Boarding Ladders

[ebb]

Somebody has mentioned it.
Ariels and Commanders probably all have an OB or an inboard.

The issue is: Don't think of mounting the boarding ladder on the stern!
At least don't end there with your thinking.

It'll never happen. But there will come a time when a leg or foot will get chewed up by a propeller.
Of course it won't happen when you're in control.
Tell yourself you're always in charge
and put your soft, or hard, boarding ladder where Scott has it, at the forward end of the cockpit.

Reread Ed's and Bill's original posts here, #9, #10.
A strong stanchion, or two, some kind of strong point always there, a handle above the coaming, will enable the person climbing aboard to haul herself onto the deck.
Ed says, do a MOB practice EVERY SEASON. Practice using the ladder as a safety device. But also to get out of the water.
Make it something you are very familiar with.
On a calm sunny Sunday morning. In the cold dark dead of night.



If you use an auto inflatable PFD as part of your regular sailing gear, simply
JUMP in with ALL your gear on. Shoes/boots, pants, jacket/parka, hat - EVERYTHING.
With that pfd bladder on your chest, inflated in your face.... see how you do....
Getting the ladder deployed , getting into the ladder, hauling yourslf up, grabbing whatever to get a leg on the boat, the whole 900 pounds.
Don't do it alone, you'll probably need help.

Then rearm the PFD with a new CO2 cylinder and seltzer pill. You should rearm the PFD EVERY SEASON, at least once a year.
Yourbody's life depends on it.


MUSTANG PFD RECALL
U.S.Coast Guard issued a recall (11/29/11) for some 22lb Mustang PFDs, look it up! They are MD2010 and MD2012 models that do not have next generation MIT logos on them. The CO2 bottles are not at fault, but the 'inflator assembly', something the factory has to test and fix. The Mustang site says there are no shipping costs there or back again.
It also looks like Mustang was aware of the problem before the USCG got involved and BOTH initiated the recall.