Boat access for Old Folks...

[Cjdaley]

PS to my previous post.. we have a 1986 Catalina 34' and I am 75 years old and still lovin' it. Carolyn

 

[dlochner]

Like Carolyn, I forgot to mention our ages, I'm 74 and my wife is 73. We figured out the lines on the transom method while cruising to the Bahamas from Lake Ontario when she needed a hip replacement.

 

[billder99]

Thanks Carolyn & Dave... stern entry for calm water, side entry for frisky water.... check!

 

[jssailem]

Here is a side ladder that I think is interesting. It is called a fold-away, by SCANMAR

 

[shemandr]

Sorry but this thread has not defined if we are talking about boarding at anchor/mooring or at a dock. Then there's the question of floating or fixed dock. All call for different adaptions.
Some of the responses citing the the rough conditions don't mirror the anchorages I'm used to. To misquote a Sly and the Family Stone lyric.. "Different Stokes for Different Folks"...
I wouldn't climb up the topsides in a rolly anchorage. I wouldn't board a boat from a floating dock at the transom - usually.

 

[billder99]

Sorry but this thread has not defined if we are talking about boarding at anchor/mooring or at a dock....

Andrew, OP here... definitely about boarding at anchor.

UPDATE: I heard back yesterday from Stainless Outfitters... this stern platform designed for Catalina 30, including hideaway 4'-0" swim ladder and step/handhold for cockpit entry... $2,500... this will last forever!

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Not sure of the credibility of a “will last forever” claim. The platform in the bottom pic has no support bracket and if you knew how thin the glass is in that transom, you would probably be surprised

 

[Capn Bill]

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.

See if you can find a Catalina 270. It's 3 feet shorter shorter but with a scoop stern. A really great boat.
I'm 78 and my wife is 80. I sail at least twice a week, usually singe-handed.

 

[Hayden Watson]

My wife and I are both about 70 and we have a 1988 C30. We board the inflatable off the stern. What I do is lash the kink bow and stern to the transom so that it does not move around much. It is pulled up tight to the swim ladder, and our boat has a step through pushpit so we have two very nice hand holds as we designed. we always go in facing forward and step down so that our last step on the ladder, has our heel on the inflatable tube. that helps to stabilize us to the dingy rhythm.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

It's a really nice platform and the price isn't horrible. My one question is how hard is it to deploy and put away the ladder leaning over a dingy while both are rocking in waves? I could see arms getting pinched between the two boats. The force of two boats tied together by a heavy, short line tore my winch off (thanks TowBoatUS) in a storm.