RE: [Paddlewise] Launch and exit from swim platform.

One easy but not graceful way is to lower oneself by line. If there is a
davit or a boom with a pulley on the bigger boat, it is very easy to tie a
double-looped knot, place the loops under my arms and lower myself into the
cockpit. If the boom is long, it also keeps me away from a rolling hull.The
other nice thing is that I can "button up" before dropping the lines; if I
feel a bigish swell coming I can stabilize by pulling up on the line. For
safety sake, I want a buddy manning the lines above so I don't get snarled.
This works great in calm water.



I have been asked about entering and exiting a kayak from the swim 
platform of a large yacht.  Frankly in many years of paddling, I have 
only launched or landed from a dock or similar structure two or three 
times.  On those occasions I crawled face down facing aft as if using 
the paddle float rear deck re-entry approach.

Are there other more effective techniques used for this?  How do they 
do it on the small so-called "Mother ships"?  Are mechanical aids of 
any kind used?

I'd appreciate any enlightenment I can get.

Thanks,

Michael in Tallahassee
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