Safety Ladders

[Tim Lewis]

On 02/01/2021 at 12:39, Slim said:

I single hand and have a roll up ladder secureď to a mooring dolly and one leg of the taff rail. It's kept rolled up with a bungy and can be released with one hand. On most canals it reaches to the canal bed. Never tried it but hope it would work. I also wear a lifejacket much of the time.

Would it be possible to release it when you are in the water?

[Mad Harold]

After a friend slipped into the canal one freezing February night, while getting on his boat,and with great difficulty heaved himself aboard,suffered a stroke and was there overnight before a neighbour saw him.He suffered severe frostbite and had to have a foot amputated.

To save me from similar,I tied two knotted ropes (about 2" diameter ) onto both sides of the stern rail to almost the waterline.

Not had to use them (yet) but with adrenalin running,I am sure I could get out.

[TheBiscuits]

1 minute ago, Mad Harold said:

with adrenalin running,I am sure I could get out.

 

Don't be too sure about that.  When I fell into deep water during the BCN Challenge in May 2019 I couldn't. 

 

I was well warmed up as we had been actively boating and locking for several hours, the water was not particularly cold and as I fell in a couple of feet from a turning propeller I can guarantee you the adrenaline levels were not low!

 

I managed to get to the (high, vertical) side near the lock landing and hold on with my fingertips, but there was no way I could climb out there.  Fortunately @Duck-n-Dive ran down from the second lock and helped me get out.

 

I do carry a rigid aluminium ladder on the boat roof for use as a gangplank support and rescue ladder, but as we were trying to win the litter picking challenge there was so much other stuff tied on top of it that MrsBiscuit couldn't have freed it in time to do anything to help me.

[Slim]

3 hours ago, Tim Lewis said:

Would it be possible to release it when you are in the water?

I think so. The bungy is wound around the rungs once and is the type with plastic balls at both ends, not hooks. I tried (and succeeded) in releasing it single handed when the boat was slipped. When in the water the bungy is about 250 - 300mm off the water. Short of jumping in and trying it for real I can't be 100% sure. ?‍♂️   

[Scholar Gypsy]

Here's mine.  Plastimo from Force 4 (but I think the OP knows that from my reply on FB).The vertical ropes are in plastic tubes - which when stowed fold at right angles ie along the rungs. It is easy to reach and open the bag from the water. I tried it last summer, when going for an (intentional) swim in a lake on a very hot day. I had no problem with my legs swinging under the boat.


 

[Slim]

1 hour ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Here's mine.  Plastimo from Force 4 (but I think the OP knows that from my reply on FB).The vertical ropes are in plastic tubes - which when stowed fold at right angles ie along the rungs. It is easy to reach and open the bag from the water. I tried it last summer, when going for an (intentional) swim in a lake on a very hot day. I had no problem with my legs swinging under the boat.


 

Whilst mine is a different make and not in a cover the design and positioning is very similar. Pleased yours worked I hope I never find out if mine would! 

[TheBiscuits]

Well my rescue ladder got a workout last night.  An elderly couple on a hire boat got into difficulties and he fell in the canal in the middle of a section with high quaysides.

 

A chap and his daughter from a house opposite went to help and she knocked on our boat for assistance.  

 

All's well that ends well - after a trip to the hospital he was released but they have decided not to continue with their holiday and were returning home today.

 

Alarmingly, my 10 foot ladder section was only just long enough to help him out safely, so I won't be getting a shorter one!

[Bee]

Tied at Hampton Court some time ago and a Lab / retriever type of dog fell in. I could grab it but lifting it onto the boat was more than I could manage. After a few minutes a hero (certainly not me) jumped in and wrestled the soggy doggy out. 

[Tam & Di]

On 02/01/2021 at 12:39, Slim said:

I single hand and have a roll up ladder secureď to a mooring dolly and one leg of the taff rail. It's kept rolled up with a bungy and can be released with one hand. On most canals it reaches to the canal bed. Never tried it but hope it would work. I also wear a lifejacket much of the time.

 

An old post, but I've just seen it. You should give it a try. If it has metal treads it may work, but otherwise you will almost certainly find it impossible unless the water is shallow enough to stand in. Those with wooden treads are a waste of space as they float, so you have to get your foot up out of the water to reach a step, and that puts your head below water.   Glug glug       ?

 

Tam

[Sea Dog]

48 minutes ago, Bee said:

Tied at Hampton Court some time ago and a Lab / retriever type of dog fell in. I could grab it but lifting it onto the boat was more than I could manage. After a few minutes a hero (certainly not me) jumped in and wrestled the soggy doggy out. 

Our Lab, who swims like a fish, wears a buoyancy aid when we're cruising. The handle on the back helps with the issue above and the bouyancy is for when it might be a while before you're able to recover the dog overboard.

 

@TheBiscuits gets the greenie though, not only for his lifesaving efforts, but also for carrying a 10 foot ladder on his roof for years and for having the patience to still be carrying it when it was eventually needed!

[TheBiscuits]

15 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

@TheBiscuits gets the greenie though, not only for his lifesaving efforts, but also for carrying a 10 foot ladder on his roof for years and for having the patience to still be carrying it when it was eventually needed!

 

It's multipurpose.  It's a plank support when you can't get into the side and provides helpful compartments for keeping roof stuff in 

 

The only other time it was needed for rescue it was me that needed it, so it's earned it's place on the roof.

 

Usefully it also partly fits under a solar panel which helps with space!

[Slim]

1 hour ago, Tam & Di said:

 

An old post, but I've just seen it. You should give it a try. If it has metal treads it may work, but otherwise you will almost certainly find it impossible unless the water is shallow enough to stand in. Those with wooden treads are a waste of space as they float, so you have to get your foot up out of the water to reach a step, and that puts your head below water.   Glug glug       ?

 

Tam

It's got plastic treads. As it happens the boat is out of the water for blacking in two weeks. I'll try a dry run and see how thiings go. 

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, TheBiscuits said:

The only other time it was needed for rescue it was me that needed it...

All the justification you need! Where did you get it, and do they do them in 12' ...? 

Edited May 16, 2021 by Sea Dog
Removed a spare "do"