Extremely valuable lesson here! My boat inventory includes a climbing harness but I’m never going up that mast!!! Now, you’ve shown me a vital use for it! Thanks! BTW. I’ve always wondered if a vertical connection wouldn’t make more sense as well. The most important use of a tether is to keep you ON the boat, not dragging alongside it. I have a double KONG tether (because other tethers are proven to twist open) and always try to connect it in such a way that leaving the boat is impossible. This, I’ve found, is a very slow and deliberate process. I don’t trust the slack in jacklines and try to attach directly to hardware. At the mast, I even attach the two (short and longer) tethers together, around the mast.
100% agree. Great points, suggestions and ideas. We would all love to hear more of your thoughts on this topic. The vertical connection is an interesting idea. Any other thoughts on that? Perhaps the boat separated in quadrants with a high line for each quadrant? Just trying to think of how to do this getting around the rigging, boom, sailes etc..
Wish I had the answers. Perhaps a spare halyard? It might cause more risks. Again; the primary focus needs to be PREVENTING going over the side. That means a SHORT tether. But a short tether means limited mobility and frequent latching/unlatching as you move about. Frankly, that’s what I do now; it’s a real pain and takes forever. I don’t have a jackline. My boat is barely 30’ and has a dodger that pretty much prevents me from rigging one. My setup is a duel tether; one longer than the other. I often attach with the short one, only momentarily using the longer one. Every step of the way I think to myself “will the next attachment I make definitely prevent me from going overboard?” I attach to the handgrip on the dodger frame, to the traveler hardware, and to the mast. I sometimes wish there was.a ratcheted system, like many a dog leash.
Thanks for the great tips and dialogue. I know right. I am still working on it. 100% agree -- first line of defense is clipping short to prevent a fall over the side in the first place. I do use jack lines and I have a long tether that follows me in addition to clipping short. I will also clip in at the "work site" so to speak. The jack lines are ok if you stay on the high side, I think. It might be good to have something along the center line of the boat. Just another thought.
What really got me was my Singlehanded MOB drill I did last summer - even in perfect conditions under power it was VERY difficult to get back aboard even with my nylon ladders attached. It is here .ua-cam.com/video/4I4WFaikXqs/v-deo.html It was quite sobering for me... put even more "fear" into me about going over the side.
Another great episode! Thanks for all the "wake-up" messages. I think next spring, the first thing I'm going to do is move my jacklines to the center of the boat. I shortened my longer tether this last fall but I don't believe either of my chest harnesses will be any improvement on what you show here. And what are the chances of going over in anything but horrible conditions!! Lots of food for thought. Thanks again.
Thanks for the note. I appreciate your encouragement. There is a lot for us all to think about and adapt. I have some other ideas for self-rescue that I am working on that I will share soon. Thanks again.
Why is nobody talking about this? The harness and jack lines are a bad idea, only slightly better than nothing, It seems like you need a line tied to the mast to pull vertically rather than horizontally against the side of the hull. You would be bashing against the boat like a fender.
I know right. This needs to be discussed. There are definitely challenges. I am a fan of giving the singlehander as many chances for survival as possible. We would all love to hear if you have some more thoughts. This is an important topic. Read some of the comments on this video -- there are many good ideas. ua-cam.com/video/4I4WFaikXqs/v-deo.html
One idea I've heard that sounds promising is to have a tether with two hooks, and install a nylon webbing around the boat on the outside, from bow to stern. When overboard, use the second (shorter) hook to tether yourself to the outboard webbing and cut the first tether with your knife. You'll be quickly led to the stern of the boat where a rope is being dragged, which you pull to release an emergency boarding ladder and climb up. The ladder should be long and sturdy enough to climb while being dragged behind the boat in difficult conditions. Sounds good on paper, I'd be curious to see if it works in a realistic situation.
Yes -- thank you for sharing that. I heard that from a viewer a while back. I tried it at the dock here: ua-cam.com/video/6QG4yEumo9E/v-deo.html and it does seem quite promising. I think if I am offshore I will install such a bridle in addition to my other tactics. Here is a video of the summary of tactics that I have tried, many of which were suggested by viewers. Thanks for sharing mate.
Post publishing this video, I found this link which has some great research and testing -- not a perfect solution yet, but getting there. I agree with the comment that the offshore harness and tether system needs to be designed from the ground up. Thought I would share this for all interested: www.practical-sailor.com/safety-seamanship/sailing-harness-leg-loops
Extremely valuable lesson here!
My boat inventory includes a climbing harness but I’m never going up that mast!!! Now, you’ve shown me a vital use for it!
Thanks!
BTW. I’ve always wondered if a vertical connection wouldn’t make more sense as well.
The most important use of a tether is to keep you ON the boat, not dragging alongside it. I have a double KONG tether (because other tethers are proven to twist open) and always try to connect it in such a way that leaving the boat is impossible. This, I’ve found, is a very slow and deliberate process. I don’t trust the slack in jacklines and try to attach directly to hardware. At the mast, I even attach the two (short and longer) tethers together, around the mast.
100% agree. Great points, suggestions and ideas. We would all love to hear more of your thoughts on this topic. The vertical connection is an interesting idea. Any other thoughts on that? Perhaps the boat separated in quadrants with a high line for each quadrant? Just trying to think of how to do this getting around the rigging, boom, sailes etc..
Wish I had the answers. Perhaps a spare halyard? It might cause more risks.
Again; the primary focus needs to be PREVENTING going over the side. That means a SHORT tether. But a short tether means limited mobility and frequent latching/unlatching as you move about. Frankly, that’s what I do now; it’s a real pain and takes forever.
I don’t have a jackline. My boat is barely 30’ and has a dodger that pretty much prevents me from rigging one. My setup is a duel tether; one longer than the other. I often attach with the short one, only momentarily using the longer one. Every step of the way I think to myself “will the next attachment I make definitely prevent me from going overboard?” I attach to the handgrip on the dodger frame, to the traveler hardware, and to the mast.
I sometimes wish there was.a ratcheted system, like many a dog leash.
Thanks for the great tips and dialogue. I know right. I am still working on it.
100% agree -- first line of defense is clipping short to prevent a fall over the side in the first place. I do use jack lines and I have a long tether that follows me in addition to clipping short. I will also clip in at the "work site" so to speak. The jack lines are ok if you stay on the high side, I think. It might be good to have something along the center line of the boat. Just another thought.
What really got me was my Singlehanded MOB drill I did last summer - even in perfect conditions under power it was VERY difficult to get back aboard even with my nylon ladders attached. It is here .ua-cam.com/video/4I4WFaikXqs/v-deo.html It was quite sobering for me... put even more "fear" into me about going over the side.
Another great episode! Thanks for all the "wake-up" messages. I think next spring, the first thing I'm going to do is move my jacklines to the center of the boat. I shortened my longer tether this last fall but I don't believe either of my chest harnesses will be any improvement on what you show here. And what are the chances of going over in anything but horrible conditions!! Lots of food for thought. Thanks again.
Thanks for the note. I appreciate your encouragement. There is a lot for us all to think about and adapt. I have some other ideas for self-rescue that I am working on that I will share soon. Thanks again.
I also like your idea to move the jacklines closer to the center of the boat. I am going to try that and report back! Thanks again mate.
Why is nobody talking about this? The harness and jack lines are a bad idea, only slightly better than nothing, It seems like you need a line tied to the mast to pull vertically rather than horizontally against the side of the hull. You would be bashing against the boat like a fender.
I know right. This needs to be discussed. There are definitely challenges. I am a fan of giving the singlehander as many chances for survival as possible. We would all love to hear if you have some more thoughts. This is an important topic. Read some of the comments on this video -- there are many good ideas. ua-cam.com/video/4I4WFaikXqs/v-deo.html
One idea I've heard that sounds promising is to have a tether with two hooks, and install a nylon webbing around the boat on the outside, from bow to stern. When overboard, use the second (shorter) hook to tether yourself to the outboard webbing and cut the first tether with your knife. You'll be quickly led to the stern of the boat where a rope is being dragged, which you pull to release an emergency boarding ladder and climb up. The ladder should be long and sturdy enough to climb while being dragged behind the boat in difficult conditions. Sounds good on paper, I'd be curious to see if it works in a realistic situation.
Yes -- thank you for sharing that. I heard that from a viewer a while back. I tried it at the dock here: ua-cam.com/video/6QG4yEumo9E/v-deo.html and it does seem quite promising. I think if I am offshore I will install such a bridle in addition to my other tactics. Here is a video of the summary of tactics that I have tried, many of which were suggested by viewers. Thanks for sharing mate.
@@respecttherisk2022 Nice, I'll have a look at your test. Kudos for actually trying things out rather than just speculating!
Post publishing this video, I found this link which has some great research and testing -- not a perfect solution yet, but getting there. I agree with the comment that the offshore harness and tether system needs to be designed from the ground up. Thought I would share this for all interested: www.practical-sailor.com/safety-seamanship/sailing-harness-leg-loops
1. Keep the WATER out.
2. Keep the SAILOR onboard.
Thanks for the note: Absolutely!