"Don W" wrote in message
t...


Capt. JG wrote:


Ladders on the stern are not a good way to recover someone, due to
wave/boat slam. The boat is a lot more stable on the beam, with less
chance of getting hit by the boat, the prop, etc.

B. A ladder's best, next best is a dinghy/liferaft in the water.


Nope. Totally disagree off the stern. Off the beam, perhaps, but watch
out for hand/foot damage from the space between the ladder and the boat.

Capt Sir,

Due respect, but I have boarded the stern of a dive boat in the open
Pacific (8' swells) with a 60lb pack on my back, and holding my dive fins
in one hand.

So have I... I was typing/thinking about sailboats. I've been out in some
big rollers (actually side-to-side rollers), and the best way we found to
board was to wait until the rail came down low enough to grab it, then hold
on until you're free of the water. (48' CT ketch) I don't think I would have
wanted to try that if the rollers were from the stern to bow.

You are correct that you have to be very careful not to get bonked on the
head. Still, in cold water if you will get the stern of that boat close
to me and the ladder down, I'll take my chances instead of waiting for you
to rig something else.

(Also, on our Irwin it would be very difficult to hit someone with the
prop unless they were completely under the boat.)

True, but if someone inadvertantly had the engine running or not fixed, it
could happen. Much less chance abeam.

Of course, the OP is right. You should consider that falling off the boat
is like falling off of a 1000' cliff and treat it with the same respect.

Don W.


g Well, anything over 30 feet or so and it doesn't much matter.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com