An alternative way to attach a harness

[erps]

I've been thinking about an alternative way to attach ourselves to the boat. I'm familiar with the standard way, a tether with a quick release hook attached to the D-rings of the harness, the other hook attached to an anchor point or jackline. I don't like the idea of the lower safety hook rattling around at the anchor point or rattling up and down the deck on the jackline.

I've been thinking of permanently attaching the quick release hook to one of the harness D-rings with a short length of line through the eye, leaving the quick release part hanging free. I would make up another length of line tied to the anchor point or jackline with a loop at the bitter end. When its time to clip in, I would thread the quick release hook through the other D-Ring, then clip into the loop at the end of the tether line. It would do away with the second hook rattling around the the deck and it would be a fraction of the cost of store bought tethers. Just thought I would throw it out there to see if someone has already tried something like this and discovered it just doesn't work.

[jrd22]

Erps- so if I understand it correctly you would have a line, or you could use webbing, with a loop spliced into each end permanently looped around the the jackline. When you want to hook in just grab the other end loop and hook into the quick release. Seems pretty simple, you would have to have as many as necessary for the amount of crew you anticipate on each jackline or attachment place. You would probably want some kind of chafe guard on the one at the deck to prevent abrasion. Seems like it would work to me, and it eliminates one piece of hardware.

[TxLnghrn]

I understand the arguments for quick release, but something about them scares me. I don't like the thought that what I am using to keep my butt on the boat could potentially get released accidentally. I choose to use locking carabiners Petzl Attache HMS Screwgate Locking Carabiner at REI.com and a personal anchor system Metolius Personal Anchor System at REI.com for my attachment to the jacklines (also climbing grade webbing).

Michael

[Giulietta]

Unfortunately...I am travelling...otherwise I would come up with some drawings and photoshops, of what you reaaly need

[goboatingnow]

you need a quick release, if you have a dinghy or a RIB try get pulled at 5 knots in an inflated lifejacket, it pulls you under. You need to be able to release it and the ones with two safety hooks are damm near impossible to release under load.

I switched from the second type to the first type after such an experience, theres no point being attached to the boat and drowned.

I would advise against locking carabiners, in my experience they can be difficult to open when the dring is bearing against the moving part.

[sailingdog]

TXLNGHRN—

What if your boat turns turtle... if you don't have a quick release and have gloves on sailing in colder waters... you might not be able to get the tether detached quickly enough. You really do need a quick release on the body side of any safety tether. Anything that can not be released under load is a serious danger.

Originally Posted by TxLnghrn

I understand the arguments for quick release, but something about them scares me. I don't like the thought that what I am using to keep my butt on the boat could potentially get released accidentally. I choose to use locking carabiners Petzl Attache HMS Screwgate Locking Carabiner at REI.com and a personal anchor system Metolius Personal Anchor System at REI.com for my attachment to the jacklines (also climbing grade webbing).

Michael

[sailingdog]

Erps-

While this might work well for you, it would cause you some issues if you have people crewing for you that don't have the same type of harness modification you do. That means you'd be having to supply the harnesses to go with the tethers on your boat, and train the crew how to use them properly.

If it is the rattling that is what bothers you, why don't you just take a short 2-3" section of the outer braid off a piece of 1/2" dacron double braid and use it to cover the majority of the metal on the hooks. That would stop the rattling.

Originally Posted by erps

I've been thinking about an alternative way to attach ourselves to the boat. I'm familiar with the standard way, a tether with a quick release hook attached to the D-rings of the harness, the other hook attached to an anchor point or jackline. I don't like the idea of the lower safety hook rattling around at the anchor point or rattling up and down the deck on the jackline.

I've been thinking of permanently attaching the quick release hook to one of the harness D-rings with a short length of line through the eye, leaving the quick release part hanging free. I would make up another length of line tied to the anchor point or jackline with a loop at the bitter end. When its time to clip in, I would thread the quick release hook through the other D-Ring, then clip into the loop at the end of the tether line. It would do away with the second hook rattling around the the deck and it would be a fraction of the cost of store bought tethers. Just thought I would throw it out there to see if someone has already tried something like this and discovered it just doesn't work.

[Jeff_H]

I see a bigger issue to this set up. In really extreme weather you do not ever want to be unhooked while on deck. The usual set up is to have two teathers, on the D rings so you can go from anchor point or jackline to the next anchor point or jackline without ever being unhooked. If you have the rope strop on the jackline, it may not be in the place where you need it. If you add a second strop that you carry with you, it will be twice as long as a normal strop and the strop you are hung on will be double, giving you a lot more stuff to trip over. On my previous boat, I put heatshrink on a twing shackle that used to beat up my deck and topsides and made a lot of noise and the heatshrink helped a lot. You might do a combo of S.D.'s suggestion of a rope cover under heatshrink for more sound attenuation.

Jeff

[soulesailor]

I've posted this before on previous harness threads and it mostly gets ignored, but I still believe in it whole-heartedly:

kayak rescue vest

By clipping on off your back you WILL NOT go under or face down while dragging through the water. Clipping on off your chest just seems like asking for trouble. Ever try water skiing and not gotten up or let go of the rope? That's what clipping in off your chest will be like over board. Of course, having your tether short enough to not go into the water is a good idea, but you never know what will happen.

[bubb2]

Originally Posted by soulesailor

I've posted this before on previous harness threads and it mostly gets ignored, but I still believe in it whole-heartedly:

kayak rescue vest

By clipping on off your back you WILL NOT go under or face down while dragging through the water. Clipping on off your chest just seems like asking for trouble. Ever try water skiing and not gotten up or let go of the rope? That's what clipping in off your chest will be like over board. Of course, having your tether short enough to not go into the water is a good idea, but you never know what will happen.

If I understand what you are saying, I wonder how you can release a tether that clips to your back?