Single handing

[jbanta]

Harness, Springlines (at least two), A fixed boarding ladder, Flotation!!, A good float plan that will allow you to stay rested.

[gershel]

Hi Barb,
A harness with a tether that has 2 attachment points, that are short enough to keep you from going over the side. This way you don''t have to worry about climbing back aboard, which is almost impossible. The other thing is to do things slower than you would if you had crew. Try to think ahead, and be more deliberate. Remember there''s no one to cover for you if you goof up. If you are doing overnighters,try taking short naps every hour or two, even if your not tired.You can go for quite a few days like this without becoming a zombie.
Enjoy youself, the saisfaction you''ll feel is great, Marc

[windship]

What if you took a small diameter line, say maybe 30 or 40 feet long, tied a bunch of knots about a foot apart at one end and tie the other end to the bottom of the spoked helm wheel. On port tack run the line directly to the stbd rail(opposite when on stbd tack)just in front of a stantion and let it trail behind the boat. If you fall off just grab the line that''s trailing in the water. Pulling on the line will turn the wheel turning the boat into the wind...
Right??

Dennis

[jbanta]

Anyone who single hands and doesn''t take every step possible to avoid a MOB situation is crazy. I harness up and my spring lines would allow me to just have my knees off the deck should I slip. It wouldn''t be hard to wiggle back on if hips are still on the deck. I am looking at the self inflatable PFD with harness built in. I am still on the hard for now so the purchace can wait. I am thinking that that type of PFD would solve alot of my worries. Even those strage laws the Canadian Goverment has come up with about required PFD for anyone on deck or in the cockpit.

[owenmccall]

Jim, you keep saying spring lines; I think you mean jack lines. Spring lines are for docking.

[jbanta]

Sorry you are right....jack lines of course

[Tenfifty]

On the subject of knives, it seems to me that a good J-hook would work best (and safest) for cutting through the line quickly. As an ex Navy parachute rigger I have found the the J Hook necessary equipment in many situations. Slices through suspension lines, seat belts, and rappelling harnesses with ease.

Additionally, I have reservations about auto actuated PFD''s. They''re great if there''s a good chance you will hit the drink unconscious but otherwise I find them to be more of a safety hazard by themselves than are worth it. If you or crew wear a auto actuated PFD please use caution wearing it below deck. A heeds bottle mounted to the bulkhead is also good piece of mind.

Just my $.02.

Shane

[paulwest]

Does anyone have a polar file for the Valiant 32.

Paul West

[sailnaway]

We talked about this last year allot of us had different ideas. Here are two of mine. Take standard dock lines 25' 1/2" with eye spliced in, tie large knots in the line at even distances. Take the spliced end and put it around a stanchion with a pass through the eye and if you fall over with a tether on and if you have done some measurements and placed the ropes where you would be hanging you have a SECOND CHANCE which is what we were calling the devices. a couple or more on each side where you do most of your deck work is a cheep insurance policy. Take them off when your coming into port ,tackie looking things like fenders hanging off the sides while your sailing. Oh number two was a line draging behing the boat about one hundred feet if your scared you might catch it and pull like Samson.

[sailingdog]

My recommendation is to take every precaution to prevent going overboard, especially if single-handing. Once you're in the water, your chance of surviving drops incredibly...especially in cold water/weather areas.

Good jacklines, harnesses and double-ended tethers are key, as are roller furling head sails, a good storm drogue (preferably a Jordan series drogue), a good PFD (one inflatable for every day use, and a foam one for long term emergencies), good foul weather gear, a good rigging knife (I prefer Boye Knives) and an EPIRB.

Any questions, comments, drop me a note.