"Rosalie B." wrote in message
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Just as an aside - even getting off the boat at a dock may be a
problem. The PO docked stern to, and used the swim ladder as a ramp.
But with the dinghy davits that we added, that wasn't a viable option.

Since we head into the slip, a short finger pier (like at Elizabeth
City) means that I have to climb off over the bow lifelines. At high
tide, a low fixed finger pier means a very long step down. I once
sliced my thigh open on a nail in the piling that I was holding onto
while I stepped down.

Floating docks are similarly a problem for me because they are at the
waterline, and we have a fairly high freeboard. So we carry a step
stool.


We have the same problem of high freeboard and a low dock and it was a
problem for my wife,who is not so tall, to get down when we docked.
Then I saw an item called a 'fenderstep' which is a short fat fender with a
rope at each end so it hangs horizontally and has a nonslip top surface to
stand on.
Now, if she wants to, she can even be standing on it already as we come in
and then it is only a short step down.
We have two so we are ready on both sides if we are coming into a strange
marina and do not know in avance which side we will be docking onto. We use
them solely as steps but they are good fenders too if you want to use them
another way. She used to be wary of docking in case she hurt herself, but
not any more.
It is made by Danfender. Just put 'fenderstep' into Google.