Re: Safety Issue - Transom steps
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2020 11:54 pm
Good bump Alex. Safety issues should be bumped up again for discussion every now and then.
Takes me back....no not to 2012 when this thread was active but only about 4 years ago when I could actually still haul myself into the boat using the existing hull notches. I think in a panic I could still do it but my wife is considerably shorter than me and although much fitter has had trouble for a while. I fitted a standard folding step ladder a few haulouts ago and cut a section out of the taffrail. Now we both have easy egress from the water and as we are avid snorkelers it gets used a lot.
The thing with the setups in the pics you have posted is you need the best, closest hand holds as well as foot holds. Not everyone has good upper body strength and if you read my bits in this thread...
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=757&p=5088&hilit=Boarding#p5088
.....cold water incapacitation can make it so the person in the water, even if young and fit like your good self can find it hard to get back into a boat in the wrong situation. It may become mandatory one day to have a boarding ladder on any vessel with a certain freeboard height or for that matter just any vessel.
There was a movie, actually more of a horror movie completely about that topic . I think it was Open Water 2
I’ll check.
It’s worth noting while on this subject that it’s important to practice Man Overboard drills on any boat. Main problem is most people including myself practice Hat Overboard drills, or some other piece of practice flotsam. While this is a good thing to practice in regards to turning the boat quickly under sail, keeping the target in sight, safe approach etc, the hardest part of MOB and the bit rarely practiced is getting the mob back on board. A cold, possibly injured, possibly old, possibly drunk, possibly panicked, possibly a politician may not be a person who can help themselves back on board easily. At this point the viability of the boarding ladder/device is crucial. Another person may have to assist them from inside or outside the boat.
I’d be interested if anyone has had an actual real mob or similar incident, and how it went. Also what kind of boarding devices do members have on their Investigators.
Takes me back....no not to 2012 when this thread was active but only about 4 years ago when I could actually still haul myself into the boat using the existing hull notches. I think in a panic I could still do it but my wife is considerably shorter than me and although much fitter has had trouble for a while. I fitted a standard folding step ladder a few haulouts ago and cut a section out of the taffrail. Now we both have easy egress from the water and as we are avid snorkelers it gets used a lot.
The thing with the setups in the pics you have posted is you need the best, closest hand holds as well as foot holds. Not everyone has good upper body strength and if you read my bits in this thread...
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=757&p=5088&hilit=Boarding#p5088
.....cold water incapacitation can make it so the person in the water, even if young and fit like your good self can find it hard to get back into a boat in the wrong situation. It may become mandatory one day to have a boarding ladder on any vessel with a certain freeboard height or for that matter just any vessel.
There was a movie, actually more of a horror movie completely about that topic . I think it was Open Water 2
I’ll check.
It’s worth noting while on this subject that it’s important to practice Man Overboard drills on any boat. Main problem is most people including myself practice Hat Overboard drills, or some other piece of practice flotsam. While this is a good thing to practice in regards to turning the boat quickly under sail, keeping the target in sight, safe approach etc, the hardest part of MOB and the bit rarely practiced is getting the mob back on board. A cold, possibly injured, possibly old, possibly drunk, possibly panicked, possibly a politician may not be a person who can help themselves back on board easily. At this point the viability of the boarding ladder/device is crucial. Another person may have to assist them from inside or outside the boat.
I’d be interested if anyone has had an actual real mob or similar incident, and how it went. Also what kind of boarding devices do members have on their Investigators.