I'm looking for some ideas for a suitable anchor point for a helmsman's tether on our H41AC. What have others done?
Anchor Point for a Helmsman's Tether - H41AC
- Thread starter dkinzer
- Start date
Much depends on your boat and how you sail it.
Assuming solo sailing, you will need the tether to reach all of the points on the boat needed to control the boat. This would require moving from the helm to the companion way. Assuming a 6 ft tether you could run a jackline on the sole of the cockpit from just behind the helm to the companion way. Attach two folding pad-eyes to the sole as strong points on either the port or starboard side of the helm. Then secure tightly the jackline to the pad-eyes. I use the starboard side on my boat. My tether stays attached to the jackline. As I climb the ladder to get to the cockpit the tether is hanging there to attach to my harness. I know where I’m going and I know there will be nothing to trip my feet as the rule on the boat is “The starboard pathway and JackLines are required to be free of all obstacles so access is unrestricted!”
8 mm Wichard Marine folding padeye.
2400kg working load
5000kg breaking load
Materials 17.4 pH stainless steel
316L stainless steel grade
Assuming solo sailing, you will need the tether to reach all of the points on the boat needed to control the boat. This would require moving from the helm to the companion way. Assuming a 6 ft tether you could run a jackline on the sole of the cockpit from just behind the helm to the companion way. Attach two folding pad-eyes to the sole as strong points on either the port or starboard side of the helm. Then secure tightly the jackline to the pad-eyes. I use the starboard side on my boat. My tether stays attached to the jackline. As I climb the ladder to get to the cockpit the tether is hanging there to attach to my harness. I know where I’m going and I know there will be nothing to trip my feet as the rule on the boat is “The starboard pathway and JackLines are required to be free of all obstacles so access is unrestricted!”
8 mm Wichard Marine folding padeye.
2400kg working load
5000kg breaking load
Materials 17.4 pH stainless steel
316L stainless steel grade
I have a large padeye low on the bridgedeck bulkhead, just below the companionway. With my long tether I can reach any part of the cockpit and go down the companionway but not fall out of the cockpit. Like jssailem, I have two folding padeyes, but mine are on the cabin top just to either side of the companionway. While clipped into and sitting in the cockpit, I can clip onto the jack lines with my short tether and then unclip from the cockpit. My short tether combined with the near center jack lines won't let me go over the side.
I should have put the folding padeyes further back on the bulkhead behind the cabintop. While I can sit and switch tethers, it is still a reach because the buckle/loop on the jack line causes me to reach a few inches further than planned. Another problem I have not yet solved is that my Jack lines interfere with my canvas dodger, I can't use them both at the same time. I don't normally use the dodger while sailing, but sometimes it would be nice.
I should have put the folding padeyes further back on the bulkhead behind the cabintop. While I can sit and switch tethers, it is still a reach because the buckle/loop on the jack line causes me to reach a few inches further than planned. Another problem I have not yet solved is that my Jack lines interfere with my canvas dodger, I can't use them both at the same time. I don't normally use the dodger while sailing, but sometimes it would be nice.
It would help to see the dodger. An idea, a padeye run to the side of the dodger then the jackline terminates there. A tether is permanently attached to jackline and draped into the cockpit. From cockpit you attach the GoForward jackline to your harness. Then release the cockpit tether an go forward outside of the dodger. Reverse procedure when returning to cockpit. Pick up cockpit tether which should be where to stashed it at the edge of the dodger.
I have four of these type padeyes in the cockpit; two at the base of the companionway on either side through-bolted to the cockpit sole. The other two are on either side of the helm seat near the cockpit sole, but through-bolted just above the scuppers. I have two short (length of cockpit) jacklines that run fore-aft between each pair of padeyes. If I'm sitting at the helm tethered to one or the other of the two jacklines I can move forward to the campanionway on either the starboard or port side of the cockpit. Thus, I can reach all four of the sheet winches and the two cabin-top winches while tethered. And can even descend through the companionway a short way w/o unhooking.
If I wish to leave the cockpit I have starboard and port jacklines that run the most of the length of the deck, so I can hook into either of them to go forward. The attachment points for the those long jacklines are padeyes through-bolted to the deck. The Bavaria 38E was already rigged this way when I bought it in 2004, but I've since replaced the jacklines.
Last edited:
Don't you love how you ask a specific question about your boat and you multiple replies from people with different boats. I have a 410 so I am not going to reply about your boat, LOL
Actually, the responses by owners of other boat models is still useful. Although I may not be able to do exactly as that person has done it provides food for thought.
Don't you love how you ask a specific question about your boat and some guy with nothing to contribute makes some snide remark about the others contributing to the conversation? Ha, ha!
It's a conversation!
Compared to the numbers and types of yachts out there, there are but few ways to anchor to a strong point on a fiberglass sailboat. So, regardless of the model the answers/recommendations will be quite similar. Take firearms for example. Many different markers and models of firearms that all fire the same round, e.g., 9 mm, or .22. Want to create a strong point, through-bolt an SS padeye to the deck or sole. That’s it. No matter who is asking.
Last edited: