Yes I have to back Bobs recommendation for a swim platform. I am a 77 year old fool still clinging to my beloved boat even though I walk with a crutch and rely on my beloved crew to do the things that require mobility. I can not even imagine having to get back on my boat for whatever reason without the swim platform. Even getting into or out of the dink that I lower from davits is simplified by the platform. Picture is Son in law and granddaughter.
I have to admit that swim platforms have regional trade-offs.
I’d love to have one on my boat, but this picture of my dock neighbor’s swim platform shows what you get if you do have a swim step out where I live.
This one looks like it’s only a 400 lbs. or so. We get them as big as 900 lbs.
So, in situations like mine, better to settle for a good drop-down ladder with an extra step and a release line that can’t be pulled with a flipper.
– Bob
Yes in southern CA the trade off is an occasional seal but they are not too hard to scare off I would think. A few friendly pokes with a boat hook and some loud blessings should do the job. 
I don’t want to hijack a safety thread with sea lions, but… well, in order to keep the discussion thread suitable for all ages, let’s just what they spray around them in copious quantities: “dookie.”
And let’s just say that, in a dookie contest, sea lions punch well above their weight. And, you cannot clean that stuff off your boat without combining your scrub brush with a jack hammer. And, despite their bulk, they can move faster than a boathook-length in a fraction of a second. And, their bites are known for leaving ragged, infection-prone wounds. And, they’re a Federally-protected species. And, I’m not.
So, to everyone who can afford one and doesn’t live on a sea lion migration path, I say: the INA swimsteps are a great deal. To everyone else, I say: the INA ladder extensions are a great deal.
– Bob
Wow that sounds like a safety issue in and of itself! I had no idea they were such a troublesome pest.
Yeah, that’s a little bitty one. The Steller sea lions farther up north are huge. This guy hopped onto the club dock at MCYC in Scappoose, Oregon one day in May. (Spring Chinook salmon season when they follow the fish all the way up to Portland.) He’s got to be at least 1500 pounds and he’s not as big as they come. Fortunately, he left politely when I pointed out that it was a private dock.
I haven’t seen any seals or sea lions on the boats in our marina, but thanks for the reminder, Bob! I really wanted one of those swim platforms and have been hoping to add one when my boat gets hauled for bottom paint, but now I think I’ll switch to the ladder extension option.
I am not a Nonsuch boat owner today, but strongly interested in the Nonsuch for solo sailing on extended long distance cruises throughout the Great Lakes. The Nonsuch interests me specifically because of its simplicity of a single sail and less lines to contend with. The size of the boat I am thinking of would probably be either the 33’ or 36’, because I intend to live aboard most of the summer months AND I want enough size to handle the stormy conditions that I can’t foresee.
So, I am looking for experiential advice specifically on solo sailing a Nonsuch in rough conditions. Or, should I be considering a sloop or cutter rig for more options/control for the inevitable solo sail in rough conditions?