Lifesling?

[capta]

I often drag a line when sailing alone, for this very reason. Tested it with my boys on-board in case I could not self-rescue, but it certainly is possible. Much harder to drag my a$$ through the water at 6 knots vs 3, but it can be done. Just don't forget that you are dragging it behind you. I fouled my prop one night coming back to the marina when I forgot to retrieve the drag line before firing up the engine. Have since moved to a floating rope instead of an old halyard.

Greg

I think it would be an interesting experiment for all of you who think it might be possible to pull yourself from 100' behind a boat going only 5 knots, to the stern. After this experience, I would then like to see most of us get aboard the boat from there, if one has anything other than a water level sugar scoop.
Even in my 20's in very good shape, dragging behind my Rhodes 50' cutter and pulling myself just 25' feet, when the boat was under way was extremely strenuous, and there was no way I could have pulled myself on board a transom boat alone.
Simply put; obey the rules, stay on the boat!

 

[higgs]

I am with Capta. If you over single handed you are not going to pull yourself aboard unless you have a step through transom and you are going pretty slow. You gotta stay on the boat.

The life sling should not be your first option if crew is aboard. Get something that floats into the water asap so the mob can swim to it. If your moving at 5 knots you will quickly pull a life sling out of range of the mob.

I did actually lose a guy overboard in 5 foot seas and 25 kt winds. We threw the horseshoe right away and the mob got it quick. That bought us the time we needed to jibe around, drop the jib and retrieve the guy while remaining calm. There were two of us aboard and my crew lone kept tabs on the mob while I maneuvered the boat.

Again, single handed, in any but the most calm conditions, your done if you go over.

 

[uncledom]

I have the Lifesling off of my old boat. On my last trip I put it out on the stern rail and used a bungee cord to attach the bottom of the sling. It worked okay but I need to eventually re-do the canvas.

I began to think of the need for such a thing. I spend the majority of my time single handed. I couldn't self deploy it. The regulations in my area call for a throwable PFD and they don't even require it to have a rope attached to it. Is having the Lifesling overkill?

The other thing is that mine may get in the way of the sheets for my spinnaker. I am still debating if I want to keep this aboard or just go with the boat cushion that I already have on there.

I do carry Jacklines and a Harness....but I never get them on early enough. I always say that I will rig if I am going out in bad weather but it always seems to build on me and all of the sudden I am thinking about reefing in big wind and big waves and I think...."I would really like to have my Jacklines out since I need to go forward."

What are your thoughts?

A life sling is for lifting a body aboard. Since you are alone it is useless. The cushion must be available or you will be in violation of the law if stopped for a routine check or any other reason. You can get around the jack lines with a double tether, clip 1, clip 2 and unclip 1, etc.... You should be wearing a good self inflating jacket so you can sail unencumbered and yet be found floating unconscious and face up rather than partially submerged face down.

Let me have your personal info so I can take out an insurance policy just kidding

 

[Stu Jackson]

I have a Lifelsing.

I singlehand a lot.

My Lifesling is in great shape, down below.

Our horsehoe buoy gets stowed down below, lasts longer than most other boats at the dock. Comes out when I have someone else on the boat, like the Lifesling.

 

[Bad Obsession]

That makes a lot of sense, Stu. I am leaning more and more towards having the boat cushion on deck as my throwable.

 

[higgs]

I also leave my jack lines on the boat at all times and replace them every few years to avoid sun rot.

 

[Tally Ho]

Simply put; obey the rules, stay on the boat!

I certainly agree, but they call them accidents for a reason. My "redundancy" when sailing alone is to drag a safety line. I would rather have a chance to self rescue instead of watching my boat sail away without me.

To each, his own.

Greg

 

[thinwater]

I certainly agree, but they call them accidents for a reason. My "redundancy" when sailing alone is to drag a safety line. I would rather have a chance to self rescue instead of watching my boat sail away without me.

To each, his own.

Greg

It is well known in climbing circles that one of the greatest dangers is "psychological protection;" belay anchors that are weak and will not actually withstand a fall. A trail line is pure "psychological protection, and as such is dangerous. It is far better that you accept the truth and practice effective stay-on-the-boat measures, just as a climber needs to know when he is, in effect, solo climbing way off the deck.

"To each his own?" Silly, unless you have tested this proposition while sailing at 7 knots with others. Few will find the rope, one might catch the rope, and none could hand-over-hand 100' back up the line. I have dragged in the water at 7-8 knots during MOB drills; it was impossible to move toward the boat, and I am strong enough to do 20 pull-ups. I could only hold 7/16" rope if there was a loop; bare line just slid.

Rig that trail line as jack-lines or an extra safety line on deck, where it can serve a purpose.

 

[Tally Ho]

....unless you have tested this proposition while sailing at 7 knots with others.

I have tested this with my sons on board to turn her around if I could not self rescue. Is it easy? No, it is not. A thicker rope, and knots tied in makes it a lot easier to grip and pull. Speed certainly has a lot to do with the degree of difficulty of pulling ones self to the boat. I only drag 30 feet of line, but it is enough to catch if I immediately head for the stern once in the water.

I am not saying one should not take all the precautions you mention, but on a sunny warm day, with light winds and no waves, sailing near our harbor, I am probably not going to be tethered in.

So if something unexpected happens, and I end up in the water, I like my chances to self rescue. Is it a sure-fire solution? No. Is it better to stay on the boat? Yes. But if the unexpected happens, might it save my life or my boat? It just might.

So, like I said before, to each his own.

Greg

 

[Ken Cross]

Single handing the reason for a Lifesling is for the other guy who fell off his boat.

 

[uncledom]

I have tested this with my sons on board to turn her around if I could not self rescue. Is it easy? No, it is not. A thicker rope, and knots tied in makes it a lot easier to grip and pull. Speed certainly has a lot to do with the degree of difficulty of pulling ones self to the boat. I only drag 30 feet of line, but it is enough to catch if I immediately head for the stern once in the water. I am not saying one should not take all the precautions you mention, but on a sunny warm day, with light winds and no waves, sailing near our harbor, I am probably not going to be tethered in. So if something unexpected happens, and I end up in the water, I like my chances to self rescue. Is it a sure-fire solution? No. Is it better to stay on the boat? Yes. But if the unexpected happens, might it save my life or my boat? It just might. So, like I said before, to each his own. Greg

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.