Getting into your boat out of the Dinghy??

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

Guest
Hello,
I just bought a 1990 c-dory classic. My family isn't the most athletic group of people...that being said.... what do people use to get in and out of their c-dorys and into their dinghy when they are offshore? Is there a swim step ladder that works well on the side of the c-dory?
Thank you for your help.
Erik
 
erikad":2aimm5yj said:
Hello,
I just bought a 1990 c-dory classic. My family isn't the most athletic group of people...that being said.... what do people use to get in and out of their c-dorys and into their dinghy when they are offshore? Is there a swim step ladder that works well on the side of the c-dory?
Thank you for your help.
Erik
Click to expand...

Hi Erik,

Welcome aboard! We have found the easiest way to get in and out of our inflatable dinghy from the C-Dory is to tie the dinghy alongside the boat. Using the handrail on the cabin side, we stand up in the dinghy and put one leg over the coaming and step into the cockpit. Reverse that to get into the dinghy from the cockpit of the C-Dory. Your 22 has a deeper cockpit than our 25, so you many need to use some sort of step inside the cockpit to facilitate this.

We also have a swim step and have used this to get in and out of the dinghy, with the dinghy tied tight to the stern.

There are swim ladders that have a hook shape that goes over the coaming that could facilitate getting in and out of the dinghy. In any case, it helps to keep the dinghy snug against the side of the boat with two lines.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
It depends somewhat on the type of dinghy you have. We have a fairly stable inflatable. I just bring it parallel along side the cockpit, secure both bow and stern of the dinghy to cleats on the boat, and step over the gunwale into the dinghy. I do the same to get back into the boat from the dinghy. Of course, I always take care to stay centered in the dinghy, and get my center of gravity low as quickly as I can. Keeping one hand on the gunwale while getting situated seems to work. Since the sole of the cockpit in our boats is about the same level as the dinghy bottom is likely to be, it's really not so much of an up or down proposition as it is an "over" (the gunwale) thing. I have fairly long legs so this method may be particularly easy for me, but my wife is not tall, and she manages just fine this way, too, by sitting on the gunwale and swinging her legs over.

There certainly are ladders that can be attached to the gunwales, but those are really for getting in and out of the water. I think they might just get in the way of entering and exiting the dinghy.

I'm sure there are plenty of other ideas out there, but this method has worked perfectly fine for us.

Congratulations on the boat. You'll just enjoy the heck out of it. They are great boats!

(Jim B snuck in just ahead of me, so disregard any redundancy.)
 
Regarding the swim step, it's a lot like the open transom on sailboats: good to look at, especially with those bikini girls getting in and out, but hard to use.

If there's any swell at all, the swim step is going up and down and it isn't easy to make the transition to/from the boat from/to the dinghy. Tying the dinghy alongside provides more stability. And inflatables don't roll as much as hard dinghys do.

Please note that the posts above all use inflatables alongside the cockpit, as we do.

Boris
 
JamesTXSD":19hsu8oe said:
...
Hi Erik,

Welcome aboard! We have found the easiest way to get in and out of our inflatable dinghy from the C-Dory is to tie the dinghy alongside the boat. Using the handrail on the cabin side, we stand up in the dinghy and put one leg over the coaming and step into the cockpit. Reverse that to get into the dinghy from the cockpit of the C-Dory. Your 22 has a deeper cockpit than our 25, so you many need to use some sort of step inside the cockpit to facilitate this.

...
Click to expand...

That is just what we do as well. Stand up and step over carefully holding onto the rails after dinghy is tied.

Keep your center of gravity low of course (bend your knees to stay lower to the water). In chop it's more challenging of course but you'll get used to it.

Good luck
 
Well, we have managed to make the swim-step to Alaska Series move with at least a modicum of grace, but it should be VERY ENTERTAINING to watch us try that maneuver from swim-step to the new Pelican Pursuit kayaks at Lake Powell this summer! Since we love swimming in Lake Powell, we figure this is where we need to practice! Not going to try the boat-to-kayak in the frigid waters of Puget Sound unless/until we have confidence that we can do that and stay right side up!

Dreamer":26c83hf9 said:
Erik,

It's never graceful and I have the photos to prove it! :oops:
Click to expand...
 
Pat Anderson":3gd3n82a said:
Well, we have managed to make the swim-step to Alaska Series move with at least a modicum of grace, but it should be VERY ENTERTAINING to watch us try that maneuver from swim-step to the new Pelican Pursuit kayaks at Lake Powell this summer! Since we love swimming in Lake Powell, we figure this is where we need to practice! Not going to try the boat-to-kayak in the frigid waters of Puget Sound unless/until we have confidence that we can do that and stay right side up!

Dreamer":3gd3n82a said:
Erik,

It's never graceful and I have the photos to prove it! :oops:
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Erik, here's a candid shot of Pat entering his dingy. Not sure where the dingy went but it's there somewhere.

cannonball.jpg

Hope you all have fun at FH, wish we lived closer!

Charlie
 
Charlie & Pat- I'm still laughing at your responses to Erik, particularly the splash We have a saying among Montana hunters who hear someone claim they have never gut shot a deer. Response - They haven't shot many. Same is true with those who have never had a mishap getting into or out of dingy on an inflatable. Try a canoe for a challenge.

Erik, there is no really easy way to climb over a C-Dory 22' into whatever, unless you are an eighteen year old. The best system I have found so far with the 22' is the four step SS boarding ladder made by West Marine. You can modify this to be a two step ladder, if you wish. I have also used a diver's ladder with success with a previous 22'.

With the West Marine ladder you can place the hook- in brackets to be near the SS hand hold on the cabin edge. This will help immeasurably
moving up and down. I will occasionally even drop the hook portions over the gunwale. It will lower the steps, but that is no problem.

As Jim has mentioned, securing your dingy so it can't move away from the side as you are boarding is a must.

Even practicing boarding with your family on a warm day in three feet of water isn't a bad idea to gain confidence and proficiency.

If the C-Brats shared their own experiences, it would fill a book. John
 
In the various C Dories, we always board from the front of the cockpit--because there is hand hold to start with. We sit on the side of the gunnel, and then place the feet in the center of the dinghy floor (not seat or side). Definately tie the dinghy both fore and aft to the C Dory. We use a forward painter to the cleat by the helm window (or passanger) and a short 3/16" line from the rope round the dinghy or transom, to the aft cleat on the side of the C Dory. Slide in, holding on to the handle on the aft cabin. --brace a hand on the gunnel. I get in first to stabalize the boat for Marie. We use a davit to put the motor on the dinghy. We do not use the swim step or a ladder. With bigger boats we have used swim steps and ladders. Getting back in the boat, it may be necessary to step on the pontoon.

If you have a soft floor inflatable, you might consider putting a piece of plywood in the bottom of the boat, to give more stability. Even 1/4" is enough to help immensely. If you have slat floors, then step on the center of one of the slats.
 
Thank you all for your ideas and adventures. It looks like i will need to make a trip to West Marine and share some of the wealth. I need an inflatable and a step ladder.
 
I would buy the dinghy first, --and consider an air floor, since it is more stable, reasonably light weight, and is a bit higher off the bottom of the boat than slat or plywood floors. Also the air floor gives some insullation from the cold water, which is a plus in your area. Avoid full "pop in" aluminum or plywood floors, because they are very difficult to assemble in the C Dory. After you see how you get in and out of the dinghy with your boat (and it may be easier than you think)--then visit West Marine. I have found that steps suspended by ropes from the cockpit sides tend to swing from side to side. The short ladders which hook over the gunnel, are subject to being pushed up by the dinghy as it is along side the boat. However, they are the easiest to climb up and down.

For most folks getting in is easy--getting out is harder--but steping on the side of the properly inflated inflatable, and using the hand grip in the cockpit works fine.
 
I have read all the comments about a person getting in and out, using swim step, etc.

Do any of you have a 75 lb. dog that you can get into and out of a dinghy?

If so, please advise what you have learned.

Thanks!

Anne Cox
 
While I do not have a dog that big, I have seen folks try to do it. What I learned is that dogs :dog and most people know how to swim. :lol: :lol:

Charlie
 
On my 22 it was always over the side to get in the dinghy (a Power Drifter with air floor). On the 25, we use the swim step and found it is much easier and a lot more graceful. Standup using the side rails. Shift one foot at a time to the swim step and you're out. As far as loading a dog, we inherited a medium size dog for the summer. She loads just fine off the swim step but sometimes lack judgement in getting out. Once she thought the kayak on the side looked better than the swim step and launched toward it. The front two feet made it, the rest didn't. Recovery up the swim step was easy.
 
OK, I get the deal with inflatables, but what about kayaks?

What's the preferred in/out method and is there a particular model of kayak that work's best for use with our boats?

jd
 
I've only tried climbing in & out of our WestMarine RU-260 dinghy once. Secured to the side was easiest. Launching the dinghy from the roof was easy. Getting the dinghy back aboard was nearly impossible.

Any good tips how to recover a dinghy & put it back on the roof?
 
Back
Top