Getting to the bow

[OffIslander]

We just bought a new R-25. My wife is a bit leery of using the narrow side deck ledge to get to the bow for line handling tying up. She misses being inside the lifelines of our previous, bigger boat. Has anyone found a way to make going forward less scary…besides a harness with carabiner?

 

[OverTime]

I worry about that too. I just bought some shoes that I will only wear while on the boat. They are "court" shoes but I like them because they grip well, are sturdy and compact. I haven't tried them yet but I hope they will give me a surer footing on the side rails.

 

[Mastercraft]

Just tying to a dock, I don't walk on the narrow side ledge. Get off at stern by the cockpit steering (not swim deck), tie stern while on dock, then tie bow while on dock. Position front fenders so that they can be reached thru side windows. When boat is cruising, fenders just rest on ledge. I try to limit going on bow when away from dock, except mooring to buoy or using anchor.
This works well for 2017 R29.

 

[serendipity]

The Admiral does NOT want to go forward! However, the Captain does frequently. On our R27OB I have found that the side deck “extender” makes the space seem much wider than its actual dimensions.

I scoot sideways / sidestep going forward and aft. The abundant handholds make things feel secure. We’re on a mooring and I need to release the bow or tie up the bow.

Good boat shoes are a must. Last Summer I had to go to the bow while in 2 - 3 foot seas: no issues.

We are in our ‘70’s and, while the side decks are not a wide passage, I find them workable. That being said, our docking routine uses stern and mid-ship (helm) cleats.

Happy New Year!

 

[OffIslander]

The Admiral does NOT want to go forward! However, the Captain does frequently. On our R27OB I have found that the side deck “extender” makes the space seem much wider than its actual dimensions.

I scoot sideways / sidestep going forward and aft. The abundant handholds make things feel secure. We’re on a mooring and I need to release the bow or tie up the bow.

Good boat shoes are a must. Last Summer I had to go to the bow while in 2 - 3 foot seas: no issues.

We are in our ‘70’s and, while the side decks are not a wide passage, I find them workable. That being said, our docking routine uses stern and mid-ship (helm) cleats.

Happy New Year!

Thanks!

 

[OffIslander]

Just tying to a dock, I don't walk on the narrow side ledge. Get off at stern by the cockpit steering (not swim deck), tie stern while on dock, then tie bow while on dock. Position front fenders so that they can be reached thru side windows. When boat is cruising, fenders just rest on ledge. I try to limit going on bow when away from dock, except mooring to buoy or using anchor.
This works well for 2017 R29.

Thanks!

 

[OffIslander]

The Admiral does NOT want to go forward! However, the Captain does frequently. On our R27OB I have found that the side deck “extender” makes the space seem much wider than its actual dimensions.

I scoot sideways / sidestep going forward and aft. The abundant handholds make things feel secure. We’re on a mooring and I need to release the bow or tie up the bow.

Good boat shoes are a must. Last Summer I had to go to the bow while in 2 - 3 foot seas: no issues.

We are in our ‘70’s and, while the side decks are not a wide passage, I find them workable. That being said, our docking routine uses stern and mid-ship (helm) cleats.

Happy New Year!

Thanks!

 

[mik]

Just need to pay attention, go slow, and be deliberate. There are numerous solid handholds to make the journey safely. If there is concern about going in the water, wear an inflatable life jacket whenever out of the cabin. They are not so bulky as to restrict movements.

 

[serendipity]

Mik, very good points!

 

[S. Todd]

I think a carabiner and harness will just makes things confusing and dangerous. The last thing you want to have happen is to be hanging from the side by a carabiner. My wife is blind in one eye and thus has depth perception issues yet still prefers the walk up the side decks over driving from the helm. She always wears her life jacket and uses the multiple well place handrails that Ranger Tug has installed. When it was time to upgrade from our R25 to our R29 the slightly wider side decks were a factor that we used to justify the additional expense, but we still found the R25 side decks possible to travel. Once the dock lines and fenders are in place at the bow, she returns to the cockpit for the docking experience until the stern is tied. Frequently someone on the dock will grab a bow line and do a temporary tie until I leave the helm and do the final ties. If not, with the remote control for the bow thruster, I can keep the bow in place until I get it tied as long as the stern is tied.

 

[S. Todd]

I think a carabiner and harness will just makes things confusing and dangerous. The last thing you want to have happen is to be hanging from the side by a carabiner. My wife is blind in one eye and thus has depth perception issues yet still prefers the walk up the side decks over driving from the helm. She always wears her life jacket and uses the multiple well place handrails that Ranger Tug has installed. When it was time to upgrade from our R25 to our R29 the slightly wider side decks were a factor that we used to justify the additional expense, but we still found the R25 side decks possible to travel. Once the dock lines and fenders are in place at the bow, she returns to the cockpit for the docking experience until the stern is tied. Frequently someone on the dock will grab a bow line and do a temporary tie until I leave the helm and do the final ties. If not, with the remote control for the bow thruster, I can keep the bow in place until I get it tied as long as the stern is tied.

 

[Chimo]

I mostly single-hand. I don’t have any problem with the side decks on an R25SC but I am cautious about ending up in the drink and getting separated from the boat. Docking alongside is no problem as others have indicated. That remote control for the thrusters makes life so easy. For safety at a mooring I attach to the buoy using a long pendant with a carabiner on one end and a large eye splice on the other. Photos are in my album. I attach the eye at the bow before leaving the dock and lead the pendant back to the cockpit. The pendant is not long enough to reach the prop! When I bring the boat up alongside the buoy it is simple to attach the carabiner. I can then do the walk to the bow and shorten the pendant knowing that, should I go overboard, the boat cannot move too far from the buoy.

I am amazed at the number of boats I see approaching a mooring with one crew member poised on the bow with boat hook in hand. When they do get a hook on the ring they are faced with the dangerous task of trying to get back to the cockpit. To disconnect I let out the pendant and then drive toward the buoy, bringing it alongside the cockpit. Of course, in rough weather, I could always reach the bow through the forward hatch.