an example) : Boats Transom Steps Stainless Steel Boats Folding Mast Step Marine Foot Rest | eBay

Also have a loop of rope each side to grab hold of.

 

[JVL]

In another thread Poignard posted a link to this recessed step (thanks Poignard). It looks like it might work on my Westerly Longbow which has fairly high freeboard and getting into it from the dinghy isn't getting any easier.
Just wondering if anyone has tried them and if so what they think about their suitability on the hull of a boat?
Chris

https://ajw-veh-fittings.co.uk/product/recessed-foot-step-aluminium-access-toe-flush-fit/

I have one of these I knocked up , works fine

 

[LittleSister]

I've seen a step (or was it steps?), moulded into the hull (transom?) of a GRP boat. Very neat. May or may not have been part of the original moulding. Just a few inches wide, concave hemispherical back/top/sides. Looked a practical solution, and I imagine with the fairly heavy lay-up of a Westerly that could easily be a done well by a GRP professional.

 

[alahol2]

A pilot ladder knocked up to assist boarding when the wife had a double hip replacement.
Shrouds used for 'pull up'.
Flops up over the guard wire when left on the mooring.
Unhooks and rolls up into the cockpit locker whilst sailing.
If the idea worked I was going to remake it with olde worlde 'hemp' rope but never got round to it.
Makes boarding from a pontoon easy too.

 

[Poignard]

My boarding aid - a low freeboard

 

[Humblebee]

We have one of these each side of the boat (as an example) : Boats Transom Steps Stainless Steel Boats Folding Mast Step Marine Foot Rest | eBay

Also have a loop of rope each side to grab hold of.

Thanks Paul, I do have a stern boarding ladder but the guard rail across the stern makes it impracticable to use. I like the idea of a rope attached to the opposite side of the boat though.

 

[Humblebee]

Thanks all, I am less keen now on cutting a hole in the hull and will explore some other possibilities. Making a custom designed boarding ladder seems a better option having seen some of the posted creations.

 

[dunedin]

My boarding aid - a low freeboard

View attachment 181065

But also a “boarding aid” for waves. Higher freeboard means much dryer sailing and massively bigger interior.

 

[Poignard]

But also a “boarding aid” for waves. Higher freeboard means much dryer sailing and massively bigger interior.

Neither having been a problem in 27 years of ownership . . . .

 

[thinwater]

In another thread Poignard posted a link to this recessed step (thanks Poignard). It looks like it might work on my Westerly Longbow which has fairly high freeboard and getting into it from the dinghy isn't getting any easier.
Just wondering if anyone has tried them and if so what they think about their suitability on the hull of a boat?
Chris

https://ajw-veh-fittings.co.uk/product/recessed-foot-step-aluminium-access-toe-flush-fit/

I sailed on a large $500,000 fast cat that had a step on each side for boarding. I thought it was wonderful. No need to faff around with a ladder, just one step and up. They were molded in.

I would do it in a heartbeat if it solved a problem. My Stiletto and F-24 do not need it and my PDQ had steps on the sugar scoops. But I'm surprised they are not more common on large cats. So handy.

Just a different opinion.

 

[srm]

Have seen welded in steps up the sides of large steel fishing vessels.

But also a “boarding aid” for waves. Higher freeboard means much dryer sailing

Something of a modern boat owner's myth.
Older boats such as Poignard's were designed in a way that made them sea kindly and had very different lines to modern slab sided, fairly flat bottomed boats. My Trintella 29 and McGruer designed 8metre C/R (42ft on deck) had similar freeboard. I did not consider either as being "wet boats" and I sailed both in some coarse weather around Shetland and Norway. My last boat, a Voyager 35 had low freeboard by modern standards but was also remained dry sailing in those waters and further south into the Atlantic.

We only got partly boarded by a wave once, sailing in light airs and flat seas inside the Norwegian islands. A ship passed fairly close at speed, we rode the first wave of its wash but put the bow into the face of the next wave. Only the foredeck with my wife sunbathing got wet. Not a splash below despite forehatch being open.

 

[Arcady]

Have seen welded in steps up the sides of large steel fishing vessels.

Dinghy boarding steps on our 45’ aluminium hull:

 

[LittleSister]

Thanks Paul, I do have a stern boarding ladder but the guard rail across the stern makes it impracticable to use. I like the idea of a rope attached to the opposite side of the boat though.

Thanks all, I am less keen now on cutting a hole in the hull and will explore some other possibilities. Making a custom designed boarding ladder seems a better option having seen some of the posted creations.

Wouldn't modifying the guard rail be easier that than getting a custom designed/built ladder?

 

[Arcady]

In another thread Poignard posted a link to this recessed step (thanks Poignard). It looks like it might work on my Westerly Longbow which has fairly high freeboard and getting into it from the dinghy isn't getting any easier.
Just wondering if anyone has tried them and if so what they think about their suitability on the hull of a boat?
Chris

https://ajw-veh-fittings.co.uk/product/recessed-foot-step-aluminium-access-toe-flush-fit/

Those in the link look like a nice idea, but - I’m pretty sure they are designed to be inserted into a completely flat panel. They probably wouldn’t sit comfortably flush in the compound curvature of a boat hull or cabin top. Also as others have pointed out, there could be some serious concerns about cutting large holes in one’s topsides and accommodating that volume within the internal joinery.

We find ours very useful for dinghy work, but unlike the link, ours incorporate a grab handle as well as a step. Without the handle they would be rather less helpful when coming alongside in the dink.

 

[Zing]

I improvised some steps recently and was quite pleased with my solution. Four large fenders with enough room for a foot on top, tied on touching and each about 9” above each other. Made a very easy to use step ladder.

 

[Poignard]

Those in the link look like a nice idea, but - I’m pretty sure they are designed to be inserted into a completely flat panel. They probably wouldn’t sit comfortably flush in the compound curvature of a boat hull or cabin top. Also as others have pointed out, there could be some serious concerns about cutting large holes in one’s topsides and accommodating that volume within the internal joinery.

We find ours very useful for dinghy work, but unlike the link, ours incorporate a grab handle as well as a step. Without the handle they would be rather less helpful when coming alongside in the dink.

Oh yes, certainly for a flat panel. But I was just suggesting that sort of thing as an idea that the OP might consider.

If such a thing were to be fitted it would have to be done with the hull being reinforced inside with some kind of backing pad and the step faired into the hull so it didn't look unsightly.

Another, perhaps better way, would be to mould a grp step into the hull.

 

[Poignard]

We have one of these each side of the boat (as an example) : Boats Transom Steps Stainless Steel Boats Folding Mast Step Marine Foot Rest | eBay

Also have a loop of rope each side to grab hold of.

I once sailed in a chartered yacht with high topsides and it had a similar folding step each side. It was very useful.