My concern is single handed sailing even on calm waters when you take into consideration that I am just naturally clumsy and there are many obstacles to trip over on deck. A sailboat sailing off into the sunset is a beautifull thing, but not as much so if you are bobbing in the water and that sailboat is your's.I am a little indecisive about a harness on a Mac, as part of me thinks it's a safe idea, but the other part thinks I wouldn't want to be out on a Mac when I'd need one...
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Safety Harness Tether
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Bransher
- First Officer
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:07 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Central Florida - 07 26M w/50 hp Suzuki.
eric3a wrote:
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Craig LaForce
- First Officer
- Posts: 349
- Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 9:38 pm
Just for something to do, I bought a harness , double latch tether, and flat jackline from West a few years ago. I rigged the jackline along the port side, tied to the base of the pulpit stantion and the stantion at the step down from the cabin top to the cockpit. Did not get in the way at all, so left it there for a while to try out.
I hated the harness. too much junk to wrestle with (it had those shoulder straps and belt and funny buckles on it. I ended up cutting the shoulder straps off the thing, so it can be donned just like a normal belt. Then the tether was a little too long (I wanted it short enough so it didn't drag on the deck to get snagged, and also shorter might keep you on deck instead of letting you be dragged alongside in the water.
Then I noticed the shackle would clank along the deck, so wrapped it with electrical tape to protect the deck (but did not cover the parts that move to enable the latch to work).
I mainly did this as a leading exercise. Never felt I needed it for inshore sailing. I also use the tether with the shackles as a boarding aid on the swim ladder. I put a large padeye on the back rail, and with both ends of the tether latched onto the padeye, the tether makes a great thing to grasp while boarding the stern ladder from a dingy or swimming, since it hangs almost to the water, and can be grabbed at any convenient height.
I hated the harness. too much junk to wrestle with (it had those shoulder straps and belt and funny buckles on it. I ended up cutting the shoulder straps off the thing, so it can be donned just like a normal belt. Then the tether was a little too long (I wanted it short enough so it didn't drag on the deck to get snagged, and also shorter might keep you on deck instead of letting you be dragged alongside in the water.
Then I noticed the shackle would clank along the deck, so wrapped it with electrical tape to protect the deck (but did not cover the parts that move to enable the latch to work).
I mainly did this as a leading exercise. Never felt I needed it for inshore sailing. I also use the tether with the shackles as a boarding aid on the swim ladder. I put a large padeye on the back rail, and with both ends of the tether latched onto the padeye, the tether makes a great thing to grasp while boarding the stern ladder from a dingy or swimming, since it hangs almost to the water, and can be grabbed at any convenient height.
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craigsmith
- Just Enlisted
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Wed May 31, 2006 3:35 am
- Location: Auckland, New Zealand
- Contact:
Short is definitely better, and it's an idea to try to clip the line inboard if possible, so you can move around the deck but not over the edges.
Deep sea the reality is you don't clip on 100% of the time, only when you're at the mast or on the foredeck doing what you need to do. The trip from the cockpit and back is the most dangerous bit.
Deep sea the reality is you don't clip on 100% of the time, only when you're at the mast or on the foredeck doing what you need to do. The trip from the cockpit and back is the most dangerous bit.
I remember the true story about David Zaharik (I first heard it from his friend, who was my neighbour) who few years ago fell overboard out of Active Pass, BC waters, West Coast, fairly calm seas and no life jacket. Life line gave up on him and he ended in the water while boat was on autopilot sailing towards Point Roberts. Real survivor story. Since then I never rely on life lines when under way.
Zoran
Zoran