Planning some night sailing which will require the use of safety harnesses and life lines. Does anyone have any good advice regarding rigging these things as I have never even seen one let alone rigged one.
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Harness
Your tether should be long enough to allow needed movemement while at the helm, but not long enough that you'd end up over the lifelines hanging by your tether against your topsides. I clip onto a s.s. U-bolt, which I installed low and forward mid-cockpit against through the bulkhead with a backing plate.
Your tether should be long enough to allow needed movemement while at the helm, but not long enough that you'd end up over the lifelines hanging by your tether against your topsides. I clip onto a s.s. U-bolt, which I installed low and forward mid-cockpit against through the bulkhead with a backing plate.
Tethers and jacklines?
I assume you meant "jack" lines? One should NEVER tether to a lifeline!!! Jacklines are a good idea if anybody will be out of the cockpit during the night sailing. Do you expect heavy weather? Do you have a roller furling? Any need to go to the foredeck? (Gonna anchor at night or anything like that?) If so, jacklines should be made of webbing, it's flat so it can be stepped on without rolling underneath your foot. The webbing also stretches when wet so it will help provide some shock absorbance if someone tethered to it does go over. The jackline should be connected via very strong SS shackle or by use of loop through D-ring to the bow cleats (or stem fitting if yours is big enough), then run aft down the deck and cleated on the stern cleats. You'll want to run the jackline where anyone leaving the cockpit can walk the entire length of the boat THE NORMAL WAY, without having to remove the tether. In other words, if you would normally walk in between the shrouds and the lifelines, you should run the jackline along this path. Making people change paths in the dark is not a good idea, and untethering to go around the shrouds is an even worse idea. The jackline should be stretched as tight as possible when cleated UNLESS it is off the deck somewhere. You do not want your safety equipment to be a trip hazard, ya know? Do not attach jacklines (or tethers for that matter) to lifelines, lifeline stanchions, or deck hardware other than a specifically designated tether ring or heavy deck cleat. The tether itself should have three ends, one at the person (releasable under load), and two to connect to objects with. Of course, that's a little overkill if you do not expect to be in some heavy weather. The idea is to connect to the second tether point before releasing the first. Definitely read the West Advisor article and the Practical Sailor review of tethers. Surprisingly, 85% of tethers failed the drop tests; get the right one. I also recommend you get a tether with rubber coated hardware or you will have little dings in the deck from the tether hardware. If nobody will be leaving the cockpit, you can tether to a specially mounted tether ring just under the helmsman's seat. If your boat does not have this installed, it's easy to do, just remember, follow the manufacturer's suggestions on installation, this thing is supposed to support up to 1,000 pounds of load. I also recommend using either a combination PFD-safety harness or a safety harness in combination with a PFD. If any of the tether or safety harness equipment breaks when someone's hanging over the side of the boat, they will need the PFD or you will never find them again. For night sailing, I use the SOSpenders (passes the drop test) combo harness, inflatable PFD. This unit has enough room to permanently install a strobelight, flashlight, whistle, and miniture VHF radio. Makes it a little heavy, but I'm a pretty big guy and I don't notice much. I've had some other folks complain though. the unit also has reflective tape in all the right places and the proper adjustments. Can you tell I have little to do at work today? Hope this helps.
I assume you meant "jack" lines? One should NEVER tether to a lifeline!!! Jacklines are a good idea if anybody will be out of the cockpit during the night sailing. Do you expect heavy weather? Do you have a roller furling? Any need to go to the foredeck? (Gonna anchor at night or anything like that?) If so, jacklines should be made of webbing, it's flat so it can be stepped on without rolling underneath your foot. The webbing also stretches when wet so it will help provide some shock absorbance if someone tethered to it does go over. The jackline should be connected via very strong SS shackle or by use of loop through D-ring to the bow cleats (or stem fitting if yours is big enough), then run aft down the deck and cleated on the stern cleats. You'll want to run the jackline where anyone leaving the cockpit can walk the entire length of the boat THE NORMAL WAY, without having to remove the tether. In other words, if you would normally walk in between the shrouds and the lifelines, you should run the jackline along this path. Making people change paths in the dark is not a good idea, and untethering to go around the shrouds is an even worse idea. The jackline should be stretched as tight as possible when cleated UNLESS it is off the deck somewhere. You do not want your safety equipment to be a trip hazard, ya know? Do not attach jacklines (or tethers for that matter) to lifelines, lifeline stanchions, or deck hardware other than a specifically designated tether ring or heavy deck cleat. The tether itself should have three ends, one at the person (releasable under load), and two to connect to objects with. Of course, that's a little overkill if you do not expect to be in some heavy weather. The idea is to connect to the second tether point before releasing the first. Definitely read the West Advisor article and the Practical Sailor review of tethers. Surprisingly, 85% of tethers failed the drop tests; get the right one. I also recommend you get a tether with rubber coated hardware or you will have little dings in the deck from the tether hardware. If nobody will be leaving the cockpit, you can tether to a specially mounted tether ring just under the helmsman's seat. If your boat does not have this installed, it's easy to do, just remember, follow the manufacturer's suggestions on installation, this thing is supposed to support up to 1,000 pounds of load. I also recommend using either a combination PFD-safety harness or a safety harness in combination with a PFD. If any of the tether or safety harness equipment breaks when someone's hanging over the side of the boat, they will need the PFD or you will never find them again. For night sailing, I use the SOSpenders (passes the drop test) combo harness, inflatable PFD. This unit has enough room to permanently install a strobelight, flashlight, whistle, and miniture VHF radio. Makes it a little heavy, but I'm a pretty big guy and I don't notice much. I've had some other folks complain though. the unit also has reflective tape in all the right places and the proper adjustments. Can you tell I have little to do at work today? Hope this helps.
Tether
I assumed that your use of the word "life lines" was actually referring to the "tether". Jay's post is very complete on the subject of jack lines if you plan to move away from the cockpit area and go forward, and abosultely correct as far as NEVER tethering to your lifelines!
I assumed that your use of the word "life lines" was actually referring to the "tether". Jay's post is very complete on the subject of jack lines if you plan to move away from the cockpit area and go forward, and abosultely correct as far as NEVER tethering to your lifelines!
soakyour jacklines
As mentioned in an earlier post, jacklines stretch when they get wet. In order to keep you jackines tight, you should dump them in water first (to allow them to stretch/lengthen) and then then attach them to the proper deck hardware - fwd to aft cleat. You do not want loose jacklines on your deck - something else to trip on.
As mentioned in an earlier post, jacklines stretch when they get wet. In order to keep you jackines tight, you should dump them in water first (to allow them to stretch/lengthen) and then then attach them to the proper deck hardware - fwd to aft cleat. You do not want loose jacklines on your deck - something else to trip on.
Wow great stuff!
Thanks all, they forever in mind will be Jacklines. Now I feel I can run these the right way and use the correct procedure when using them. Just hope that they never have to be used in ernest! Thanks again.
Thanks all, they forever in mind will be Jacklines. Now I feel I can run these the right way and use the correct procedure when using them. Just hope that they never have to be used in ernest! Thanks again.
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