Wouldn't that then be a .... BELLY FLOP ?

Absolute genious! Can't tell you how many times I wished I had something like this, just never thought of a "ladder." I will definitely be adding that to my boat. Granted, a Hobie 16 is one of the easier boats to get back on, but I'm not getting any younger, and could stand to put fewer trap hook dings in my hulls.

I would put it at the front crossbar, though.

Mike

Any pics of this ladder?

Has anyone actually tried to get back on board a boat with a rope loop? Its harder than people seem to think. Its not like a typical rope ladder where you can get your feet under you. More likely than not, your feet want to come to the surface and you end up on your back under the boat.

i use the traveler sheet and foot strap as grab points for the arms. pics attached hopefully

OK....Run a line from the front beam along the inside of the hull through a block that is attached to the bridle attachment at the bow, about half way back to the beam tie a stopper knot. Add bungee the rest of the way back to the beam. To climb back on the boat, stretch the line down, use as a foothold and climb on, the bungee keeps everything neat until needed. Put one on each hull. Just thinking out loud.

Awwwww...I really want to say something smart...but that IS a good idea.

The best way to easily get back on? Make your crew/skipper get on first and then pull you up <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Not trying to sound smart, but some strength training would solve the issue. It is never too late to begin training strength, and I dont neccesarily mean in the gym.

E.g: http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2006-08-03/naked.shtml

I learned a valuable tip from watching/listening to Jacques Bernier. The step-around-the-beam trick as the boat rights is, IMO, invaluable. It puts someone on the boat instantly to control sheets and rudders, and as a result dramatically cuts the amount of time it takes to get back in the race. It requires teamwork and one of you has to be willing to get wet, but I have found it to be so much easier to help the other person back onto the boat after it is under control (e.g., not dragging the person in the water).

Also, a lesson learned - with the extra freeboard under the front beam on the Infusion and the Capricorn, it is MUCH faster to get back onto the boat from an aft position. If upper body strength or fatigue is not an issue for you, then by all means climb that hill.

Last flip - Spring Fever 2007 with Tina Pastoor at the C-mark on the Cap with the 'chute up. Last close call - Melbourne YC, 2007 with JC just after the A-pin on the Blade just after the set.

Why not simply run 1 small line to the front beam. tie both ends to the same spot. Leave enough slack so it will be a good "step". This can be put in a tramp pocket when not needed, or tied up to the beam/dolphin striker....

>>>The step-around-the-beam trick as the boat rights is, IMO, invaluable.

This sounds like an interesting technique. So one person spins around the front crossbar and onto the tramp as the boat comes over. I could imagine it being a little hairy though for the person heading for the tramp if the boat decides to do an up-and-over. Also, I could see the spinaker pole being a bit on an obstacle for this trick.

sm

I'm small. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Seriously, you got it in one. As the boat starts to come up, the person on the inside grabs the striker and gets a leg around the beam. The person on the end of the righting line has to commit to getting wet, but the other doesn't and their full weight winds up on the tramp, preventing a flip in the other direction. The move isn't as tricky as it sounds - you have to be quick but not preternaturally so. The boat is coming down to meet you as you're climbing the righting line, grabbing the striker and getting a leg up.

This thing about getting back onto the boat after capsize is a very serious problem for some people -- like heavy people, fat people, old people, weak people.

I know that I and a number of other people are not able to even get back on a Hobie Wave if nobody else is on the boat to help.

We have experimented over the years with rope ladders and rope or strap "steps" to get back onto sailboats, but they don't work well, because as soon as you put your foot into the "step," your foot goes under the boat, and you have even less leverage than you had without it -- especially if you have nothing ABOVE you to pull yourself up with, like a trapeze handle.

The Wave has quite a bit of freeboard, so it really is hard for a lot of people to get back on board, especially when you are wearing a life jacket. And it doesn't have trapeze lines. And doesn't even have a dolphin striker to help.

So here is what I have set up for my Wave. Instead of a step loop for my foot, I have a "pull" loop for my hand. I put a little stainless strap on the front of my mast up a ways, and I suspend a rope from it with a loop in the rope at a point where I can reach it if I am down in the water. That way I can pull my upper body up enough so that I can get my leg up over the hull or onto the deck.

It's not very hard lifting, because most of your body is in the water. Being able to hang onto something above you just gets you into a position where you can get that leg up, and from there you can grab the hiking straps and pull the rest of yourself onto the tramp.

I realize this imagery is not pretty. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

John's right and this is a valuable trick for righting the boat in heavy air. When Frank and I flipped during the steeplechase a couple of years ago, it was blowing pretty hard (we pitchpoled while sailing dead downwind WITHOUT the spinnaker). As soon as the boat started to right, I sat on the hull in the water with my legs hanging over on the deck and I rolled around with the boat and was on deck and ready to help Frank get onboard immediately. That's how Karl stayed dry during our capsize during Spring Fever. It's not difficult but it is easy to underestimate how soon you need to be moving toward the topside of the boat.

EDIT: I also meant to add that in the heavy stuff (offshore and out of the reach of help) it is MUCH safer to get someone on the boat early. If it's blowing over 18, one person can probably right the boat on their own - have one person sit or kneel on the hull in front of the beam ready to walk over to the top as it comes up. Around the main beam is really cool too but difficult with the self tackers.

We right with two people hanging on the rope, and then as she comes up I give the crew a shove up onto the hull in the water. This works in light wind and is even easier in heavy wind. The crew can then stabilize the boat and give the skipper a hand on board.

Anyone have a preferred technique for getting out the water onto the boat on new designs with lots of freeboard? I used to clamber up on the inside of the hull till I noticed all the dents from the harness hook. Now I'll go to the outside of the hull and grab a trap line.

One trick I've recently used when capsizing down wind is if I stay well attached to the boat I climb down from the hull in the air using the dagger board (Ninja Warrior stylee), or step down and around the rear cross beam, using the traveller car/main sheet lower block as a step. This gets someone preventing the boat from turtling very quickly.

Chris.

Chris.

Good call! yer feet go the opposite direction of the force applied.

I tie a few rope loops onto the bottom of the tramp where I can reach them when I am in the h20.

Last flip was the last regatta I sailed in...A cat Worlds, November(100 boat fleet). It was the second day of racing and the weeds were all over the place. The wind was rather light and you had to clear your rudders and boards almost constantly (no crew to help). I was sailing upwind with the windward rudder up when I tried to tack while lowering and locking the rudder. Boat came over on top of me before I could get things sorted out. Got it up fast and finished 14th in the race.
Ken

Flipped this afternoon coming in to the leeward mark in 12 knots. Tried a classic Rick White "enter wide exit close" maneuver to squeeze past the boat in front, but left the spinnaker up too late. Then the halyard recleated twice as Helm drove into the hole, and all his heroic attempts to bear back down couldn't keep us up. Had her back over in a few minutes and climbed up using the trapeze handles. All in all a great day racing, looking forward for more tommorrow

Didn't you guys take a swim in Cat Fight 1 this year on the Cap? I seem to recall you up on the shore during the third race. I think that was one of the few races I didn't get a swim that day.