Windermere MOBreinforces lifejacket advice.....

[rob2]

I've been toying with the idea of a rope ladder dangling from the fold down steps, with aweighted bottom step. It's only needed for boarding from the water, of course. A short strop from the bottom step should enable a swimmer to pull the ladder down.

I do tend to wear a LJ more than some and always in the dinghy, particularly as I can't swim in fresh water - better in seawater, though. I'm probably at most risk when moored as it's so easy to get distracted while working/tinkering on deck and unlikely to be wearing any buoyancy.

Rob.

 

[Searush]

I've been toying with the idea of a rope ladder dangling from the fold down steps, with aweighted bottom step. It's only needed for boarding from the water, of course. A short strop from the bottom step should enable a swimmer to pull the ladder down.

I do tend to wear a LJ more than some and always in the dinghy, particularly as I can't swim in fresh water - better in seawater, though. I'm probably at most risk when moored as it's so easy to get distracted while working/tinkering on deck and unlikely to be wearing any buoyancy.

Rob.

The problem with rope ladders (weighted or not) is that once you have your foot on it, it is very difficult to push vertically down. Consequently, the ladder pushes away from you under the boat & you lean backwards. It is extremely difficult to then push yourself up to put the next foot into the next rung.

How do I know this? When I got my first boat I was unable to afford a boarding ladder so I made a rope one with broomstick rungs at the top & 2 galvanised iron pipe ones at the bottom. It hung in the water beautifully but was almost impossible to climb. I found it easier to climb aboard using the pulpit & swinging a leg onto the deck. I sawed down an old wooden ladder for climbing aboard when the tide was out & bought a plastic hook over ladder for when swimming. The old rope ladder is now in the old Oak tree the kids used to play in.

 

[Jim@sea]

I fell in the water in Windermere 40 years ago. Probably around Midnight. Walked off the end of the pontoon in the Marina. (in those days there were no Marina lights and to Navigate back to the Marina I had to use a torch) I remember that the weight of my water soaked clothes made me so heavy that I could not pull myself up back onto the pontoon.
Fortunately I was not alone and had a hand up. (although I had to wait until he had stopped laughing)
If I couldn't pull myself out in 1974 I certainly would not be able to do it now.