Mounting & use of Jacklines and tethers and sharks. Oh, my!

[Captain Smollett]

not put yourself into a bad situation, like going to the bow or mast. I realize that this is not always possible. On my boat after going to any weather for 6 hrs the bow is really slippery with salt.

Perhaps drifting a bit off topic, and I may well be in the minority here, but it is my plan to have the boat properly rigged to go to bow or mast in ANY conditions.  There are a number of reasons for this.

It's a sailboat FIRST.  That's what she is designed to do.  Since I choose not to have roller furling for my headsail, going forward may be a necessity.  Even with roller furling for the headsail, there may be cases (deployment of a drag on a bridle, repair/jury rig headstay, etc) where going forward = survival.  I don't want to approach going forward with the psychology of "this is something I really don't want to do."  It needs to be something I am comfortable and confident doing - which to me means doing it regularly.

I've read that by going forward regularly, your body 'learns' how to do it by instinct - where the handholds are, where to step, how to lean, etc.  The contrast is also possible, however: you DON'T just know how unless you do it, so if in some emergency you HAVE to go to the bow, you are at much higher risk.

This is part of the reason I want hard points forward.  I can use jacklines for moving around, but if there is 'extended' work to be done forward, I'd prefer to clip to a more secure, immovable anchor point.

Different Strokes and all that....

[David_Old_Jersey]

I've read that by going forward regularly, your body 'learns' how to do it by instinct - where the handholds are, where to step, how to lean, etc.  The contrast is also possible, however: you DON'T just know how unless you do it, so if in some emergency you HAVE to go to the bow, you are at much higher risk.

Good point I had not thought of the foredeck work like this before. Maybe a reason why I have no problem with everything being led to the foot of the mast, apart from the fact that due to the windscreen it would anyway be a PITA to lead things back to the cockpit.

But I must confess that I would be loathe to ever give up my furling headsail, but this is out of an easier life as singlehanded and sheer laziness  ;D - when I was a kid it was normal for us children to do all the foredeck work including sail changes. Lifelines? Lifejackets? usually not. No one ever fell overboard though.

With hindsight probably some child protection issues going on here  ;D

[AdriftAtSea]

Capn Smollett-

If that is the case, then I would highly suggest you get a dual tether setup, similar to the one I have... that way you can clip into the jackline, and then when you get up to the foredeck, you can clip the second leg into the hardpoint that you have specificially for working on the foredeck.  This way you can stay attached the whole way forward, and have the extra security of a double attachment when working the foredeck.

[Captain Smollett]

I was thinking about that or two separate tethers.  Two has some advantages, but probably not a lot.

[Auspicious]

I have two D-rings in the cockpit (port side bulkhead). Even with the long leg of the tether clipped in I can't go over the side. Jacklines run down both sides between dedicated heavily backed up eye-bolts. As near as I can tell (not tested) as long as I go over the lifelines my head won't go in.

1. Keep the boat in the water
2. Keep the water out of the boat
3. Keep in the boat

[Fortis]

Another thing that I have asked but never gotton a response is - Has ahybody tried to get back on board with their tether on?

Just, Anchor, put on the tether, go to the bow, and get in the water SAFELY. Then try to get back on board. Hummmm.

In theory that is what rescue snatch blocks are for. You split the snatch block and thread it to the tether, then attach the snatchblock to a halyard.. Because the end of the tether is still attached to the padeye, your get a 2:1 advantage on cranking up the halyard (should be the spinnaker halyard as this usually has a pivoting block at the top of the mast) and may ...MAY...just get someone hoiked back on board....Anyway, that is one of the recognised rescue options, and actually preferred to getting somoene to go around the back of the boat to the swim ladder. In any kind of sea at all (like the kind it likely takes to knock you overboard and put you in danger) the stern on most boats is like a big heavy hammer, and your head is the nail. You and the boat do not rise and fall on the waves at the same rate....

Also, having someone decide to opt for the back of the boat means that the engine really should be shut off, which limits manuevarabilty in case the getting on board does not work and you need to go get them again.

Basically, it is a touch problamatic in anything other then calm conditions.

[Lynx]

Does not work to well single handing.

Perfered method for single handed?

[AdriftAtSea]

Lynx-

I think part of the problem is that the preferred method of getting back aboard is going to be slightly different for every boat.

[Captain Smollett]

Does not work to well single handing.

Perfered method for single handed?

Just brainstorming (ie, I have not tried this aboard, but will), why not keep a couple of loops of light line in your pocket to tie a couple of prusik hitches into your tether.  Then you could "walk" up them like a moving rope ladder.  (Prusik loops are the tied-rope versions of jumars and resemble a rolling hitch with a loop for your foot).

Prusik Hitch
Another Prusik Hitch


Now, before I get 50,000 reasons why this won't work, let me say this is THE way for self-rescue from a crevasse fall in glacier mountaineering.  The idea is that your rope mate must secure the rope to arrest your fall, and if he's doing that, he really cannot rescue you.  So, you keep the prusik loops tied to the rope and stuffed into your pocket.  If you fall into a crevasse, you are hanging by the rope.  Out come the loops, slip them around your boots and up you go.

I *HAVE* done this, and it works.  Somewhere around here I have a pic I took from INSIDE such a hole while hanging by the rope before I climbed out.  Adapting it to use on the boat should be relatively minor.

There is also another technique in aid climbing that's called a "self-pulley."  I once demonstrated the combination of self-pulley and prusiks by climbing a vertical rope suspended 80 ft from a pine tree limb.  The self pulley has you holding onto the 'fall' of a line that is holding you after it goes through a block (or in climbing, simply a carabiner usually).  You 'bounce' your weight while pulling on the fall and up you go.  It is NOT that hard, and to get back aboard, you only need to go a few feet.

Third, and I think this aid climbing technique has a lot to recommend it aboard, how about keeping a set of etriers handing (in a pocket, or permanently rigged on the side of the boat).  They are easy to make (it takes about 5 minutes using flat webbing).

Here we are not talking about techniques that are of much use if you are incapicitated or seriously injured.  That's a different ball of wax. 

[skylark]

I have some automotive seat belt strap that I will cleat off at the forward mooring cleat and run back on either side of the cabin house to some secure point near the companionway. 

Then take a 6' line and tie a loose bowline around the strap, the other end of the line gets another bowline that I would snap the harness on to.

I don't have a harness yet so I haven't tried this.

[Captain Smollett]

I have some automotive seat belt strap that I will cleat off at the forward mooring cleat and run back on either side of the cabin house to some secure point near the companionway. 

Then take a 6' line and tie a loose bowline around the strap, the other end of the line gets another bowline that I would snap the harness on to.

I don't have a harness yet so I haven't tried this.

That sounds like a good plan and I will do similarly. Not to overstate the obvious, but I will add a good sharp knife to the list ON MY PERSON in case I have to cut that tether loose QUICKLY.

[CharlieJ]

ADD a good sharp knife??? You mean you don't already carry one?

I'm NEVER without my Leatherman and when sailing I may even add a rigging knife on my person. Laura usually has her swiss army knife on a lanyard around her neck or in a pocket when we are sailing.

I've used a readily available knife to get out of a serious  fix on board twice now in my sailing days- I'll NEVER be without one ON ME when I'm out there.

A good sharp blade is about as needed as your pants when you are sailing, in my opinion

[Captain Smollett]

ADD a good sharp knife??? You mean you don't already carry one?

Right.  I just meant add it to the list that was quoted for rigging jacklines - for benefit of any possible new sailors who may not realize you need a quick escape route when TYING oneself to the boat (as opposed to using quick release snap shackles).   ;)

[maxiSwede]

A good sharp blade is about as needed as your pants when you are sailing, in my opinion

Defintely... the problem comes up in really nice weatherwhen I cruise without pants!

Haven´t found a suitable pocket for it then... :P

[CharlieJ]

 ;D ;D That IS a problem then ;D ;D

I was just surprised at his "add" because I figured he was experienced enough to KNOW to have one really handy.

A howdy from Texas and a big welcome aboard by the way.

Never made it to Sweden. Made it to Norway once, but that's not quite the same is it? ;)

[AdriftAtSea]

That's what lanyards are for... no pockets needed.  BTW, I generally carry a Boyes rigging knife and have rigging knives attached to all of the harnesses.  I also like the Leatherman Charge series of pocket tools, and have one that lives on the GPS chartplotter bracket. 

[Captain Smollett]

I was just surprised at his "add" because I figured he was experienced enough to KNOW to have one really handy.

Okay, okay, I went back and read my original post and see how I managed to make myself look like a fool.

I wrote "I will add" when I meant to type "I would add."  When will these computer thingies just know what I want to say and correct me when I mistype?   ;D ;D

[CharlieJ]

ROFL- funny how one little word can make such a difference isn't it?

[maxiSwede]

Never made it to Sweden. Made it to Norway once, but that's not quite the same is it? ;)

Sweden(i e the Baltic) has an advantage(?) of no tides, and a terrific archipelago to provide a private anchorage to every one who would care for one.

However Norway is a LOT more beatiful if you ask me. Never been to NZ, but from what I´ve seen in photos, I would vote on Norway and NZ as the most beatiful countries in the world.

sorry... way OT here.  8)

FWIW I also love my Leatherman tool   ;)

[maxiSwede]

In an attempt to say something ON the topic:

A couple of sturdy eye-bolts in the cockpit and jacklines from stem to companionway is what I´ve finally gone for. I use flat lines - like belts- ´cause the rope ones is a lethal trap once you step on them and they roll under your foot.

That said, I really don´t feel comfortable with the tethers. Sure makes everything a hassle on foredeck. But the alternative; IF the unthinkable would happen, is a slightly worse, I assume.