Trouble getting back on-board after a swim

[scottie]

Its simple from this thread you just put a couple of kids on the bathing platform and hey presto

!http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?367826-First-near-miss

 

[Ripster]

We have one of these drop down transoms on our AWB which is great when its all nice and calm. You just clip the ladder on the back and hey presto, steps to climb out. BUT... if there is any sort of Sea, the platform is soooo close to the water when lowered it flips about on each wave and becomes dangerous to be on - you certainly would not want to let go of a hand hold in this situation. We learned this when practicing our well thought our MOB procedure which we were very pleased with until then! Thus why we have now revised the MOB process to include a boom end tackle arrangement to help lift someone over the fairly high freeboard if the platform is not feasible. The platform would still be worth a try in a slight sea, but the rescuer on board would defo need to be well clipped on IMO.

 

[prv]

Thus why we have now revised the MOB process to include a boom end tackle arrangement to help lift someone over the fairly high freeboard if the platform is not feasible.

Always a good idea to test and find out things like that!

But is shackling someone to the sail really a good idea in strong winds?

Pete

 

[planteater]

Having taken an early bath and struggled to get back aboard a 19'er I tried to come up with a decent system for my current boat with a much higher freeboard. Most transom ladders are tiny. It's hard to get both feet on - especially if wearing boots. I bought a swimming pool ladder off ebay and got a local welder to cut it down to size. It reaches from the transom to just above the waterline. Onto this I've added a rope ladder that drops 2.4M into the water http://marinestore.co.uk/Ocean_Safety_Ladder.html

I've not tried it but the idea is to climb up the underwater section of the rope ladder and then onto the wide, dry SS ladder.

 

[Sybarite]

After capsizing my dinghy recently and having great difficulty climbing back onboard I have fitted a boarding ladder with an additional rung added.

Did you consider cutting a foothold in your rudder?

 

[mjcoon]

... I bought a swimming pool ladder off ebay and got a local welder to cut it down to size. It reaches from the transom to just above the waterline. Onto this I've added a rope ladder that drops 2.4M into the water http://marinestore.co.uk/Ocean_Safety_Ladder.html

I've not tried it but the idea is to climb up the underwater section of the rope ladder and then onto the wide, dry SS ladder.

I think you should try it, especially if the rope ladder is not well-ballasted. Can it all be deployed while in the water, or do you depend on someone aboard doing it for you?

Mike.

 

[mjcoon]

Did you consider cutting a foothold in your rudder?

And do these rudder steps (I've never seen one) work even when the rudder is waggling about in a seaway?

Mike.

 

[VicS]

Did you consider cutting a foothold in your rudder?

I did not have a saw with me.

 

[epervier]

I did not have a saw with me.

 

[Jamesuk]

We use a boarding ladder that folds out at an angle so it is appears almost like a set of steps. Very easy to get on board. I also do Pull ups so I can actually pull myself up the anchor chain (13mm) I have to lose my temper to do so as the chain bites back. With sailing gloves its a good test of strength but much easier. (just tried for fun)

 

[cryan]

Would a traditional pilot ladder with woden steps not be the best solution? They roll up for stowage. Their fairly light weight and their easy to climb, especially if you rig a rope either side to use for hand holds.

 

[Sybarite]

And do these rudder steps (I've never seen one) work even when the rudder is waggling about in a seaway?

Mike.

When you put weight on it, the rudder should lie flat against the transom. You only need one modest slot at the proper height.

 

[prv]

Would a traditional pilot ladder with woden steps not be the best solution?

Its flat rungs and winnets would certainly be better than a cheapo ladder with small round rungs and loose rope sides. But it only really works properly against the flat vertical side of a ship. Trying to climb out of the water onto a yacht, the lower part would still swing away underneath the curve of the hull.

Pete

 

[mjcoon]

Its flat rungs and winnets would certainly be better than a cheapo ladder with small round rungs and loose rope sides. But it only really works properly against the flat vertical side of a ship. Trying to climb out of the water onto a yacht, the lower part would still swing away underneath the curve of the hull.

Pete

That's what I thought about the ladder extensions shown above. Unless you can brace a knee against the solid part of the ladder (which limits the amount of extension) while taking your weight on the extension rung, I don't think they would work well.

Mike.

 

[TQA]

A pilot style rope ladder is not a good idea. As others have said it requires significant upper body strength.

Here is the ladder I added to my current boat. The SS telescopic bit can be reached from the water and swings down. Kept up on passage of course.

I sometimes like a swim before breakfast and am not compos mentis till the second cup of coffee, so I need something that is always there. Also it gives me a chance in a MOB situation.

 

[ffiill]

Unless you are an acrobat your bottom rung should be about the equivalent of the length of the lower half of your body below the water.Otherwise you find youself with your feet on the bottom rung with yourself in a doubled up position plus even if you have popped up out of the water to get into a better position you will find youself out of ladder or pushpit to pull yourself up with.I extended my standard over the stern fold in half ladder by a third section.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Once saw a liveaboard in the med - possibly a Westerly or similar with Bilge keels. He had an Aluminium ladder and piece of plywood that he could put on it to convert it to a passarelle. He also used it a straightforward ladder when the boat was on the hard on when it was somewhere where it dry out, The next trick was to put it over the back of the boat and attach the top and middle of the ladder which gave them a full 6 foot of ladder underwater. The final trick was to put a sort of stack and lazy jacks around the ladder and board and use the boom to lift a casualty on board.

 

[DownWest]

Been a bit of a question with my relatively tippy doubled ender. Made a simple step that I can grab from in the water and clip onto the rudder.

Some friends needed a ladder after both of them had fallen in the river. Baccus involved, I suspect/know. I ran up a transom mounted stainless unit with a hinged lower section. The hinges had a bit of built in friction, so the lower section could be pulled down easily, but with no clips. Wooden steps, for grip, about 2ft in the water. So far, they haven't drowned.

 

[PhillM]

The ladder we have is a pilot style, but we found that it either flowed away from the boat with the tide or bent away with the hull. I am going to have a think about how best to mount a sturdy ladder or wood or stainless and then give it a go in the marina before anyone else goes swimming. Need to measure up first.

BTW thanks for the tip of "about half your body length below the water line. It strikes me that longer is better than shorter providing I can stow it ok.