Climbing back aboard...

[Roger]

Any ideas?? Thinking of running plastic-sheathed-1/4'cable just below the toe-holdto fasten a life-line to when going forward. Ideas???Also thinking about steps on the rudder. Barn-door type handles thru-bolted?? Experiences?? Ideas??Boat is a Gramp 23 in which i mostly solo... Thanks in advance! Roger

 

[Fred]

Steps on the rudder will work

if it's a good strong outboard rudder. A folding ladder with a step 6 or 8 inches below the water is best, with a pendant dragging close to the water and a flimsy string holding it up, so if you grab the pendant, the string will break and the ladder will come down. If it doesn't smack you on the head and knock you out, you can climb aboard.

 

[Steve O.]

no to steps on the rudder

If it is a fiberglass rudder I would not recommend drilling holes for bolts to install steps. You could compromise the integrity of the rudder by introducing moisture. I don't care how well you think you seal it, water will get in eventually.

 

[Alan]

An idea, yes....

...but a really bad one!As Steve O points out you will indeed compromise the rudder. More importantly though, it will add to drag and hyrodynacic flow disruption over the surface of the rudder reducing its effectiveness and making helming a bigger challenge.If you're looking for an easy in boarding ladder, why not just add a ladder somewhere?

 

[Warren Milberg]

Some years ago,

we practiced trying to get back aboard my boat by yourself in good weather, during daylight, in the Chesapeake. If you trail a warp, you may be able to grab it and pull yourself back to the boat -- if the boat is not moving. If it is moving, it is just about impossible to do. If you went overboard and were tethered to a harness and the boat, you were going to drown unless you could get the carabiner open fast or had a sharp knife at hand. We thought that the best way to use a tether was to use a very short one that would keep you aboard no matter what. Also, getting a boarding ladder down while looking up at it from the water is doable, but as Fred notes, keep your head out of the way. We also tried inflating an inflatable PFD waistpack that requires treading water and then getting it over your head and then strapping it around your chest. Also doable, but it's got to be calm waters and you've got to be a pretty good swimmer/water treader. In the end, we thought that if you were alone and fell overboard with the boat moving and it didn't come up wind and stop (cause you had the wheel/tiller locked or on autopilot), you were not going to get back aboard that boat as the boat is going to Bermuda without you. Best to focus on the basic idea of how to prevent going overboard in the first place.

 

[Tom]

temporary ladder

I attached this collapsible ladder to an aft rail of my boat. The ladder is rolled up within a small sunbrella bag. The bag opens at the bottom, and small strip of velcro keeps the bag closed and keeps the ladder protected from UV. I attached a lanyard to the bottom rung of the ladder that is long enough to reach the waterline. If I'm in the water, pull on the lanyard, which pulls and deploys the ladder out of the bag. This is not the easiest ladder to climb up, but is something to have in an emergency. This is a temporary solution until I install a stainless ladder on the transom.

 

[Waffle]

Yea, Sail with the

swim ladder down and a line behind it attach to a float.

 

[sailortonyb Allied Mis]

Warren is right

If you think you can get back on after falling overboard and you are solo sailing, you are kidding yourself.The only way a boarding ladder will help is if you have not been injured, the water is calm and the boat is either held in place because it is anchored or someone else is there to hold the boat in position.The answer is to not fall overboard in the first place. Design a better tethering system rather than a better boarding ladder.IMHOTony B

 

[sailaway78]

Correct answer from Tony

Devise a method to not go out of the boat. It can be done. Coming up with a way to get back into the boat, if your single handing is virtually impossible. When the weather and water gets warm enough, put a knowledgable person at the helm, pretend you are single handing, and try getting back aboard with no help.

 

[ed]

a friend worked to this for years

he finally devised a system with a trailing line, tied to the tiller and out and overboard.he swore by it untill he fell in off the other side of the damn boat.could not get to the line quick enough to pull it. soo the boat just kept sailing untill it hit a sandbar a half mile away. After several hours someone found the boat and was in the process of salvage when a boater picked him up. he got to the boat in time to retain it. but he now uses jack lines that keep him on the damn boat.

 

[Tom]

Have had to do a solo reboard

Can you say dumb A$$I was on a short solo to Tampa and on autopilot at about 3 kts in calm seas. Went forward to prep the dock lines. I went to lean on the lifeline and opps! I failed to secure after I was underway. But luckly I had the best reentery system for my boat.... I was towing the dink on a 20' line. I admired my hull as I wacthed the last few feet drift by and caught the dingy bridle a few seconds better. We keep a "Sea step" in the dink and I got in easily.... This was just the luck of an old fool but luckly.. it worked!

 

[LancerDude]

Best Advice..

..is to not go over the side.Sounds silly but look at the posts from people who've gone over before...it's usually from not thinking about what they're doing or some forgotten detail.i wish I could say I am perfect and dont make these same mistakes..but,I'd be lieing to you.However,I do make evry effort to secure all lifeline gates and tie to something before going forward while on the wtare...and then there is the aft ladder on my transome that can be brought down from below..if you can swim fast enough to get to it. Good Luck>>> David

 

[richard]

"Over 50% of sailors found in the water have their

zipper down" thats is what I saw on a "learn to sail" video...though I don't know if it is a true statistic or not.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

It's not true

The only drowning victims from boats who've been found with their flies open are not sailors, but fishermen, alone in small open boats--bass boats, et--on inland waters...and most have fallen overboard when they stood up in the boat to get rid of the beer they'd consumed.Those few have created one of the most enduring urban legends in history.,