Staying on the boat
No, this isn't about staying and sleeping on the boat, it's about not falling off the boat!
Something I've been looking at for a few years now is the practicalities of single handed sailing, particularly safety out on the water. When sailing away from land you have to be self sufficient. If I am able to call for help that help could be hours or even days away from me. Stopping problems before they start is the most important step.
“Personal responsibility can not be delegated” – Frank Sonnenberg
Obviously the most important thing is staying on the boat. If I go over the side when I am sailing on my own there is no one to turn back for me, help me back on the boat or to call for help. I can have all the fancy safety gear I want on board, if I'm no longer there it's useless.When I sail in company of others who know how to manage the boat I don't worry too much about life jackets, depending on the weather of course. When I'm on my own it's very different. Most life jackets include a harness attachment so you can attach yourself to the boat by clipping on using a tether. Clipping on when ever I'm on my own and moving about on deck is an absolute must in all but the calmest of conditions. I may not be able to get myself back on board if I went over the side, but I'm much more likely to be found if I'm still attached to the boat, so at least my family would have closure if the worst happens. This may seem like a very morbid train of thought, but it is reality. Having said that, prevention is better than cure.
“Freedom is the will to be responsible for ourselves.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
I have to be able to wander around the boat when I am out on the water in order to put up, reef and take down sails. Some boats have sail controls lead back to the cockpit, but to do this to Isosceles would be expensive. The distance to the mast on a centre cockpit boat isn't far, so it is a relatively safe trip to get to the mast.
Of course there is the all important rule of being out on a boat, "one hand for yourself, one hand for the boat". This means that, at all times on deck you should have one hand holding on to the boat, leaving one hand free to do the job you are there to do. If you need both hands free the either the job has to wait or you'd better be tied on tight!
I want to improve hand holds for moving forward to the mast and back, but this will involve modifying the spray hood to add handholds to the frame and then modifying the cover to allow for these. I want to do some other modifications to the spray hood at the same time so that's one for the future.
Traditionally there are two lines called Jacklines, one each side of the boat going from the mooring cleat at the back of the boat to the mooring cleat at the front. These are strong mounting points and should easily hold the weight of a person if needed. If someone needs to leave the cockpit and go forward they will attach their tether to these so they remain attached as they walk forward.
However there are issues with this system. It is quite a reach from inside the cockpit to the edge of the boat where the jacklines lie. Also, if I do slip and end up over the side then the tether between me and the jackline will be just the right length to drag me in the water. Not a nice ending.
I decided to attach strong points, one each side of the cockpit, backed up by stainless steel plates to spread any load.
Traditionally there are two lines called Jacklines, one each side of the boat going from the mooring cleat at the back of the boat to the mooring cleat at the front. These are strong mounting points and should easily hold the weight of a person if needed. If someone needs to leave the cockpit and go forward they will attach their tether to these so they remain attached as they walk forward.
However there are issues with this system. It is quite a reach from inside the cockpit to the edge of the boat where the jacklines lie. Also, if I do slip and end up over the side then the tether between me and the jackline will be just the right length to drag me in the water. Not a nice ending.
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| The blue Jackstay runs from the side of the cockpit, round the front of the mast, and back to the other side of the cockpit. |
I decided to attach strong points, one each side of the cockpit, backed up by stainless steel plates to spread any load.
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| The attachment points for the Jacklines are backed up with stainless steel plates |
I then ran a single jackline from one side of the cockpit, around the front of the mast and back to the other side of the cockpit. Now I can reach the jackline while I'm still sat in the cockpit, move to the mast, which has a second tether attachment point on if I need it, and move back to the cockpit along which ever side is safest.
I also have the second jackline which I will rig to cover the foredeck area going from the front of the boat, back round the mast and forward again. This way if I need to go right forward then I am working from the centre of the boat, as far away from falling in as I can possibly be.
Hopefully this will go some way to keeping me safe. You can never eliminate all the risks in life. Seat belts in cars don't stop all injuries, they just make the worst ones less likely. Jacklines and tethers keeping me attached to the boat won't stop every possible injury, but it will increase my chances of remaining safe and well.
