Single handing

[TrueBlue]

Originally Posted by sailortjk1

. . . still attached and the boat on the beach. (Me dead of course)

Or attached and the boat in Davy Jone's Locker. Keelboats usually sink when swamped, another reason for a quick release.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by gabachojefe

Thanks, Harry. Makes a bit more sense to me now.

Another beginner's question (feel free to yell at me and send me to a different forum): why an inflatable (automatic or otherwise) PFD versus a, um, noninflatable (?) one?

If the boom hits you on the head, knocks you overboard and unconscious at the same time...you'll be regretting the manual inflation PFD.

Also, a few reasons you want a releasable-under-load shackle on the body side of the tether is if your boat capsizes, and the tether is holding you under the water, or if your tether gets tangled with the spinnaker sheet and is pulling you into the air during a spinnaker broach—I think you'd want to have the tether off.

[Irwin32]

I am still waiting for a reply from a single hander who went overboard and can tell us how they survived. I stand by my original position: Once off the boat you are dead.

[infonote]

A single-hander will "tie" himself to a boat using a harness. He/she will be risking a lot if he/she does not do so.

I agree if single hander falls off the boat, he is dead.

[Surfesq]

There was a guy who responded on Fight Club who went overboard on his boat while single handing off New England.

I single handed my boat across the Atantic and from Annapolis to Bermuda and back. When I am in open water I use a typical jackline set-up. I prefer a harness tethered to the jackline rather than a PDF. I never towed lines behind the boat. But I can appreciate the logic behind that concept. If you go over board the chances of you catching that line are just too slim to give up the speed or risk snagging something. I remained clipped in the entire time I am out of the cabin without exception. There are just too many things that can happen when you are alone at sea to risk taking it off.

Now for sailing in the Chesapeake I am a bit more relaxed when single handing. If there is a good blow 20 plus I will use my harness and clip in when I go forward. However, if I am alone in the spring or fall when the water temperature is below 65 I wil use the harness when I go forward in all conditions.

[sailingdog]

I wear a PFD that is also my safety harness. Belts and braces so to speak.

Generally, I always clip in if it is really blowing, at night, or when the water is colder.

Falling off the boat is a death sentence in most cases. Unless you carry a PLB, chances of being rescued before hypothermia sets is, especially when the water is colder up here in New England, is very slim.

[catamount]

Originally Posted by Irwin32

I am still waiting for a reply from a single hander who went overboard and can tell us how they survived. I stand by my original position: Once off the boat you are dead.

In the book "My Old Man and the Sea: A Father and Son Sail Around Cape Horn" by David and Daniel Hays, the son fell overboard during his night watch, but got washed back into the boat by the next wave. He decided not to tell the Dad about it. Not exactly single-handing, but they were standing 6 hour watches alone.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by catamount

In the book "My Old Man and the Sea: A Father and Son Sail Around Cape Horn" by David and Daniel Hays, the son fell overboard during his night watch, but got washed back into the boat by the next wave. He decided not to tell the Dad about it. Not exactly single-handing, but they were standing 6 hour watches alone.

They were effectively single handing....and damn lucky. It is only due to a freak accident that the son is here to tell the tale.

[warchild]

Hi all!

I remember reading about an item that might be of interest. it was in the May 04 issue of Latitudes & Attitudes about an automatic man overboard autopilot the web site is euromarinetrading.com or you can get info on it by surching for nke electronics

Bob

Phoenix AZ

[hellosailor]

"How about an electronic device that HAS to be WITHIN 20 metres of the boat to KEEP the autopilot working." If they aren't already on the market, they are easily made.
The simplest would be to use a standard kill switch from a jetski. That's a wrist tether with a 36" long line that goes to a kill switch in the ignition, pull out the line and the ignition quits. Install it in your autopilot's power line and the same thing happens, the auto will die when you move away.
Next up is to make that wireless, and you can also do that fairly easily using a luggage locater or kiddie tracker. One box goes to each end (you and the luggage, you and the kid, etc.) and when they get 20-25 feet apart, your box squeels an alarm. Tie the alarm to a power relay, interrupt the autopilot power, again the auto powers gets cut off if you get away.

Ain't rocket science. WILL false if your "box" has a dead battery or gets stepped on. So the more expensive ones that are on the market (I know there's at least one) are MOB alarms that sound an active alarm when the bearer splashes in the water. Again, just splice the alarm to a reply on the autopilot power.

If you think stopping an autopilot is going to save you.