Safety Harness advice

Warren Milberg · Jul 28, 2010

It sounds to me like you did pretty well under the circumstances. Yes, noting your position would have been a good thing to do. But I have mixed views on the use of a safety harness. I have a safety harness -- that I hardly ever use -- similar to the West Marine "Ultimate Safety Harness" with a 6-ft tether that has a carabiner that supposedly could be opened under load. I hope I never have to find out. But I think carrying a knife with me whenever my boat is moving is of more potential value. My guess is that I'd use the knife to free myself from my harness if I went overboard in a blow. The reason I am skeptical about harnesses is that I do not think that I would have the ability to get back aboard my moving boat if I were sailing alone and went overboard. In such a case, the harness could serve to prolong drowning. I think my inflatable PFD is a more worthwhile safety item and I wear that whenever I am sailing alone. (Note: if I were replacing this item, I'd get a combo inflatable PFD with an integral Harness). I like even less the P/S jacklines that most people use to connect their tethers to permit "safer" movement on deck. If I were sailing offshore on a regular basis, I would install properly backed pad eyes down the centerline of my deck and cockpit to connect the harness tether to in the event I had to leave the cockpit. Yet the few times I've used the harness in bad weather, it seemed to present more of a tripping hazard than a positive way to keep me onboard. Be careful, stuff happens out there.

Steve Dion · Jul 28, 2010

Bernd:

We came up the coast of California in Sept 2008 and we had jack lines from bow to stern. We also had a line wrapped around the pedestal so everyone that was in the cockpit (at least 3 at a time) were all clipped on when we were not down below.

Rick D · Jul 28, 2010

Ditto Warren...

... I wear my inflatable with harness when I singlehand or at night. Other times, I wear a waist pack. I have four for crew. We run jack lines when doing distance races or overnighters, but the crew rarely uses them. I usually do but do not when singlehanding. Rather, I clip on to something when I an there, not going back and forth. First, I have nearly tripped or been jerked off my feet when the tether has fouled on something, including my own feet. Second, it gets fouled when I'm doing something complex, like reaching pole sets. Finally, if I do go over alone, unless the boat is stationary, I'm not getting back on. But, believe me, I'm not trying to convince anyone. It may just be my own clumsiness or negative mindset about it. The other thing is that a centerline-run jack line is a great idea, but I don't know how to rig one when the boat has a bimini, dodger, traveler and foot blocks all down the center.

kenn · Jul 28, 2010

Most of our summer sailing is quite tame, but on a couple of occasions I've gone out with other Sandpiper owners for some "guy" sailing, end-of-season racing etc. For that reason I have the Mustang hydrostatic inflatable PFD with integral harness, and a set of jacklines. I also have a SS folding ladder on our transom that can be lowered from the water.

Most tethers, including mine, use a good quick-release snapshackle on the harness end, with a short rope handle, to make it easy to disconnect when necessary. I also have put nylon sheaths with knives on both of our PFDs so the user always has a knife.

As pointed out by others, it's better to never leave the boat than to be floating and watching it sail off. Hence the importance of the harness, especially when solo. I've seen how some solo sailors like to trail a 50' line, and in the british magazine Practical Boat Owner, I saw details of one owner's scheme that would cause the boat to round up when a trailing rope was grabbed.

sailaway78 · Jul 28, 2010

An inflatable with built in harness

This is the best of both worlds. IMHO I use a WM brand, but all are very similar. I also advocate two short lines as opposed to one longer one. A long life line will allow you to get into the water, or end up suspended depending on freeboard. Two short lines, 3 or 4 feet, attached to cleats on both sides of the boat, will not allow you to out of the cockpit. If I had a choice between hanging over the side by a lifeline, or going into the water, I would chose going into the water every time. Either way you are not going to get back onto the boat if single handing. Swimming for it beats being drug every time.

Todd Smith · Jul 28, 2010

I find jacklines and tethers to be pretty tangle free, IF I manage the tether while moving by holding the tether taut in one hand. This still allows me to use that hand for grasping a hand hold as well.

redhead78 · Jul 28, 2010

Glad you guys had this discussion, on a small, but important note I remember someone recently telling me about a movie where a group of couples jump over to go swimming and forget to lower the swim ladder, it was a horror story, I think people died..... Anyhow I have my swim ladder in the up position tied at the rail, I could never reach it. After your discussion it occured to me I could give it 5-10 wraps at the top then bring the cord down to the bottom and tie it off, where I could reach it from the water. You hope you never have to but guess what....Shit happens....Thanks Red

sailaway78 · Jul 28, 2010

Went into the water once

I went into the water last year, in the colder part of the year. Went off the dock, and couldn't get back up. Swim ladder was tied up. Never, ever tie up the swim ladder.

catsailor · Jul 28, 2010

Berndahle said:
Also I read there are different types of carabiners for tethers, any first-hand experience? I rock climb, so I'm familiar with carabiners but the ones for boating seem slightly different so they can be opened in an emergency under load.

thanks!
Bernd

I single hand a good bit and have used tethers for many years. I too sail the Chesapeake out of Herring Bay. A few thoughts:

* Your rock climbing biners may not be so far off, nor your sense of the forces involved. Forget the regular biners--without regular lubrication they will seize up--but the wire gate sort are fine and meet the strength requirements.
* Would you go climbing, conected to the rope with a spinnaker shackle? I didn't think so. I prefer conventional biners, as I have had a few spinnaker shackles open unexpectedly. My choice.
* Practice with the jacklines in fair weather. A lot. It takes time to get comfortable and to avoid rigging conflicts.
* Consider permanent jacklines. Would you have had time to rig them? No, you would not. I keep mine rigged 365.

I posted some calculations on strength. http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2010/04/sample-calculations-for-jack-line.html

Also this one on jackline, climbing gear, and related subjects. http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2009/10/climbing-gear-for-sailors-or-jacklines.html

I've been climbing regularly for 28 years, sailing for 25, and working as an engineer for 30, so while my ideas may cross the conventional wisdom here and there, I can defend my choices and figures. However, different boats and different sailing areas, just like different climbing venues, can require differernt aproaches and result in different answers. My answers fit my boat.

Enjoy.

catsailor · Jul 28, 2010

Nice N Easy said:
This is the best of both worlds. IMHO I use a WM brand, but all are very similar. I also advocate two short lines as opposed to one longer one. A long life line will allow you to get into the water, or end up suspended depending on freeboard. Two short lines, 3 or 4 feet, attached to cleats on both sides of the boat, will not allow you to out of the cockpit. If I had a choice between hanging over the side by a lifeline, or going into the water, I would chose going into the water every time. Either way you are not going to get back onto the boat if single handing. Swimming for it beats being drug every time.

a. The water isn't really cold in LA. Ours gets hard.
b. Swimming for it is not better off-shore.
c. Getting back on board is not impossible for everyone. I'm sure it is for some. I have practiced it at 6 knots and it was very difficult but no where near impossible.
d. Being tethered in the cockpit doesn't get it.
e. I'm glad I have a cat; inboard jacklines are easy to rig

and falling off is difficult.

Al - s/v Persephone · Jul 29, 2010

I'm mostly a single-hander, sailing the Gulf of Maine (and more sheltered waters south from Cape Ann as far as Nantucket).

In a previous boat (99H310) I was broached and boarded by a 10+ ft breaker while surfing 6ft E-ly swells over the Merrimac River Bar when they ran up against the 5kt ebb+river current. Cockpit full to my waist and laptop and other stuff down below ruined.

Since then, I always sail with drop boards in.

I was subsequently (in my current 05H36) pinned on the port side by a 60+ kt downdraft from a summer thunderstorm coming back from the Isles of shoals.

After having to crawl forward to release the mainsheet in order to let the boat come back to vertical, I rigged permanent SS jacklines for use with homemade 4ft tethers. (Wichard safety hook on one end and snap-shackle-with-lanyard on the other. New England Ropes 3/8in Stayset double braid w/fishermens bend to Wichard clip and buntline hitch to snap shackle.)

One jackline runs from the center of my overhead traveler arch forward and down to the base of the mast. I can clip on before leaving the companionway, and keep it on back at the helm or forward on the cabin top (to avoid using the narrow aft portion of the sidedecks) to where I can hold on to the mast struts while unclipping and re-clipping to one of the two SS jacklines that run from the chainplates to the bow pulpit.

My Mustang inflatable w/harness is usually clipped by the helm for quick access before leaving the cockpit or in heavy weather. A couple of tethers are always left clipped on to the jackline near the helm, ready to be snap-shackled to the harness D-rings.

I had the gooseneck come loose while rounding Cape Small and heading into Casco Bay on a double-reefed beam reach. I've also had a few furler wrap foredeck adventures.

I've never gone overboard and don't intend to acquire that particular broadening experience.

Our ocean water has (finally) made it up to 68 degrees. From when I put the boat in in late April through mid-June, it ranges from 45 degrees to 60 degrees.

The USCG talks about the "50-50-50 rule:" 50% of people in 50 degree water will survive for 50 minutes.

Until mid-summer. a PFD is only useful for recovering my hypothermic body.

But there's NO WAY I'd forgo the security of the PFD's built-in harness and my permanent jacklines with short tethers sized to keep me well away from the lifelines - which I tell guests are to be assumed to be for decoration, only. (I do have lacing on the lifelines forward from the chainplates, but it's really to capture a blowing spinnaker.)

To each his own, but my experiences have made me form some pretty firm opinions on what's allowed/mandated on my boat.

Fair winds,
Al - s/v Persephone

RichH · Jul 29, 2010

Berndahle said:
Which brings me to my question: I have never used a harness on a boat and am asking for some advice. Since I'll be sitting behind the wheel and won't move unless I have to throw out an anchor, would I clip my tether to the wheel pedestal or would I rig something new? Also I read there are different types of carabiners for tethers, any first-hand experience? I rock climb, so I'm familiar with carabiners but the ones for boating seem slightly different so they can be opened in an emergency under load.

thanks!
Bernd

Dont what is your sailing venue but harness / tethers have been known to tear off pedestals from their mountings when a large wave and the impact of a human body with tether acts on the pedestal. Better to fasten some 'bow eyes' to a strong point of the fiberglass down deep in the cockpit. Even better is to run jacklines 'down deep' in the cockpit that allow easy 'hooking up' to the jackline from the safety of standing 'just inside' the companion way (which should be partly closed in 'blammo' conditions) .... allowing one to move fore/aft while in the cockpit while still attached to the tether. To arrange such jacklines in the cockpit just think of a LARGE boarding wave coming onboard from the stern .... and where you want to be located 'after' that 'pooping' event. Usually for 'cockpit work' a tether with THREE safety 'clips' work best. Caribiners (without locks) can easy pop-open when the tether gets 'twisted' - I prefer the double action Wichard clips, the ones that you must press a 'lever' to quickly open.

PaulK · Jul 29, 2010

Our jacklines are fastened to the mooring cleat forward and to major shackles on our toerails, aft, P&S. We use WM harnesses, with Wichard tethers & clips. Unlike some others, Wichard's safety tether clips require a conscious, two -stage effort to open them. They won't open by accident, or get stuck open, the way some caribiners might. They also glow in the dark so you can find them and open them when you need to. Last year we started a 70 mile race beating against a 25 knot rain, into 6' waves, at night. No one complained about wearing a harness, but one guy was really surprised when we took a wave that set off his inflatable cartridge.

catsailor · Jul 30, 2010

RichH said:
Dont what is your sailing venue but harness / tethers have been known to tear off pedestals from their mountings when a large wave and the impact of a human body with tether acts on the pedestal. Better to fasten some 'bow eyes' to a strong point of the fiberglass down deep in the cockpit. Even better is to run jacklines 'down deep' in the cockpit that allow easy 'hooking up' to the jackline from the safety of standing 'just inside' the companion way (which should be partly closed in 'blammo' conditions) .... allowing one to move fore/aft while in the cockpit while still attached to the tether. To arrange such jacklines in the cockpit just think of a LARGE boarding wave coming onboard from the stern .... and where you want to be located 'after' that 'pooping' event. Usually for 'cockpit work' a tether with THREE safety 'clips' work best. Caribiners (without locks) can easy pop-open when the tether gets 'twisted' - I prefer the double action Wichard clips, the ones that you must press a 'lever' to quickly open.

Second the locking biner on a fixed eye. However, I have seen locking biners broken (gate ripped out) when clipped to a fixed point and then loaded sharply across the gate. It is much better to clip a short sling cow-hitched to the eye. Locking biners also make sense on the jackline (gate up), though the cross-gate loading problems is far less. Twisting off on the harness end is effectivly unheard of, because the geometry is different, but the gate is a risk on harnesses where the biner holds 2 rings together--use a locker there.

My tethers have 3 clip points, and I am able to clip on before I am on-deck. On my last boat, this was important, on my current one not.

Bolt hangers make good, strong, anchor points, and cross-gate loading is impossble--they rotate.