Yes, they do... and generally, most boats that have a cat on board will have a heavy rope down to the water...so the cat can climb back aboard... 
Lifeline netting, who's got it, do you like it?
- Thread starter Cpt. Jon
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Cats
I saw a cat fall overboard off a docked boat. I was surprised at how poorly the cat swam. It was obvious it was not going to last long before tiring out. The owner had a fishing net for the purpose, but the panicking cat proved difficult to net. It all worked out and the cat survived by grabbing the net and hanging on as it got pulled to the dock.
I saw a cat fall overboard off a docked boat. I was surprised at how poorly the cat swam. It was obvious it was not going to last long before tiring out. The owner had a fishing net for the purpose, but the panicking cat proved difficult to net. It all worked out and the cat survived by grabbing the net and hanging on as it got pulled to the dock.
Re: Cats
I once had a cat that willing entered the water to hunt frogs. He had learned that the frogs jump into the water with any threat so to hunt from shore was a bust. But by wading in the water the frog would be more catchable.
I once had a cat that willing entered the water to hunt frogs. He had learned that the frogs jump into the water with any threat so to hunt from shore was a bust. But by wading in the water the frog would be more catchable.
http://www.seamar.com/nets/rail.html
Thank you very much for that link. I will now buy it for my boat. It is .75 per foot including shipping for 24" tall. It is nylon, but at that price you could buy it 4 times for the price of dacron.
Thank you very much for that link. I will now buy it for my boat. It is .75 per foot including shipping for 24" tall. It is nylon, but at that price you could buy it 4 times for the price of dacron.
let 'em know
Glad to be of help. Let them know you got their name from a satisfied customer who bought their netting two years ago.
"kids were little"
I hope you enjoy raising your children as sailors as much as my wife and I enjoyed the time with ours. Making smart safety rules and decisions is part of that.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
means exactly that. We got our boat when our oldest was 8 months old. The other two had their first sailing experiences at ages 1 1/2 months and 3 months. They grew up with sailing and being in and around the water as normal family time. Given that my youngest is now 18 years old and 6'1" tall, the rules have changed.
I hope you enjoy raising your children as sailors as much as my wife and I enjoyed the time with ours. Making smart safety rules and decisions is part of that.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
I personally don't think it is a bad idea with kids or dogs so if you want some here is a source.
http://www.seamar.com/nets/rail.html
Good Luck
Joe S
http://www.seamar.com/nets/rail.html
Good Luck
Joe S
Cpt. Jon,
When you install the netting and start teaching your child about, it may be a good idea to teach that it is NOT there to play on or to climb, or even to use as a hand hold. I can see a kid or an adult for that matter, get used to that security and use it that way all the time till some day it gives out. When I some day have Grandchildren on board we will install netting and it will be explained as only a Last Resort for keeping "Things" from going over the side. I have no experience with netting and while I like the idea of it's safty I don't like the idea of depending on it.
It sounds to me that you guys have a good handle on safty while sailing and are just looking for any added security and peice of mind. I think it's great to have as many safty features as you can . I personally don't think netting makes a good back rest either.. Hnit Hint
Good luck and happy sailling.
Bee
When you install the netting and start teaching your child about, it may be a good idea to teach that it is NOT there to play on or to climb, or even to use as a hand hold. I can see a kid or an adult for that matter, get used to that security and use it that way all the time till some day it gives out. When I some day have Grandchildren on board we will install netting and it will be explained as only a Last Resort for keeping "Things" from going over the side. I have no experience with netting and while I like the idea of it's safty I don't like the idea of depending on it.
It sounds to me that you guys have a good handle on safty while sailing and are just looking for any added security and peice of mind. I think it's great to have as many safty features as you can . I personally don't think netting makes a good back rest either.. Hnit Hint
Good luck and happy sailling.
Bee
in heavy weather--which can come up at any time in some of our neighborhoods, tethers are the best solutions even for adults---in darkness no one is visible in heavy water--imagine losing a cat or a dog or a husband or wife in the dark while in heavy weather for any reason-----lifelines and netting are not reliable as the lifeline material has a tendency to rust and snap and the netting goes with it.......tethers are not made of rust-able material and are snapped or tied on to places for ease of tending the boat----keep kids and pets and grown ups on a tether while making passages especially at nite and in heavy weather........gooood luck and happy sailing.....if the plan is never to make a passage of any significance, lifelines and netting is absolutely awesome......
***Update***
We have installed the lifeline netting and we are very happy with it. I don't have any complaints about it yet. Here are a few pictures. Ignore the zip ties at the bottom, they were only used to hold the netting in place while using rope to secure the netting and will be removed shortly.
We have installed the lifeline netting and we are very happy with it. I don't have any complaints about it yet. Here are a few pictures. Ignore the zip ties at the bottom, they were only used to hold the netting in place while using rope to secure the netting and will be removed shortly.
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So, who has or has had lifeline netting on their boat to maintain that warm and fuzzy feeling with children on board?
We seriously considered it, but decided against it. The false sense of security as noted by respondents about the strength of the netting and the lifelines themselves, as compared to "doing it right" by teaching and using harnesses we believed far outweighed the minuscule benefits they provided. We brought up a daughter on our 1981 C22 and a son on our 1981 C25. They're both still around to enjoy our C34!
Both of them learned to swim very early. Lifejackets always a must above decks.
Also consider that getting some/any "thing" back on board would either require cutting the bottom of the netting or hauling above the highest lifeline, unless there was a section, say by the pelican hooks, that can "open." We thought of more reasons to NOT do it than any benefits we could come up with.
We seriously considered it, but decided against it. The false sense of security as noted by respondents about the strength of the netting and the lifelines themselves, as compared to "doing it right" by teaching and using harnesses we believed far outweighed the minuscule benefits they provided. We brought up a daughter on our 1981 C22 and a son on our 1981 C25. They're both still around to enjoy our C34!
Both of them learned to swim very early. Lifejackets always a must above decks.
Also consider that getting some/any "thing" back on board would either require cutting the bottom of the netting or hauling above the highest lifeline, unless there was a section, say by the pelican hooks, that can "open." We thought of more reasons to NOT do it than any benefits we could come up with.
Throughout this thread I have not understood some peoples assumption that by installing lifeline netting someone was being more irresponsible, not going to teach their children to behave, not going to teach their children to swim, not going to require lifejackets for the kids when not in the cabin, etc.
I have enjoyed the "parenting lessons" that some people felt like sharing, it made for some good reading.
We live on the water, a respect for the water and weatehr is instilled from the very beginning.
Stu, there will be a door on both sides, plus there is the swim ladder area in the back to haul thing back on board. Like someone said on here, the idea is not to let anyone go overboard in the first place.
On a nicer note, if the netting keeps 1 thing with the word "marine" in its name from going overboard and sinking, it will probably have paid for itself
I have enjoyed the "parenting lessons" that some people felt like sharing, it made for some good reading.
We live on the water, a respect for the water and weatehr is instilled from the very beginning.
Stu, there will be a door on both sides, plus there is the swim ladder area in the back to haul thing back on board. Like someone said on here, the idea is not to let anyone go overboard in the first place.
On a nicer note, if the netting keeps 1 thing with the word "marine" in its name from going overboard and sinking, it will probably have paid for itself
Hi Guys:
So glad to see this topic here. My husband has been wanting to install netting midship to bow area on our sailboat. We sail with two Boxers (dogs) on board. They both have lifejackets and if they fall off they fall free into the water, not dragged by a tether alongside. We then retrieve them with the dinghy. My husband feels that the netting will help keep them aboard when sailing, I don't so we've had this ongoing discussion about the netting. Picture this for fun: Two boxers, each with life jacket on, one headed forward, one coming aft, they meet amid ship (bit like two semi's trying to squeeze thru a one lane bridge) sometimes one goes aswimming. The lifejacket make me feel really good because I know that even if our retrieval time is slow, they will still be floating when we do get to them. I'll take lifejackets and free fall overboard over netting anyday.
Sonya
So glad to see this topic here. My husband has been wanting to install netting midship to bow area on our sailboat. We sail with two Boxers (dogs) on board. They both have lifejackets and if they fall off they fall free into the water, not dragged by a tether alongside. We then retrieve them with the dinghy. My husband feels that the netting will help keep them aboard when sailing, I don't so we've had this ongoing discussion about the netting. Picture this for fun: Two boxers, each with life jacket on, one headed forward, one coming aft, they meet amid ship (bit like two semi's trying to squeeze thru a one lane bridge) sometimes one goes aswimming. The lifejacket make me feel really good because I know that even if our retrieval time is slow, they will still be floating when we do get to them. I'll take lifejackets and free fall overboard over netting anyday.
Sonya
Netting
We insattled netting when our kids were small and the dog was sailing with us. It saved manya mishap. It also kept a lot of gear on board.
I am going to order it tomorrow or monday. I have a little schnauzzer and he always seems on the verge of going over.
Sometimes discussions spring up on here that I would have never imagined. If you have netting you may not have to retrieve your digs so often. It's not that netting means you put it on autopilot, go down below and leave your dogs/kids running around on deck for hours at a time. The netting is to help keep them on deck instead of in the water. It's not the be all end all of life support for your loved ones. If your dogs are going over the top of the life lines then netting would probably do no good. My dog is 17 lbs. and 6" shorter than the top life line. I'm pretty sure it will help keep him on deck.
We are planning our first weekend trip on labor day weekend. My wife and I will be on our boat and my friend will be on his boat. We plan on going out 20 or 30 miles into the gulf and doing some diving. really it's just to go out offshore for a little bit because none of us have done that yet.
Sometimes discussions spring up on here that I would have never imagined. If you have netting you may not have to retrieve your digs so often. It's not that netting means you put it on autopilot, go down below and leave your dogs/kids running around on deck for hours at a time. The netting is to help keep them on deck instead of in the water. It's not the be all end all of life support for your loved ones. If your dogs are going over the top of the life lines then netting would probably do no good. My dog is 17 lbs. and 6" shorter than the top life line. I'm pretty sure it will help keep him on deck.
We are planning our first weekend trip on labor day weekend. My wife and I will be on our boat and my friend will be on his boat. We plan on going out 20 or 30 miles into the gulf and doing some diving. really it's just to go out offshore for a little bit because none of us have done that yet.
I ordered the netting today. $51 for 80'x24". I think shipping will be about $17 according to their site.
The only problem I have right now is the top lifelines dip down when they get to the bow. apparently to allow the jib to go through that area of the lifelines. Most boats have the life lines straight across to the bow pulpit.
I need two attachment points added to the bow pulpit. Then I have to cut the lifelines and get end fittings for them.
I'll let you know about seamar service. http://www.seamar.com/nets/rail.html
I do like to tell companies that I heard good things about them on a forum. Companies that provide good service should be praised.
The only problem I have right now is the top lifelines dip down when they get to the bow. apparently to allow the jib to go through that area of the lifelines. Most boats have the life lines straight across to the bow pulpit.
I need two attachment points added to the bow pulpit. Then I have to cut the lifelines and get end fittings for them.
I'll let you know about seamar service. http://www.seamar.com/nets/rail.html
I do like to tell companies that I heard good things about them on a forum. Companies that provide good service should be praised.
I received the netting. It was shipped promptly. Everything with seamar was perfect.
I cut the lifelines and ran them to the top of the bow, how it is on Jon's boat(in his post about half way down page 3).
I was going to spiral some small diameter rope around the top life line and the net. Jon I see you have knots tied. Do you have a close up of the knot you used?
I cut the lifelines and ran them to the top of the bow, how it is on Jon's boat(in his post about half way down page 3).
I was going to spiral some small diameter rope around the top life line and the net. Jon I see you have knots tied. Do you have a close up of the knot you used?
Hi Scott,
Attached are a couple of pictures, I think this knot looks pretty good and it's symmetric. We just kinda found the spacing we liked to keep it held up without drooping and providing plenty of support. I bought the rope in 50 ft sections, mainly because that's what was available without having to go too far and there was a little left over in the end, but not tons. We are happy with they way it turned out. The wife is right, it's a cow hitch I guess... I had to google it as I didn't know the name.
So, are you still heading out into the Gulf this weekend? Raising that Main? Cheers!
Jon
Attached are a couple of pictures, I think this knot looks pretty good and it's symmetric. We just kinda found the spacing we liked to keep it held up without drooping and providing plenty of support. I bought the rope in 50 ft sections, mainly because that's what was available without having to go too far and there was a little left over in the end, but not tons. We are happy with they way it turned out. The wife is right, it's a cow hitch I guess... I had to google it as I didn't know the name
.So, are you still heading out into the Gulf this weekend? Raising that Main? Cheers!
Jon
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