Choosing the Right Gangway
Before buying, consider your budget, weight, storage space and maintenance requirements, but also the height of your aft platform, your cruising program, the composition of your crew and the available space aboard.
Why an Inflatable Gangway?
Our requirements were simple: a gangway that was lightweight, compact, safe and easy for a short-handed crew living aboard year-round to handle. Traditional gangways are often heavy and bulky. We were looking for a solution that was easy to deploy, quick to stow, maintenance-free and reasonably priced. That led us to the Tiki Factory inflatable gangway. Three years later, we have no regrets.
Compact and Easy to Live With
Its greatest advantage is its compact size. Once deflated, it can easily be stored in a locker or the forepeak (approximately 27.5" × 15.7" × 5.9" (70 × 40 × 15 cm)). Inflation and installation take around five minutes. That is one extra step compared with a fixed gangway, but it is more than offset by the space saved, especially for a cruising program spent mostly at anchor. Being able to stow it also offers another advantage: it is protected from UV exposure and sea spray, which virtually eliminates maintenance.
Lightweight Makes All the Difference
Depending on the model, the gangway weighs between 13 and 22 lb (6 to 10 kg), comparable to some carbon gangways while remaining considerably lighter than most aluminum or stainless steel models. This low weight makes handling much easier. Moving the gangway from one side of the boat to the other or bringing it back aboard quickly becomes a simple task, even with a short-handed crew.
Surprisingly Rigid
This was our biggest concern before buying it. We chose the 3 m (9'10") Original model to keep the boat farther from the dock. Despite its length, rigidity is remarkable thanks to the high-pressure Dropstitch construction and its slightly arched shape.
In use, flex remains very limited, even when carrying groceries or a bicycle. Pads at each end provide good stability and the non-slip surface remains effective, even with wet feet. Very quickly, you forget that it is an inflatable structure.
A Real Safety Benefit
A gangway is first and foremost a safety device. Falls while boarding are common in marinas, and unfortunately we have witnessed several ourselves. In this respect, the inflatable construction has an advantage: it absorbs impacts better than a metal gangway. We also use it as a means of getting into the water for swimming or when carrying out work beneath the hulls.
The Drawbacks
After three years of use, very few shortcomings have appeared. The dock cats in Greece seem particularly fond of the non-slip surface… as a scratching post. Its very low weight also means it needs to be secured properly in strong winds. Finally, during extended stays in marinas, we installed a pulley hoist system to avoid handling it too often.
Our Verdict
Choosing a gangway depends above all on your cruising program. For us, the priorities were clear: easy storage, effortless handling and safe access to the boat. After three years of intensive use, this gangway has become an integral part of life aboard. Lightweight, compact, reassuring and easy to use, it fully meets the needs of a short-handed crew on long-distance cruises.
The Tiki Factory Gangway… in 10 Points
- Ideal for long-distance cruising and liveaboard use
- Very compact once folded
- Weighs just 13 to 22 lbs (6 to 10 kg) depending on the model
- Installs in around five minutes
- High-rigidity Dropstitch construction
- Effective non-slip surface
- Double air chamber and double bobstay on the 250 and 300 models
- Removable lifelines depending on the version
- Teflon pad on the dock end
- Maintenance-free (no corrosion or varnish)
- Price: € 479 to € 799
