How you put people on ships is different for AI characters or static characters.
As Eric said, static characters are placed the same way bollards are placed, but must be attached to the boat or it will sail without them.
AI characters are placed in the water anywhere near the boat and moved aboard with the “Character – Transfer To Ship†action.
This is all explained in the Mission Editor Notes. Working the examples thru Rescue a swimmer will show you how. Read the Taxi waypoints section.
My students tell me that the author’s email address in his 2008 editor manual.