With the exception of providing protection for children, I have never really understood what most lifelines do. In fact, I think they probably provide a false sense of security.
If conditions are rough and I'm on deck, I'm harnessed to the center of the boat. The boat provides plenty of inboard handholds and a substantial toe rail for moderate conditions ("one hand for the boat and one for you"). I work in construction, where safety rails are placed at 42 inches above the floor by law, for a reason. Most medium sized sailboats have lifelines at 24 inches. Because lifelines are generally well below my (and most people's) center of gravity, I think they would probably flip me into the water head first, if I did go overboard. Obviously, 42 inch lifelines would interfere with the rigging on most boats, and would therefore be impractical.
When I do contact the lifelines, it's because they are in my way. They also create one more maintenance issue I don't need, and sometimes contact my jib sheets in ways that don't please me. The lifeline stanchions are a tempting, though, in my opinion, inappropriate hand hold for crew on the dock to grab to maneuver the boat.
Since removing the lines and stations from my boat, the view from the cockpit is unobstructed, moving on deck and getting on or off the boat is considerably easier.
Yet, given all this, I see lifelines on almost all sailboats with the exception of some racing boats and Folkboats. I trully believe they are installed to provide a false sense of security. Am I missing something?
Does anyone have examples of lifelines hurting or helping sailors?
For the most part I agree completely, they are too low to realy keep you on deck. My little sailboat (22ft) had lifelines on it when I bought it, But the side decks were so narrow that with the lifelines on you had to go over the cabin to reach the foredeck, which gave you about a 6" 'gap' to fall into if you hoped to catch the lifelines in case of a slip, and from the cabin top, they came to just below mid calf. I preferred running without them on that boat because I could reach the foredeck easier, and if I did slip I would be more likely to go in feet first with a reduced chance of injury from not getting tangled up in the lines.
My other boats have wide enough decks that I can walk inside the lines, which is nice, so even though they are at the same height, they offer a hand hold on the way forward so I'm willing to keep them.
Think for kids, they're a false sense of security, netting would be a good move when kids are aboard. (finally got rid of all the kids, and now they're bringing grandkids around all the time to hang out with grandpa, just can't win!)
The lifelines do provide some security, since they may help stop you from falling overboard, especially if you've got doubles rather than singles, if the boat suddenly heels and you end up sliding across the deck. Mostly though, I think they are there for psychological security.
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Sailingdog Telstar 28
New England
You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)
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Bad lifelines, or incoreectly secured staunchions are worse than useless....But good ones, even the lowish ones common to most boats are very usefull.
The only time I have come close to going over in a bad way, at a bad time, in a bad place was on board a friend's 30 footer during a late evening delivery pre-race and just coming in through the heads from the ocean to the bay. We tacked , I needed to attend to something on the other side of the deck, tripped over one of the bank of halyards running across the cabin top on their way to the mast, tumbled, grabbed for things like the boom or a winch and missed, (though my ribs briefly found something solid standing proud of the deck) and the next thing I knew, I was in a horizontal orientation and flying off the cabin roof towards the water. I fell into the top lifeline, fell into the deck and got to lie there gathering my wits as the water ungently let me know I was on the wrong side of the boat. The bottom lifelin kept me in place and provided a handhold to my somewhat shaken self as I made my way back to the cockpit.
90% of the time they are a pain in the butt and in the way....It is worth it for the other times, when you really need them.
You would not believe how much my impact stretched the stainless-steel lifeline! It was more than could be adjusted by the pelican hook tensioner!
The lifelines do provide some security, since they may help stop you from falling overboard, .
I agree completely. This last early spring I was crewing during a race and although I don't normally due bow work I was drafted into it. Water temps were still in the low 50's. Just after I sprung the whisker pole The Skipper did a hard tack while at the same time the boat fell off a ferry wake. I was airborne and headed over the side. If it were not for the life lines I'd be in the water. With the water temp being what it was, well let's just say that things could have been a little tense.
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Dave
s/v "eclipse"
Mystic CT
2007 Hunter 49
I find that when exiting the cockpit, they are the first thing I grab onto until I get to the coach roof area. And when I say grab onto, its more of just a sense of having something to steady yourself. They are a big physcilogical help if you ask me. And if the chips were down and it looks like your going in, they would be that last little bit of hope before you hit the water.
The original poster stated;
Quote:
If conditions are rough and I'm on deck, I'm harnessed to the center of the boat.
my point is when conditions are calm and you are walking about in a sense of false security, than take that little tiny 2 footer that hits you just right and knocks you off balance. That is when you really rely on them to steady yourself for that second or so. Lets face it, I am on a thether very little.
__________________
Sailingdog Telstar 28
New England
You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)
If you're new to the Sailnet Forums... please read this POST.
)
And then I fell through an open boarding gate. It was a small wake and a moment of inattention.
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