Steps at Dock?

[Sethic]

In the interest of further chronicling my failures and near-disasters in boat ownership:

The dock I'm assigned at my marina sits low in the water, about at water level. I park my boat bow-first, so the prop isn't the first thing to make contact with the dock (instead were that to happen, it'd be the bow). Because it's an old dock and needs more flotation, the corner I use to mount the boat can be submerged if you put all your weight on it. I keep the boat in close to the dock, with only about 18" of water at most between dock and boat. Because of the H22's 2' or so of freeboard, I basically get on the way you'd straddle a particularly low fence. I've not put down a grippy mat, or steps at the dock to aleviate this. Guess you know where this is going.

I was throwing my leg over the side of the boat as per my usual, only this time my other foot slipped off the dock. My boat-leg hit the gunwhale pretty hard, and I fell sideways into the water and into the side of the boat. My elbow hit the side of the dock. I'm quite fortunate I didn't break it, or that it was at the angle it was and wasn't my head. I have considerable bruising on the back of my calf from hitting the gunwhale which will take a long time to heal.

Still went out, had a lovely day of sailing (a real gift in TN in January!).

So... I need to not get on my boat again until this situation is fixed. I'm open to suggestions as to how I can get on and off my boat safely without modification to the dock. I have a couple of ideas:

- grippy mat on dock will keep feet from slipping. Might itself slip when wet though. I generally 'hop' off the boat when disembarking, and this might present a problem as I could see a mat slipping under those conditions. Might screw mat down to dock to prevent this. No need to notify the marina owner about that...

- steps. Again with the potential for slipping, and I don't know how much better it would be for disembarking.

- park boat stern-first in slip, and use the swim ladder (which is on the stern). I think this would likely be the safest thing to do, especially since if I step out onto and grab the ladder and then swing myself out onto it before mounting the bot, I'll clear the dock and worse case fall into the water (not the dock!). I don't know if I can get the prop sufficiently out of the way to make it practical. Last time I had it parked stern-first, I didn't realize the sweet motor mount the PO put on allowed it to tilt (der!). I'll see if that works.

I'm open to suggestions. Be careful!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kermit]

I board from the side, not the front. I grab the shroud, put both feet on the boat and then step over the lifeline. This takes the movement between the boat and dock out of the equation. I do the opposite when stepping off the boat, making sure I am completely on the dock side of the lifeline before stepping off the boat. This was not a natural thing to learn to do but it sure does help. I instruct all of my guests of this technique before they board. (They give me the same look I gave the person that taught me this. Sort of a "I'm an adult; I can get on this boat without you telling me what to do" kinda look.)

Another polite thing my wife and I do is say, "Stepping on/off." This lets the other person know the boat is about to rock all of a sudden. Never hurts to know what's going on.

Hope this helps. Hope you feel better soon, too!

 

[owner23.5]

I have a 23.5 that I always back into the slip with.I have never had an issue with the motor hitting the dock as its tide to where it cannot reach the dock even when pushing it into it. I drop my ladder when at dock as its stainless and dont worry about long hours underwater. What I did to board was took a 2x12 about 5ft long and installed grip tape on top, then using small cord secured it to the ledge right where the ladder would be if it were in the up poisition. makes it alot easier to get on off/ only downside is if you have a bimini . I use an anchor shade so dont worry about a bimini being in the way when I board. good kuck."gangplank"? is that what there called?

 

[Ed Schenck]

I also board at the shrouds. Both feet on the toerail then over the lifelines. Several dockmates have one step secured to the dock. I like a neighbor's with the glue on non-slip tread on top. Only about 6" high made from a 2x6.

 

[shemandr]

I've seen others use a plastic "Milk crate". It would be better if attached to the dock.
We have to board forward of the shrouds and it can be quite a step. Sometimes we use a detactable foot step secured to the handrails and stanchion base.
Will the marina replace the floatation in the dock or augment it in light of the fact that you had a potentially dangerous fall?

 

[Johnb]

I sure admire you guys who put both feet onto the side - I get them on one at a time before stepping over the lifelines, kind of like putting on trousers.

One trick I use to get people who can't climb on board is to bring the stern up against the dock, have them sit on the side and then swing one leg at a time into the cockpit.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Go to ACE hardware and buy a single step little ladder and nail or screw it into your dock. Simple, ACE hardware is my favorite marine store!

 

[inarathree]

My H22 sits in a floating dock. The way the slip is, my boat sits at a 45 degree angle to the dock. This makes the bow closer than where the shrouds are. When my 72 y/o double stroke father, comes out sailing, he sits on the bow, and then swing his legs on board, using the bow rails to steady himself. He then crawls to the cockpit. His joy of getting out sailing, outways how goofy he looks doing it.

 

[Sethic]

Thanks for the many suggestions! Looks like it's only in very favorable conditions that this is a simple (and dignified!) thing. Glad to know I'm not the only one who's thought about it or had issues.

Next time I get out to the boat I'll try the shrouds method. I learned the whole '3 points of contact' thing in the Army and am a little suprised I haven't applied it here yet. Might go emplace a step (secured to the dock) at the shrouds for ease of use. It's unlikely the marina owner will be much help. He's about 80 and barely tolerates a sailboat in his marina. I know I know... liability etc but that's how he is.

I'll try backing in / swim ladder / gangplank for everyone else, but of course it's more likely that I'm the one who's at risk for an accident here, since familiarity is what leads to carelessness. Thanks again for the many suggestions.

And yes, Ace Hardware is my favorite marine supply store too.