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simple but safe

3K views 23 replies 11 participants last post by  sailingdog 
#1 ·
way to use a harness and safety strap/line? Or do you just clip to nearest strong point? I'm thinking flat webbing is safer underfoot.
 
#6 ·
I like using 1/4" spectra cord inside polyester webbing for jacklines. It's overkill for most people, but it works quite well. The polyester webbing prevents the 1/4" cord from rolling underfoot, and protects it from sunlight and abrasion. The 1/4" spectra provides plenty of strength for the jacklines. On my boat they run from the aft end of the bow pulpit to the stern cleats on either side of the main hull.
 
#7 ·
We use 2 jacklines of heavy duty 1" high visibility yellow nylon webbing with a carabiner that we attach to port and starboard cleats at the bow. The aft end is looped and has been tack stitched by our sailmaker - we use cord to lash the loop to cleats on the rails, about six feet from the stern. I looped the ends after a couple of years use and finding there was too much stretch in the nylon when wet. The lashing allows me to tighten as necessary. There is a wichard folding pad eye at the bridge deck so you can tether in prior to leaving the companionway and two pad eyes on either side of the wheel to clip on while at the helm. Hope this is of some help.
 
#8 ·
I've been using a pair of nylon webbing jacklines, port/starboard, from the bow cleats to the mid cleat forward of the steps to aft deck - royal blue color, came with the boat. As was said, while solo-sailing and offshore, I always clip my tether from the integrated inflatable pfd/harness to cockpit cleats/shrouds or the jacklines.
 
#9 ·
cool.. but where how do attach said jacklines to boat? More holes?
and suppose one does go MOB? (should be POB, personoverboard) lol! how do you get back onboard? Seems like the stern is the only easy way but.. stand on rudder.. get ladder down.. keep line clear of prop... all while fighting the wake and speed...yikes!! I really don't ever wanna go overboard! I know wouldn't be able to pull myself up the sides.
 
#11 ·
I attached my jacklines to the base of the bow pulpit and the stern cleats. You can also install dedicated padeyes for the jacklines. I am planning on doing that, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
 
#13 ·
along with the normal "jack-lines" and "teathers" (by the way, we run ours inside the standing rigging to allow us to work at the mast and then go forward without going to the out side of the boat) we've also adopted a new addition when offshore... we run a line down both sides, pulpit to the shrouds and then back to the biminy at about 4 feet above the deck.. Its great security and you'd be surprised how often you reach out to the line for a hand hold as you go forward..
We've also added a few rules aboard while offshore.. at night, your clipted in unless your below.. and at no time, do you go forward without someone else in the cockpit.. If your blown off the deck by a wave, even during daylight hours, you could possibly be dragged for miles before getting back on board.. And at night, we use short teathers that wont allow you out of the cockpit...
We are strick, especially at night, but diring the day, if its calm, and both are above deck, we dont worry so much about the rules.......
 
#14 ·
Denise's question about getting back on board is very real. Late June/early July, an experienced Bermuda racer/delivery skipper was singlehanding his 40' boat across Buzzard's Bay to Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. He wears an inflatable belt, carries a rigging knife and tows a dinghy 50' behind the mothership. He was not clipped on. Rounding East Chop at MV, he was on the lee side of the foredeck when a wave/lurch threw him over the lifelines. He held on as the force of the water pulled off his inflatable belt and his pants (containing the knife.) He was unable to pull himself back on board and was swallowing water so he let go with the intention of grabbing the dinghy painter (this had always been his backup plan.) At the inflatable dinghy he wound up under the thing and couldn't get up/around. With no air left, he let go of the dinghy and watched the boat sail away. He was picked up 2+ hours later when a sport fisherman saw his white shirt and realized it wasn't a seagull. Good news is that he was treated for hypothermia and released and the boat gently beached herself on Cape Pogue. He and his wife sailed home the next day after getting the boat pulled off the sand. (Story was in the local Vineyard papers.)

Getting back on board alone is a horror. We always clip on the windward side and end the jacklines 6' forward of the stern (the length of the tether.) I still fret. COB/MOB/POB? is a horror. We tell people that the first thing to do if they fall overboard is to yell and the second thing is to wave goodbye! I guess it's the old "one hand for the ship and one hand for yourself."
 
#15 ·
How about lines running very snug bow to stern and just below the rub rail? A POB (person overboard) could at least have something to work thier way around to the transom? They would still be clipped to a jackline on deck? Oh.. I dunno.. but the way back aboard has to be nightmarish!
 
#16 ·
Jim has it right - run the jacklines on both port and starboard sides, but always clip onto the windward line when going forward. The 6 ft. tether will then allow better chances of staying onboard.

COB = crew onboard, is the best scenario we can hope for.
 
#17 ·
I think the style of the boat has more to do with it than most post have indicated. Obviously with anything with a pilothouse type appendage or even fixed Dodgers you would need dual jacklines/

On many newer sail boats with relatively low cabins a single life line from Bow to cockpit centered appears best. I'm looking at having the ability to have it elevated about 2 to 3 foot off the deck and use a 3 foot tether line to connect with. On any boat over about 28 foot, that should keep you from ever leaving the deck. Not leaving the deck appears to be a good goal for jackline installation when ever possible.
 
#18 ·
Has anyone ever devised an MOB device that would communicate with an electronic autohelm and make the boat head up into irons if there was an MOB. I know they have MOB alarms that recognize when someone (who is wearing the doohicky) goes over, but it seems like it wouldn't be that hard to have that system communicate with the autohelm. Am I just being a naive newbie, or does that sound possible?
 
#19 ·
I can see the value in that if solo-sailing. Otherwise, I would never have any automated helm control activated in the event of a MOB. With so many points of sail, it's more important to come about immediately to a reciprocal compass heading. Heading into the wind may take the vessel further from the point the crew went overboard - possibly in the reverse direction of currents as well.
 
#20 ·
Denise, Forget about lines hanging over the side, or ways of climbing back aboard. Things like that only work when you're at anchor. If you're solo, be attached to a strong point by a tether that will stop you short of going over, because that's what it's all about. NOT GOING OVER. No matter how convenient a long tether seems, it's not worth it. In rough weather, when you can't avoid going forward, use 2 short tethers and move from one strongpoint to another. Nylon jacklines stretch too much for me, especially when wet.
RandyonR3 had a good idea that I've also used, rigging an extra lifeline from bow to stern held up by the shrouds.
Never put yourself in a position where you can go over the side, because you'll NEVER get back on by yourself.

You don't keep your boat in Bristol, do you? I hate the Delaware.
Marc
 
#22 ·
Hey marc Yes I wholeheartly agree! keep the tether short! AND find as many ways to keep yourself in the cockpit too!

I'm a Yacht Club and yes we are on the tidal Deleware Marc, It's not great but there are lots of sailboaters up here. There are races, picnics, gatherings, and the DRYL (Delaware River Yachtsmens Legue) has about 30 clubs all the way from trenton to the Delaware Bay. My YC is Anchor YC in Bristol. and they have lots of activities too. Those that want to take the trip can get to Deleware bay and or the Chesepeake in about 12 hrs LOL. (twice a year for me) unless they have ugh.. speed boats!

Best thing about it for me is that I can be on my boat from home in less then 20 mins! Never really timed it, but I think I could have the sails up in less then 30mins from home LOL.
 
#23 ·
Denise, I used to bring my boats up to Riverside for the winter every year, and it was nice. Also 20-30 min. away from home in Langhorne. Made the last trip about 15 years ago. Then I got a catamaran and none of the yards had a wide enough lift. This year I found out that Neshaminy State Marina put in a wide lift, so I'm back. Got hauled last Fri. I must admit it's pretty, up that far, but come spring, I'm gone.
Marc
 
#24 ·
One thing to consider is a dual-leg tether. The one I normally use has a 1 meter leg and a longer 2 meter leg. While I normally use the 2 meter leg, when I'm working on the bow I will generally use the 1 meter leg. Of course, falling overboard is much less of an issue on my boat, since the jacklines are about five feet inboard of the ama outboard edge. :D
 
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