Yes, thought so... how many stories have I not heard of a person falling off and they watching there boat sail away. I jumped in last month, no vest and my warning to the captain was short, the boat was gone out of reach in a second. 2 minutes and he would of lost me and I would of drowned, fish bait as they say. That was the middle of Tampa Bay. That was my initiation per where I'm from. I must say that if you fall off the boat your chances are very low on surviving, better have a vest on, radio, and something sharp for the sharks and something to cut to eat. And I hate these big black dock spiders for realI use the same tiller clutch as Brian and tie the line off to the aft cleats. They don't provide the best angle but it works.
Just installed an auto tiller pilot but still use the tiller clutch to lock the tiller from swinging in the slip.
When sailing solo i always wear an inflatable PFD with harness. If going on deck I tie off to the mast of if on the bow I tie to whatever I can and always stay as low as possible.
I mainly try to avoid going on deck.
I will try that!John, I would attach a strong bungee to one side of the Tiller Clutch control line. This would help with the problem of the control line getting slack as the tiller is moved off the centerline.
An interesting single-handling trick...I was talking with guy from our marina last week. He has a McGregor, maybe 23'? He ran a line from his tiller to one side, then up to the bow and back down the other side and back to the tiller. The line runs through rings on the life line stanchions and bow pulpit.
This allows him steer from anywhere on deck. Pretty slick!