If necessary, a wooden plank can of course also be used to get from the boat onto the pier. After all, it has been doing so for centuries. But at the latest when you want to cross over to the boat with full shopping bags in your hand or a small child in your arms, you learn to appreciate it when a gangway is not only strong and stable, but also wide enough, non-slip and offers lateral support. Dog owners can also benefit from gangways. Anyone who does not want to constantly lift their four-legged friend on and off the boat will quickly learn to appreciate the advantages of a gangway.
In most cases, however, the choice of gangway is about finding a compromise between an affordable solution that doesn't cost several thousand euros and a system that can be deployed quickly, is foldable but not rickety and, ideally, is also easy to stow away. At the same time, it must allow a comfortable, firm and safe transfer. It seems difficult to combine all of these features at the same time. There are essentially four options.
Common in the Mediterranean: a wooden and fixed gangway model
A wooden and solid model is often found in the Mediterranean, which is not only inexpensive to buy, but can also be operated safely without pinched fingers. It can also be used as a fender board if required. The gangway is also often seen on charter boats and is sold by Compass Yacht Accessories, for example. "We have developed our own product," says Matthias Unger from Compass, "the slats are individually glued and fixed with two screw rods. The wood is untreated and everyone can finish it however they like. Some leave it as it is, others use an anti-slip coating, others a glaze." With a length of 2.40 metres, it is long enough for any type of boat. Compared to the length, the width of 0.27 metres is a little tight, as there is no way to hold on to the side and it is necessary to balance a little to get across.
In addition, such a simple gangway does not have a proper plug-in fixing on deck, but simply rests on board and on the concrete pier. But usually not for long, because when swell runs through the harbour, the movement of the boat is often enough for it to end up in the harbour basin. It should therefore be tied up on at least one side, preferably on both sides. However, even a sling for securing does not prevent the plank from rubbing against the deck and the jetty. On a concrete pier, the wood will scrape off over time; on board, it will leave marks in the gelcoat or teak after a short time. It is therefore necessary to cover the gangway with carpet, for example, or to tie it up on board so that it does not rest on the deck. The only way to stow such a long and solid plank is at the sea railing, where it is often in the way, depending on the type of boat. At 189 euros, the solution is nevertheless a real price-performance winner.
Multifunctional solutions for every type of ship
Multifunctional solutions that can be adapted to any type of boat, such as those from Swi-Tec, are much more convenient and also safer. With an insertable or fixed bracket, they are safe to pass even in choppy water and bumpy sterns thanks to a single-sided railing. The "Leicht" model, for example, has a length of either 2.00 or 2.50 metres, a width of 32 centimetres and can be folded once or twice. In the double-folding version, the gangway has very compact box dimensions of 77 x 32 x 18 centimetres when folded and is therefore hardly noticeable. It weighs twelve kilograms and has a load capacity of 120 kilograms. For those who have even less space available at the stern or railing, there is the "New Mini" version, which, with an unfolded length of two metres and a width of 28 centimetres, has even smaller stowage dimensions of 74 by 28 by 16 centimetres and weighs just eight kilograms.
The advantage of being able to turn a gangway is also a disadvantage
The gangways from GS Composite from Slovenia are similarly light, with a length of 2.20 metres and a width of a comfortable 35 centimetres, they also weigh just eight kilograms but have almost three times the load-bearing capacity of 350 kilograms. They can be fully personalised to the boat when ordering, including a selected anti-slip coating and even the boat's name. Thanks to the aluminium fittings, the manufacturer promises no corrosion. The bracket on deck is designed in the form of a pin that is inserted into a sleeve embedded in the deck. A common solution for all gangway types.
On the landside, almost all gangways are fitted with rollers from the factory, on which the landside end can roll forwards and backwards instead of scraping on the jetty. However, this is often not the best solution for brick-built and often dilapidated harbour facilities. It is best if the gangway has no connection to the land, but hovers slightly above it on a line, for example coming from the davids or the flybridge. This way, nothing can chafe or hit hard - and no vermin can find their way on board at night.
However, the advantage of being able to turn the gangway through the pivot is also a disadvantage. In order for it to be held suspended above the gangway by a line, it must also be braced laterally towards the transom so that it does not automatically fold away to the side. In addition to inlet sleeves, Swi-Tec therefore also sells fixed brackets that allow the gangway to fold up and down but not swivel. When not in use, the Swi-Tec models can then be folded up once or twice.
Inflatable gangways such as those from Plastimo are a relatively new solution. They are essentially constructed like a SUP and can therefore also be used as such. They are also surprisingly stable and, of course, lightweight. If feasible, you should always prioritise models with a handrail. It's not just older people who appreciate the additional safety provided by a side handrail. There are usually insertable poles and a safety line.
Court judgement shows how important a safe route on board is
Just how important it is that the route on board is safe is shown by the judgement of the Munich Higher Regional Court in the case of a charter guest who fell from the railing into the water and was injured as a result. The skipper had deployed a gangway whose mooring lines at the end of the gangway were not guided through a spreader bar but through a snap shackle, which meant that the line remained movable. When the guest climbed onto the gangway from one side, it was loaded on one side and tilted to one side. As a result, the retaining pin was levered out of the sleeve and the person fell into the water.
The court ruled that the contractual relationship for the charter skipper resulted in the secondary obligation "that the legal interests of the other party are not violated" and that "the care required in traffic was not observed" because the gangway's retaining cable was movable. He was therefore liable for two thirds of the damage.
