Why Use Flat Webbing as Jacklines Instead of Rope ?

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

Yup! And their barrage of emails offering discounts is a constant reminder of the fact. Ever since they gobbled up BoatUS the prices have been silly. Whatever happened to the Sherman Anti-Trust Act? How can #1 absorb #2 when there is no #3?

Someone told me West Marine matches prices...only if it is the exact model WM carries and it is from a "factory approved dealer".

[rubyjean]

Originally Posted by wolfenzee

Someone told me West Marine matches prices...only if it is the exact model WM carries and it is from a "factory approved dealer".

They lie like old dogs. There BS..........Michael..

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by rubyjean

My Haida has all lines running to the cockpit, now I'm changing them back to old school. I had so many lines running on tthe deck that it is actually dangerous to go to the foredeck. The olnly safe way is to crawl. Yes clipped into jacklines. In the 70's alway's wore my harness, but no life jacket...Michael..

...Yep...with ya on the lines lead aft BS. Not only tripping on lines on the cabin top but miles of line in the cockpit which ends up as a birds nest.

[SkiprJohn]

Hey Ex-Cal
Of course I wouldn't want to get in the way. No, honestly it was the first off watch I was able to sleep deeply after a few days and no one woke me until nearly daybreak and then I heard all about it. Pretty rough to make coffee. I tried a couple of times but made a mess of the galley with snacks and coffee grounds everywhere. Martin was the first one successful at making coffee about the 3rd day out I believe. That was great!

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Hey Ex-Cal
Of course I wouldn't want to get in the way. No, honestly it was the first off watch I was able to sleep deeply after a few days and no one woke me until nearly daybreak and then I heard all about it. Pretty rough to make coffee. I tried a couple of times but made a mess of the galley with snacks and coffee grounds everywhere. Martin was the first one successful at making coffee about the 3rd day out I believe. That was great!

Ya know I was just funnin' ya.

It would be an honor just to be a galley slave for you guys.

Great story that ends well. The best kind...

[swagman]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

That's actually a really good point. Could be awkward if you clipped yourself into the wrong line when the sh## really hits the fan.

Reminds me of a young, keen and inexperienced sailor who joined us one weekend to be mastman for the days race. He was very keen, and worked for a chandler, and as a result had more new harness kit on than you'd think anyone would need. Especially this sunny summer day and as his crew role did not require it. But he insisted on strutting around with it all on and ignored the many suggestions about taking it off.

All was going fine when about half way into the race, after a gybe and as the spinnaker was snaking its way up as the headsial was being hauled down by two beefy crewmen, we heard a squeal from the mast and looked up to see our new mastman hoiked up some 20 foot into the air. Seems he had an open faced clip on his kit which attached him to the headsail halyard when he pressed himself against the mast..........

Luckily it was a easy weather day. The crew left him there for a few minutes as they finished the kite hoist before hauling the headsail back up, and down he came.

Lots of smiles even from him on the day, but fortunate for him it was not a night race in stronger conditions when just maybe he would then have spent a lot longer up the mast.

Cheers
JOHN

[Wotname]

Now that did bring a smile to my face!
The mental picture was priceless - thanks!

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

It was another dark and stormy night.....ah...nevermind!

I take it we are not talking about the "dark and stormy" made from Gosling's Black Seal rum and Barritt's Ginger Beer. Eh Hud3 ?
That mix has put me in the horrors a few times.

Seriously tho, I like webbing, up pretty close to cabin sides where possible.
It can be slithery under a deck shoe when too loose.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

I take it we are not talking about the "dark and stormy" made from Gosling's Black Seal rum and Barritt's Ginger Beer. Eh Hud3 ?
That mix has put me in the horrors a few times.

Seriously tho, I like webbing, up pretty close to cabin sides where possible.
It can be slithery under a deck shoe when too loose.

I liked the suggestion of sewing elastic into the end point of the web to keep it taunt against the cabin sides. I'm going to try that one a few thousand dollars further along...

[hellosailor]

IIRC tubular comes in both nylon and poly, and the poly is weaker and breaks down in UV faster. Of course it is also cheaper--so caveat emptor.

Nylon can be wet (dunked) before being secured, that will take the stretch out of it and leave it still taught when it gets wet again. But if kevlar or aramid tubular exists, those two actually shrink when wet. I'd be afraid to ask what they cost if they're available.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

IIRC tubular comes in both nylon and poly, and the poly is weaker and breaks down in UV faster. Of course it is also cheaper--so caveat emptor.

Nylon can be wet (dunked) before being secured, that will take the stretch out of it and leave it still taught when it gets wet again. But if kevlar or aramid tubular exists, those two actually shrink when wet. I'd be afraid to ask what they cost if they're available.

Assuming by poly, you mean polyester, then it is more UV stable than nylon.

[s/vfootloose]

Actually WM does match prices. I still don't like having to check prices to avoid being ripped off. I just got the new Defender catalog the other day. I went to the new WM in Ft. Lauderdale because I needed compound/wax. I brought it with me and they have a key on the register that comes up Defender price match. I saved $10.00 almost a third of the price. I went to BOW first and told them I would rather buy from a local store and would they match like WM and was told to kiss off.

[Bash]

When you clip into a flat jackline, even in the dark and even with your eyes closed, you can be certain you haven't just clipped into a spinnaker sheet.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Bash

When you clip into a flat jackline, even in the dark and even with your eyes closed, you can be certain you haven't just clipped into a spinnaker sheet.

The same is true for tethers; I once tried rope (6', pliced on both ends) and it was fine... except every so often it looked like a sheet when laying across a rope pile. For that reason, I like webbing better.

However, I do use 1/2-inch line for jacklines. I have a catamaran and I run it on the cabin top, well away from the edges, away from sheets avoiding confusion, and above the deck. For me, it works better than webbing, (better UV resistance so I can leave them rigged, better handhold, easier clipping) but I support the conventional wisdom of using webbing jacklines on most boats.

[Marner]

We've always used flat webbing for jacklines, reverse-cleated and back-hitched to the forward and aft mooring cleats. Easy to move from one end of the boat to the other without unclipping. No need for a long tether. Like all nylon they do lengthen when wet, or worse still, become very tight when they dry out, and may need adjusting.

Wouldn't leave home without them

Marner
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