Louise wrote:
On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 02:14:22 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:


I don't jump. Ever. I may step off if the boat is close enough to do
that and if the dock isn't too different in level from the deck, but
that's really rare. [..]


I try to give the midships line to a dock person if there is one. We
rarely come into a dock where there is no dock person. (I am not too
proud to make it clear when I call that we need assistance) In that
case, Bob has to get the boat up close enough to some piling or other
attachment point so that I can put the line around it and secure it.


Does that pose significant limitations on where you can go? I am
afraid of jumping to a dock, and even things that most people would
consider a step feel like a jump to me. I have particular problems
with
- narrow floating docks which are going to lurch when I land
- anything that looks like bad footing
- any situation where my skipper has no room to abort and come around
again if I lose my nerve or don't like the look of it the first time
around
- wind, current, or approach at speed

and when we're doublehanding, that does limit where we can go.

What I can manage to do, sometimes, is to stand outside the lifelines
at the shrouds, holding a midships line and/or a bowline, and step off
backwards so that I'm using my arms to lower me as close as possible
to the dock before I have to let go. I wonder if there are any other
tricks, given that I'm a short woman with short legs and not a lot of
upper body strength. I can also practice stepping or jumping as a
backup to a more reliable person who is holding one of the lines, so
that I can get a sense of how it feels even if I'm not quick enough
yet.

Any other suggestions?

Louise

The boat I crewed on for 3 or 4 summers was a 33'' sailboat with fairly
high freeboard. One of our female crew made a wild jump when coming back
into our slip and broke her ankle. Our skipper had a rubbermaid plastic
two step unit nailed to his slip to help people getting on & off.
I would go forward , hold onto a shroud and step off on the 'stepping
device just at the right time and quickly pick up the stern spring line
left right there by me when we had departed. I could get the line on the
midship cleat and stop forward motion before the boat drifted the last
ten feet (before the bow hit the main floating walkway)