Means to Stabilize Kayak When Boarding Larger Boat?
 

I have a 22' Grady White and have recently purchased two Heritage
kayaks. These fit nicely aboard the Grady. My intention is to bring
the kayaks along on day trips for use when the Grady is anchored.
I am looking for some device to stabilize the kayaks when they
are alongside the Grady and one wants to embark or disembark. I
find it extremely difficult to enter/exit the kayaks because it
requires standing.
I can envision some sort of bracket that can be hooked over
the side of the Grady to which a kayak could be temporarily
fastened to stablilize it when boarding. If no such device exists,
I plan to try to fashion one out of an ordinary boarding ladder.
Does anyone know of any device that is specifically designed
for this purpose?
Thanks for your help!
Frank

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 02:10:36 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

I have a 22' Grady White and have recently purchased two Heritage
kayaks. These fit nicely aboard the Grady. My intention is to bring
the kayaks along on day trips for use when the Grady is anchored.
I am looking for some device to stabilize the kayaks when they
are alongside the Grady and one wants to embark or disembark. I
find it extremely difficult to enter/exit the kayaks because it
requires standing.
I can envision some sort of bracket that can be hooked over
the side of the Grady to which a kayak could be temporarily
fastened to stablilize it when boarding. If no such device exists,
I plan to try to fashion one out of an ordinary boarding ladder.
Does anyone know of any device that is specifically designed
for this purpose?
Thanks for your help!
Frank

Yes, a swim platform and a paddle :)

drop the kayak in parallel to the swim platform, and place your paddle
across the back of the cockpit, with one blade across the swim
platform. Grip the paddle shaft and the back of the cockpit coaming
with one hand, and then sit on the paddle shaft. Scootch yourself
over the boat, bringing your legs into the cockpit first, and taking
some weight on the paddle shaft. Once you are all the way in, paddle
off.

Getting off is just about exactly the reverse.

good luck.

Ted

Sounds like that would take a bit of practice to master, but
we will try it. Also, I would think the height of the platform
relative to the lip of the cockpit might be fairly critical, no?






On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:25:06 -0400, Ted Marz wrote:

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 02:10:36 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

I have a 22' Grady White and have recently purchased two Heritage
kayaks. These fit nicely aboard the Grady. My intention is to bring
the kayaks along on day trips for use when the Grady is anchored.
I am looking for some device to stabilize the kayaks when they
are alongside the Grady and one wants to embark or disembark. I
find it extremely difficult to enter/exit the kayaks because it
requires standing.
I can envision some sort of bracket that can be hooked over
the side of the Grady to which a kayak could be temporarily
fastened to stablilize it when boarding. If no such device exists,
I plan to try to fashion one out of an ordinary boarding ladder.
Does anyone know of any device that is specifically designed
for this purpose?
Thanks for your help!
Frank

Yes, a swim platform and a paddle :)

drop the kayak in parallel to the swim platform, and place your paddle
across the back of the cockpit, with one blade across the swim
platform. Grip the paddle shaft and the back of the cockpit coaming
with one hand, and then sit on the paddle shaft. Scootch yourself
over the boat, bringing your legs into the cockpit first, and taking
some weight on the paddle shaft. Once you are all the way in, paddle
off.

Getting off is just about exactly the reverse.

good luck.

Ted

I slat my boat in the water with a tow rope close to the cockpit. I
climb down the ladder, hook the cockpit with my foot and sort of lower
myself into the boat supporting my self with my legs and ballancing
myself with the hold on the ladder untill I slip all the way in.
It is simple to do but explaining it is a trick.
I put the spray deck on and release the rope from the grab line puting
it back into my tow package.
Done and off I go Getting out is the same but I do a clever little slip
knot over the front carrying handle and hiost it up using that. I have
used that on the side of fishing boats with 8' freeboard and CG Cutters
as well as speed boats.

Thanks for another good idea. I'll try this as well.





On 13 Jul 2005 17:56:11 -0700, wrote:

I slat my boat in the water with a tow rope close to the cockpit. I
climb down the ladder, hook the cockpit with my foot and sort of lower
myself into the boat supporting my self with my legs and ballancing
myself with the hold on the ladder untill I slip all the way in.
It is simple to do but explaining it is a trick.
I put the spray deck on and release the rope from the grab line puting
it back into my tow package.
Done and off I go Getting out is the same but I do a clever little slip
knot over the front carrying handle and hiost it up using that. I have
used that on the side of fishing boats with 8' freeboard and CG Cutters
as well as speed boats.

Yes, it is a classic dock / low rock entry technique, good for
locations up to about 6" above the deck of the kayak.

This is why I noted it from a swim platform, which is typically at
this level.

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 22:11:05 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Sounds like that would take a bit of practice to master, but
we will try it. Also, I would think the height of the platform
relative to the lip of the cockpit might be fairly critical, no?






On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:25:06 -0400, Ted Marz wrote:

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 02:10:36 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

I have a 22' Grady White and have recently purchased two Heritage
kayaks. These fit nicely aboard the Grady. My intention is to bring
the kayaks along on day trips for use when the Grady is anchored.
I am looking for some device to stabilize the kayaks when they
are alongside the Grady and one wants to embark or disembark. I
find it extremely difficult to enter/exit the kayaks because it
requires standing.
I can envision some sort of bracket that can be hooked over
the side of the Grady to which a kayak could be temporarily
fastened to stablilize it when boarding. If no such device exists,
I plan to try to fashion one out of an ordinary boarding ladder.
Does anyone know of any device that is specifically designed
for this purpose?
Thanks for your help!
Frank

Yes, a swim platform and a paddle :)

drop the kayak in parallel to the swim platform, and place your paddle
across the back of the cockpit, with one blade across the swim
platform. Grip the paddle shaft and the back of the cockpit coaming
with one hand, and then sit on the paddle shaft. Scootch yourself
over the boat, bringing your legs into the cockpit first, and taking
some weight on the paddle shaft. Once you are all the way in, paddle
off.

Getting off is just about exactly the reverse.

good luck.

Ted