My wife and I live near Bellingham WA (Salish Sea). We plan to get sailboat appx 30'... Catalina 30 is the prototype, older so no open stern. We are both 70 yrs old, not as nimble or strong as we were a few years ago. Going from dinghy > boat / boat > dinghy is tricky when wind is up and water is choppy. I can't decide whether it's better to transition at stern or on the side... we need a strong and stable ladder or platform. I'd love to hear clever ideas from experienced Old Folks.
Boat access for Old Folks...
- Thread starter billder99
- Start date
Get a boat with an open stern if you plan to board from a dinghy, there is no better alternative.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 24,453
The open stern is very popular. You must know that all boats can be difficult. You will need to test the boats before you purchase, so you know what the compromises are. I'm 70 plus. I still climb up a side ladder from a dinghy or a kayak. I can also go from a kayak to a dinghy to the boat, which I find safer. The benefit of a tall side of the boat is greater space inside, and the boat is drier when in the weather.
As we age, one of the challenges is carrying stuff. While I would love to have a 50ft sailboat, I can no longer carry the mainsail or genoa down to the dock for a boat that size, let alone manage sailing it solo.
Check out the gear on the boat and find a boat that you can manage.
I would also consider taking a sailing class if this is a new experience for you. You will get to go sailing and identify any limitations of boats in the process.
As we age, one of the challenges is carrying stuff. While I would love to have a 50ft sailboat, I can no longer carry the mainsail or genoa down to the dock for a boat that size, let alone manage sailing it solo.
Check out the gear on the boat and find a boat that you can manage.
I would also consider taking a sailing class if this is a new experience for you. You will get to go sailing and identify any limitations of boats in the process.
Side entry is safer to use, IMHO. the bow and stern will magnify any hobby horsing if you're anchored in choppy water.
Absolutely look for a boat with a swim platform. Even if you can climb a ladder alongside, why not have the option? More importantly, why wouldn't you want options?
A timely subject for me.
I go with swim platform or some sort of open transom. As I age I find lifting my feet up more difficult and any sort of climbing risky in terms of risk of falling. Climbing up the topsides of a boat on a ladder would be impossible. And even if I could make the steps I would need high grab bars in the cockpit to pull myself over the rail.
The swim platform is less rise to step onto. And you have stuff to grab as you ascend to the cockpit sole.
At a dock, I can pull myself up by the shroud - especially on a floating dock. At some point the step up will be too much and I'll need a step. The step would need to be pretty stable. At least it would need to be attached to the dock so it couldn't move and have a handle to hold onto.
There has been a lot of attention to sailing for the disabled, and rightfully so. But there's been a lot less attention of the merely infirmed and how they can deal with continuing to sail.
I go with swim platform or some sort of open transom. As I age I find lifting my feet up more difficult and any sort of climbing risky in terms of risk of falling. Climbing up the topsides of a boat on a ladder would be impossible. And even if I could make the steps I would need high grab bars in the cockpit to pull myself over the rail.
The swim platform is less rise to step onto. And you have stuff to grab as you ascend to the cockpit sole.
At a dock, I can pull myself up by the shroud - especially on a floating dock. At some point the step up will be too much and I'll need a step. The step would need to be pretty stable. At least it would need to be attached to the dock so it couldn't move and have a handle to hold onto.
There has been a lot of attention to sailing for the disabled, and rightfully so. But there's been a lot less attention of the merely infirmed and how they can deal with continuing to sail.
As others have said, a swim platform or open stern makes boarding much easier. We tie two lines to the pushpit that hang down off the stern. When we pull up to the boat one of us grabs the nearest line and pulls the dinghy up to the stern. The two lines give us good control over the dinghy and we use the to help us get up onto the swim platform.
Sometimes we tie up along side, especially useful when unloading groceries and other supplies. To exit the boat we have a hanging step at the lifeline gate. We can hold the stanchions on either side of the gate, stand up and step on the tube and then the hanging step and on to the boat.
The hanging step is a pretty simple affair, a 1x6" piece of Oak hanging by a couple of 5/16" lines from the gate stanchions. Several coats of varnish were applied and a piece of vinyl weather stripping was added on one edge to protect the hull from scratching. Very handy when tied up to a low floating dock when the deck is several feet above the dock. Sorry, no photos.
Sometimes we tie up along side, especially useful when unloading groceries and other supplies. To exit the boat we have a hanging step at the lifeline gate. We can hold the stanchions on either side of the gate, stand up and step on the tube and then the hanging step and on to the boat.
The hanging step is a pretty simple affair, a 1x6" piece of Oak hanging by a couple of 5/16" lines from the gate stanchions. Several coats of varnish were applied and a piece of vinyl weather stripping was added on one edge to protect the hull from scratching. Very handy when tied up to a low floating dock when the deck is several feet above the dock. Sorry, no photos.
Hi Dan & John: Thanks for your comments. From 15-45 yrs old I owned, cruised, raced everything, dinghy's to a 65' sloop... Med, Carib, Channel Islands, SFO Bay. I haven't sailed much at all in the last 25 years (I found spearfishing, fell in love, needed a power boat). I just retired, returning to sailing. I'm dying to explore the Salish Sea, from Olympia up to Port Hardy... if I find I'm physically able, maybe a little more spirited exploration outside Vancouver Island or up toward Prince Rupert.
I agree, open stern is THE BEST solution for me... I just don't want to tie up too much money in a boat, and open sterns, 30'-34', are newer and enter the realm of Pricey. Maybe I'll get lucky and find a good one for a price I can justify... I see Hunter boats with open sterns at really amazing prices from time to time.
I owned a Catalina 30' and it's perfect for my adventure plans... or something similar... I want to be able to occasionally bring another couple for up to a week at a time (34' is better, but... damn those pesky financial constraints). So... finding a good solution to boat access is one of my highest priority selection criteria.
Dan, I've been thinking about building a stern platform... things I'm wondering about: 1) Boat would have to have a reverse stern, which Cat 30 does 2) I think an 16" extension would be sufficient for safe boarding, and I could easily tip a Takacat dinghy on there for transport 3) If platform is 10" above the water, that seems like enough vertical space to brace a 16" extension...
Does anyone have a photo or sketch of such a platform??
Yep. My right hip has gone AWOL on me, sharp pain in the groin... when it's flaring up, it makes everything feel like I've stepped thru the gates of Hades. I've been working on it for 2 years now in an effort to avoid even THINKING about surgery. Read my response to another post, where I'm thinking thru the idea of adding a stern platform to a boat.... seems doable, I'd like to see a tried & true design that has performed well.
Personally, I bought a 2002 Hunter 356 which I think meets most of your (my) criteria.
C30 MkIII is a GREAT boat, would be perfect for me... something like that but within my budget. At anchor, the stern will normally be facing away from chop, should keep most water out... how much of a problem is this for you? How do you deal with it?
Thanks Dan! University of You Tube... I am a proud alumni. I like a lot of what he did... great video on fiberglass technique... but I think I'll go a simpler route. I do LOVE Stainlessoutfitters, hadn't thought of them for a platform... lot's of photos there... ideas!!
I had six people in the cockpit on a calm night and our feet got wet half a dozen times. 90% of it drains back out rather quickly. In heavy weather it can happen with just one or two people in the cockpit but it's not often. I plan on putting a removable board in there to eliminate this annoyance. I have the materials, ideas for design but have been lacking time to execute it.
On the MKIII water likes to collect on the cockpit benches and on the sole in the corners around the T. I've found a car wash sponge to be very useful for getting rid of the water before the next sail.
It would be nearly impossible to get into the cockpit from the water without the stern ladder. A few lines would allow one to deploy the ladder from the water. I've climbed on to the sugar scoop many times from my unstable dinghy. It would likely be difficult for those of older age but I think it'd be fine if the ladder was used. I assume you're on a mooring?
Sure: Swim Platforms 101 http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,7415.0.html
An older C34 is now not so more costly than a non-walk-through C30.
I totally agree with Stu and Joe. The action at the stern of most boats is far too aggressive in moderate seas. I was almost caught underneath once. Not an option. We board happily at the midship gate using a strong, well secured SS boarding ladder. Carolyn Daley (BC, Canada)