Best bang for your buck for jacklines
- Thread starter obdoor
- Start date
Some folks use 1" tubular nylon rated at 4,000 lb. I had my sail maker make me up a pair for the Bavaria 38 for ca. $50 total. I do not leave them out, however, b/c of poor resistance to UV deterioration. They come off when we're done for the day. Price per foot of the nylon can vary.
Also, here's a quote from Practical Sailor, April 2007, re: other materials.
"Whatever jackline system is used, it should be supplemented with fixed clip-in points in the cockpit, at the helm, and around the mast—wherever crew members work for extended periods. International Sailing Federation recommendations require that two-thirds of the crew be able to be simultaneously clipped on without depending on jacklines. Our top choice is a low-stretch Dyneema or Spectra jackline custom made by a professional with loops bartacked in place. For those on a budget, low-stretch polyester jacklines like those made by one of our recommended suppliers will suffice. In either case, routine inspection for wear and UV damage is imperative."
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=54262
Also, here's a quote from Practical Sailor, April 2007, re: other materials.
"Whatever jackline system is used, it should be supplemented with fixed clip-in points in the cockpit, at the helm, and around the mast—wherever crew members work for extended periods. International Sailing Federation recommendations require that two-thirds of the crew be able to be simultaneously clipped on without depending on jacklines. Our top choice is a low-stretch Dyneema or Spectra jackline custom made by a professional with loops bartacked in place. For those on a budget, low-stretch polyester jacklines like those made by one of our recommended suppliers will suffice. In either case, routine inspection for wear and UV damage is imperative."
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=54262
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Mountain climbing equipment shop sell them by the foot. I paid $50 for 60 feet. Buy green color, red fades too fast. I leave them on all the time.
I made my own. I bought the stuff from Sailrite. I made my jacklines a bit long and I sewed several loops in the end of them so it could be used to pull yourself up with your hands and feet. It may or may not work but it is an extra chance.
That
This Practical Sailor advise was updated in 2015 with a caution about Dyneema/Spectra and wire jacklines. The anchor forces are MUCH greater and these require both stronger lines and stronger anchor points, above what ISAF requires (these did not exist when the rule was written).
Nylon stretches WAY to much for jacklines on any boat over about 25 feet. Not suitable. It also stretches when wet (they will get loose).
Also, I don't get the notion of taking the jacklines off when not in use. For a short-handed cruiser--most sailors--they are needed every day, same as a PFD. Every time...
* one person on watch
* chute up
* night
* possible thunderstorms
* off-shore
In other words, nearly all the time. Everything but daysails near the harbor and closely observed in-shore racing. Thus, jacklines should be of a construction that can be left rigged at all times. Do you really want to be rigging them in a hurry, and make a mistake? To me, they are more important than PFDs, since they are more likely to actually work (single handers don't need PFDs offshore or in the winter--you're done anyway).
I am also bothered by the habit of using cleats for jacklines. Aren't the cleats used for anchoring and mooring, meaning the jacklines need to come off every time? Sounds like dangerous sharing. Better, install dedicated jackline anchors.
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Unless you actually believe there is any chance of that working--try it at 4 knots--you would be better to cut it off. If you have not tried it, you have your answer. The risk is a false sense of security.
Most sailboats spend significantly more time at the slip than underway unless, perhaps, if world cruising. Why leave stuff out to deteriorate from sun damage? The lines go on when we leave the slip for sea, and off when we leave the boat in the slip for home. It takes but a very few minutes to rig 'em. One should routinely inspect them anyway at the attachment points; what better time than when making the attachments? Some reports I've read (but have not read the 2015 PS) conclude that stretchy jacklines may "work better" in some cases than low-stretch ones by avoiding dangerously high shock loads, etc.
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We made up our own jack lines using tubular webbing for climbing that we bought here, http://www.mec.ca/product/5020-829/web-source-125mm-nylon-tubular-climbing-webbing/?f=10+50001+50282 . I think sewing loops in the webbing is more difficult than it appears, we have a Sailrite sewing machine but still tied a knot in each end to form the loops. Lots of good information on the web on how to tie knots in it. It is sometimes recommended to use a few stitches in the tail coming out of the knot so it can't work it way back through.
I questioned Sailrite about the instructions they had for sewing loops in webbing to make Jack lines, they took them down. I have not checked to see if they have gone back up on their site or not.
We put them on when we go out on the ocean or at night. They run between our Hunter arch and the bow cleats.
Bob
There is good information here http://www.bethandevans.com/load.htm on load testing webbing Jack lines, they test the Sailrite loops as well as the jack lines Westmarine sell. The tests are way down the page.
I questioned Sailrite about the instructions they had for sewing loops in webbing to make Jack lines, they took them down. I have not checked to see if they have gone back up on their site or not.
We put them on when we go out on the ocean or at night. They run between our Hunter arch and the bow cleats.
Bob
There is good information here http://www.bethandevans.com/load.htm on load testing webbing Jack lines, they test the Sailrite loops as well as the jack lines Westmarine sell. The tests are way down the page.
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I used these: http://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?path=-1|135|2290131&id=1098663 They are expensive but are reflective at night, come with a loop in one end and a forged adjuster at the other. Low stretch and UV resistance. When my life or or my crew's life may depend on something, I gladly spend a little more money.
Thanks for posting that.
- Sailrite still has dangerous sewing instructions posted. I worked with Even on that and he is correct that sewing nylon by that method is probably about 50%, no better than a knot and less reliable. Do NOT sew nylon webbing unless you have tested samples at full load. The stretch in nylon makes it very difficult to sewn in any manner other than commercial bar tacks. I've broken many dozens of test samples, and I just finished breaking a set that had been aging for 2 years.
- Yes, some stretch is a good thing; no stretch means nearly infinite loads. However, nylon has too much stretch for this application and is NOT recomended by anyone other than Sailrite. It is ONLY acceptable for boats under 25 feet with short little jacklines. Polyester is the most common material and is optimum for boats 25-45 feet.
- If you are interested in low-stretch materials (Dyneema etc.), review the PS article. The forces are much greater, requiring that the the jacklines be stronger (~8000 pounds) and the anchors equally strong. Can be the right answer on big boats.
- If tied the climbing webbing jacklines are only about 50% of ISAF requirements. Probably enough, because nylon stretches so much the load factor is quite low (I did the testing for 2015 Practical Sailor), but just so you know. Knots would not be acceptable for polyester webbing (higher forces).
You make good points and I won't argue them for you. However, I single hand very often, which would mean re-rigging 20 times a year, with no crew to help. Bother that, it wouldn't get done. My solution, which will not work for everyone, is to use 1/2-inch polyester DB. Because of my routing it is NOT underfoot (cabin chime), and rope can stand the sun for many years before dropping below ISAF requirements. I replace them every 5-7 years.
If I had to use webbing, I guess I would be replacing them rather often. For me, better than neglecting to rig them. I might opt for webbing over Dyneema, which would last a lot longer.
The Pogo we sail on was designed from the ground up as an offshore short handed boat. It has what I think is current best-practice for jack lines.
Factory-designated and installed hard-points (Wichard D-rings) with:
1) CLEAN runs
2) hard points mounted well before the ends of the boat
Lines are UV resistant webbing with dyneema inside
Permanently mounted
TIGHT!
A line down the center of the cockpit for cockpit crew. Foredeck lines end at the companionway.
That's optimal. Anyone's situation might need/want less than that, but it's then suboptimal.
Factory-designated and installed hard-points (Wichard D-rings) with:
1) CLEAN runs
2) hard points mounted well before the ends of the boat
Lines are UV resistant webbing with dyneema inside
Permanently mounted
TIGHT!
A line down the center of the cockpit for cockpit crew. Foredeck lines end at the companionway.
That's optimal. Anyone's situation might need/want less than that, but it's then suboptimal.
I use the purpose-built Wichard Lyf'Safe jackline system. Adjustable, rated for 2 Gunnis, and built to that high Wichard quality standard. Yes, expensive. My crew is precious !
http://www.wichard.com/documents/NoticeLyfSafemultilingueslight.pdf
http://www.wichard.com/documents/NoticeLyfSafemultilingueslight.pdf
