I can be a bit of a klutz and I’ve managed to do everything from fall off a boat while boarding it, to having someone else fall back on me while boarding and knock me in the water.

No joke, getting on a boat can be tricky. But, there are ways to board boats safely. I know, I had to research them for my own health and safety.

Before I get too far into this, though, I should mention there’s no one set way to get on or off a boat. For example, how I board a motorboat differs from how I board a catamaran or a yacht. And in heavier seas, my mantra for getting on and off any boat is whatever works.

Boarding a Sailboat

When you’re boarding a sailboat – any boat, really – the biggest thing to remember is it’s always moving with the water. So, before you board, take a moment to check out the motion of the ocean: Is the boat bobbing gently up and down or is it slamming against the dock? Do you have to climb a gangway up to the boat, climb a ladder down into it or is the boat entrance flush with the dock and you can walk right on board? Once you’ve got a feel for the movement of the boat, and its position in the water, you can board.

In general, here’s how I board a sailboat safely:

1. Approach the gangway – the walkway from the dock to the boat, also called a plank or a passerelle. That will also be moving with the waves so be careful – another mantra!
2. Grab the handrails firmly.
3. Step on board carefully – the first step can be a doozy. Some gangways are fairly stable, but others move very noticeably up and down with the waves. It can be… surprising to put your foot down only to realize the gangway is much lower or higher than it was a second ago.
4. Holding the handrails the entire way, walk carefully up the gangway, making sure one foot is always in contact with the plank for stability. Some gangways have raised slats every 1-2 feet (think frets on a guitar) and anti-slip treads to help keep you from slipping. But, if you’re not paying attention, they are very easy to trip over. According to the Mariner Safety Initiative, 62 percent of gangway-related incidents happen while boarding a boat. Of these, 38 percent are caused by slips and trips with no particular cause. Having stumbled over a slat before, I can say with a great deal of certainty that it is indeed a particular cause of tripping. 
5. Once you’ve reached the entranceway, take a second to steady yourself, and to grab hold of the handrails. You’ll also want to be sure you can easily step down from the gangway into the boat, and sometimes that means a step stool. If you need one, ask. Ain’t no shame in having short legs!
6. Step on board, steady yourself again, then move out of the way to allow other passengers to board.  

If you have to climb a ladder from the dock down into the sailboat, take a moment to watch the waves and time it so you’re climbing down between sets. To climb down:

• Grab hold of the handrails, step carefully onto the ladder
• Holding the handrails firmly, place your strongest foot (e.g., left foot if left-handed) on the step directly below – DO NOT SKIP STEPS! – shift your weight to that foot and steady yourself, then move your other foot down either to the same step, or to the step below.

There are two ways to climb down the ladder: One foot below the other or both feet on the same step before taking the next step down. Your level of confidence and conditions will usually determine how you descend.

Boarding a Dive Boat from the Dock

For the most part, a dive boat has a captain (aka the driver/helmsman) and a crewmember, usually a divemaster, to help get divers – and their gear – on board the boat safely. When I board a dive boat from a dock, I usually put my gear together on land, get my buddy to help me into it and then walk it down to the boat. Dive gear is so much easier to carry when you put it together and wear it. 

But carrying an extra 50 pounds (or more) in gear, especially if you’re walking on a floating dock to get to the boat, comes with its own set of problems: You’re top heavy and your balance is already off. So when you get to the dive boat, do the following:

1. Ask the divemaster or the captain how you should get on board.
2. Follow directions.

Pro Tip:  When you step on to the gangway, it helps to lean forward a bit to compensate for being off balance (at least it does me). Then walk slowly up the gangplank. Once you’re ready to board the boat, the divemaster or boat captain will help you and tell you where to sit and stow your gear so that it’s safe and secure.

Boarding a Dive Boat from the Water

It’s amazing being on a dive boat on a beautiful day… The sun on your shoulders, the wind in your face… Fanfreakingtastic.

Not so fun?

Getting back on the boat after your last dive of the day only to find the wind’s come up and you’re being smashed into the side of the boat while trying to get back on said boat.

If the dive boat has a water level platform, that’s great. It doesn’t matter if your egress from the water isn’t pretty. Let the waves do the work and push you up onto the platform where the divemaster will help you take your gear off, secure it, and get you out of the way quickly for the next diver to board.

If there’s no platform? Well… that just makes things more interesting. And by interesting, I mean you have to be strategic about getting your gear off and climbing back on board the boat. After 32 years as a diver and 27 years as dive pro, here is how I get back on a boat after a dive.

1. I swim to the ladder, mask on, snorkel in my mouth.
2. Making sure my BCD is inflated, I hold onto the ladder with my left hand, take off my weight belt with my right, then hand it up to the divemaster. Note: it is almost physically impossible to sink with your BCD inflated and no weight belt.
3. Remove my fins, hand them to the divemaster.
4. Remove my BCD and hand it to the divemaster.
5. Leaving my mask on and snorkel in my mouth, I climb into the boat. If it’s wavy, and the boat is moving a lot, I often let the waves help out and push me up the ladder and into the boat. Again, it might not be pretty, but it works.

The simple fact is, boarding a dive boat – or any boat for that matter – is not always that easy. With vessel type, gear, divers of varying skill and consideration levels and weather to think about, it’s good to have a plan, even if it is just asking the captain or divemaster what to do.

And, make a plan with your buddy, too: Who will board first, especially after the dive? Typically, the less experienced diver is the one you want out of the water first. Should your buddy then help you out of the water or does the divemaster have that covered?

Don’t assume. Ask the questions, make the plan and stick to it. It makes for a much safer, less bruise-y day on the water.

Other Boat Boarding Considerations

Thar She Blows! AKA Seasickness
It bites to love the water as much as I do and to suffer from seasickness, no matter how big or small the waves. I once vomited, er sorry, sailed my way across the Atlantic Ocean on a tall ship as part of an international youth expedition called Operation Raleigh.

It was an incredible experience. I even met Dr. Bob Ballard, the man who found the Titanic! He sailed with us for two days and told me he’d never seen anyone as seasick as me still function. #proud

That said, if you do get seasick, anti nausea pills are a great solution but can make you feel drowsy or dizzy. Not a good combination when boarding a boat. So if you do feel dizzy, tell someone. It’s better than doing a faceplant on the deck or falling off the gangway. Ask me how I know. 😊

Alcohol
I won’t say don’t drink and boat, because I’m not your mother, and we know you won’t listen to me anyway. But I will say this: The things that make it hard to board a boat while sober are doubly hard while hammered.

This should go without saying, but boating is supposed to be fun… If the waves are too rough, it might be best to spend the day on a golf course, in a hammock reading the Economist or kicking someone’s butt at cribbage.

How about you? Got any helpful tips for boarding a boat? We’d love to hear them. Feel free to share in the comments!