Tethers

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by jackdale

I wear a tether a lot and have no trouble with a one handed release.

Not saying you do, but if you're saying the majority of cruising couples could operate a release under load while submerged being smashed about, the sailing community is different over there.

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Maybe I'm the only cheapo on here, but I generally get by tying two bowlines into a small diameter braided line. There's usually enough stretch and lateral movement in the jackline anyway. It's not that I don't see the need for a tether, but I just cough at the $200 I'd have to spend vs zero with the two lengths of line.

I've used the elastic tethers before and they're nice, but really how hard is it to tie a bowline around your d-rings?

"Those Who Forget History Are Doomed to Repeat It"

There are solid technical reasons why tethers have evolved over time. A number have already been mentioned above. There are sailors not here today because their tethers failed. I know that inadequate d-ring strength was responsible for some of these deaths. Shock loading also causes failures. This is where your body is moving at some velocity and is rapidly deaccelerated by coming to the end of the slack in the tether and jackline.

Fatalities resulting from both sailing and diving tend to get my attention. For some subconscience reason I tend to remember these lessons better than other lessons.

[zeehag]

as an individual unable to undo a commercial tether with one hand-- thumbs have issues-- i use a bowline, as i CAN untie that with the heel of my hand more easily than the fasteners supposedly made for quick release....

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by zeehag

as an individual unable to undo a commercial tether with one hand-- thumbs have issues-- i use a bowline, as i CAN untie that with the heel of my hand more easily than the fasteners supposedly made for quick release....

I don't believe you can untie a bowline that is under reasonable tension, e.g. your body weight suspended or being dragged through the water.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

I don't believe you can untie a bowline that is under reasonable tension, e.g. your body weight suspended or being dragged through the water.

first of all--i donot allow my line to be long enough to allow me to get into the water, much less over my side rail-- my boat is 12'2" wide and my tether is 6 ft or less. how am i going to be thrown overboard-- common sense dictates the length of the line used for this job. i would not be using 10 ft of line on a 12 ft beam boat. lol. is insane. and i use redundant lines to ensure my lack of droposis. sprit-- add another line to form a triangulation and prevent the drop from sprit in case of need to actually touch the foresail. so who is dragged behind his/her boat while underway??? is it someone who has planned the use of tethers of proper length for his/her own boat or is it someone using tethers 4 ft too long for the beam of the boat sailed on??
it is only common sense.

oh--if you are going to verbalize concern re:knockdown and tethering on my shiplet--is a ketch and sailed under short rig when soloing. i am a no cojones wimp and reef very early. i donot need to leave helm to shorten jib and jigger.

[svpattyd]

You can save yourself some money by making them. I got a Sailrite Kit. The quick release clips were included.

[rpoint16]

Excellent points on both sides, THANKS!!

I am new to sailing & want to get as much information and make the correct purchase the first time.

One intriguing thought on making my own is the ability to vary the length depending on the situation/environment. I would use offshore grade hardware.

This is not necessarily a cost saving issue. I believe you get what you pay for (to a certain extent), and I will not take shortcuts on saftey or saftey equipment. Having said that, some items may be comparible. Again, thanks for the input.

We are doing our first costal cruise this weekend in SoCal, so I'll be able to check out what the rest of the crew uses. A buddy has an extra set for me to demo.

[b-rad]

If you are intrested in long but infopackedreadabout tethers
http://offshore.ussailing.org/Assets...ea+Studies.pdf

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by b-rad

If you are intrested in long but infopackedreadabout tethers
http://offshore.ussailing.org/Assets...ea+Studies.pdf

One can imagine that when a harness and tether are needed conditions are starting move toward the extreme. Lot's of wind, a good sea state, rigging starting to scream, essentially very dynamic conditions. In these conditions I want my harness and tether to be bullet proof because I may need it to save my life or a family members life.

The above article states that over 40% of the tethers failed a dynamic loading test in a manner that would endanger the users life.

If you are looking at saving money making home made harnesses and tethers you may want to take some lessons from the research in this report. The pictures of failed shackles and hooks are sobering.

[zeehag]

did it also say how many bowlines and plain lines failed as well???? sometimes the makeshift ways of those with lesser amounts of spending money are better than the expensive reinventions of the wheel. they just LOOK like a makshift thing and some folks are sooo allergic to that look.

[svpattyd]

Tether are essential safety equipment. We use them all the time. You can stumble and fall on a calm day. When we are sailing, you use your tether when ever you leave the cockpit. MOB can happen anytime, not just in bad weather.

Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers

[LakeSuperior]

Zeehag: Forget the lines and knots...the shackles/hardware was failing. Just read the article online.

[Sailmonkey]

I'm going to fry for this, That much I am certain of.

It would seem to me that as individuals we take to sailing as a release or rather an escape from the nanny mentality. When we are discussing tethers and jacklines and harnesses and the expression "mandatory" or "essential" come up, along with one of my favorites "Safety" that in recent years has taken on as much meaning as the word "smurf", we're moving away from the attraction of a self sufficent lifestyle that is experienced by living and cruising on a sailboat. I have a "real" tether, but have many times used some three strand that I spliced onto old snap shackles/caribeaners. The risk to me was nil compared to the risk of not having any tether. Had I not been willing to accept the risk of using a homemade tether I would have sailed without rather than spend the money that I didn't have at the time. I for one would like to think that I'm smart enough to weigh what risks I'm going to take and how I'm willing to mitigate them without being pinned by safety smurf to a commercial product.

[jackdale]

Sailmonkey

That safety smurf may be your insurance company.

Those who are paid to take folks out will need to ensure that they take ALL pre-cautions, with an emphasis on the pre.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by jackdale

Sailmonkey

That safety smurf may be your insurance company.

Those who are paid to take folks out will need to ensure that they take ALL pre-cautions, with an emphasis on the pre.

What does being paid to take someone out have to do with my own personel choices? I am not talking about running a business here!!

Then the insurance argument holds very little water, Some of us own our boats outright and can't justify the large yearly outlay for something we may never use to replace something that can be replaced, and paid for in less than a years time. We carry liability only, they don't even require a survey..........manufactured tethers be dammed.