You should be able to step into the bottom of the shell, depending on what kind of rigger and sliding seat you have.  However, I have been just straddling the hull and sitting right down on the seat.  Not all that easy with cold water temps in Wisconsin right now, ice fishing is just getting started.   Hope this helps, Eddie

Thanks Eddie, I would be boarding from a dock so straddling isn't really possible, but from what your saying I should be able to stand in the boat without going thru the hull.

John   

I suspect that if you try to stand in that boat while boarding from a dock you are going to take a swim.  

Yep, you'll go right through the bottom panels if you step directly on them and not on the sliding seat unit getting into the shell. Even though the hull is glassed and epoxied the plywood panels are only 4mm thick.

Thanks for the replies. I take it that the floor of the kayaks is re-inforced differently than the oxford shell allowing one to stand in them? The drop in rowing unit is pretty narrow (where you would put your weight)when compared to a conventional scull.

John

Generically speaking, CLC S&G kayaks use 4mm Okoume sandwiched between 4oz glass for the hull in the cockpit area.  The Petrel Play may actually be 3mm Okoume.  They are absolutely structurally strong enough to take your weight standing while afloat.  Actually, they are strong enough that you could probably stand in them while supported between saw horses.  I know nothing about the Oxford Shell, but standing in the bottom of any narrow boat while boarding sounds like a good way to go for a swim.     

   I built an Oxford for my girlfriend over a decade agoj. It's still going strong. She's on the larger size and steps on the bottom regularly when boarding. I've used it a few times and I'm around 230 lbs. We've even seen where someone has used it as a ladder to get at boats higher up the rack (not by permission, but the footprints were visible on the upside down hull). It's a tough hull, we joke that if one of the 8's (or singles) on the Charles were to hit her, they'd be the one to sink. Also great in the chop, she's almost never taken on any water.

As to standing, there's an older gentleman who stands up straight in his King and pushes off, then sits down about 15-20 feet off the dock.

   Thanks for the followup, It sounds like when boarding from a dock the floor will support your body weight until you can sit in the rig. Obviously the boat is stabilized as the oars are used as outriggers. A conventional shell has a specific area to stand when boarding otherwise you will go through the hull.

John