General Info: Jack lines on FP's

[Illusionv]

We're in the process of preparing our boat for extended cruising and would like some advice from other FP owners about whether you use jack lines and if so, what attachment points do you use? We always had them rigged on our previous monohull but not sure what people do on the cats. It would seem sensible to have them rigged as far inboard as possible but there are no obvious existing attachment points on our boat. Would appreciate any ideas/advice from those of you who are already out there doing bluewater passages.

[thinwater]

I have a smaller cat (34'), but I do use jacklines when alone, at night, or cold water. A few general thoughts relevant to cats:

1. Yes, run them well inboard. I run them from the aft edge of the hard top to the inboard edge of the tramp about 4' aft of the cross beam.
2. You will likely need very long tethers (>6') to cover the tramp and will need to make your own. There is a bunch of stuff re. that on my blog.
3. Compared to a mono the risks are different, because the motion is different. Sliding on a sloping deck is not a problem, and there is little reason to be working near the lee bow (forestay is in the center). On the other hand, cats are more prone to stopping if you bury the bow in a wave, throwing you forward. Thus, the jackline should stop well short of the bow.
4. Cats are more likely to throw you to windward when passing the cabin (quick motion). Thus the jackline should be inboard and sometimes used as a hand rail.
5. Have a clip point at deck level at the forestay; with cats the problem is getting lifted off the tramp; the lacing can work, if strong. Otherwise, bolt hangers are very handy.

As for attachment points, consider the inside flange of the hull (where the tramp laces) and any hand rails on the cabin top. Bolt hangers can be handy.

Sail Delmarva: Bolt Hangers--A Strong Point For Small Dollars


As for bow anchors, this is what I did, but I might go further aft. I used a bolt hanger through an existing hole, with a backing plate. I found that if I ran the line just below the edge it was not under foot nor a tripping hazard.

[DtM]

Is that your anchor winch set up on the port bow?

Interesting.

[maxingout]

We started our circumnavigation with jacklines at deck level, and we finished the circumnavigation with jacklines at chest height. At chest height, they kept us from falling overboard, and we could still clip on to them with our safety harness when going forward.

And if the weather was really rough, I had one spare halyard that had about twenty feet of extra length that could go to any place on deck. If a person was going forward in really bad weather, they could clip into the halyard, and if they went over the side, they were already attached to a halyard and could be winched back on board.

SURVIVING THE DANGER ZONES ON BOARD EXIT ONLYÂ*Â*Â* Exit Only has an extremely safe cockpit for offshore sailing

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by DtM

Is that your anchor winch set up on the port bow?

Interesting.

Yes, and it is a compromise. So far I'm happy with it and would do it that way again. In general (many design variations)...

Pluses
a. The chain locker is right there.
b. Easy to attach or adjust the bridle.
c. Easier to futz with a stuck or spun anchor.
d. Easier to manage if the windlass breaks.
e. Generally easier to access on everything.

Minuses
a. The bridle has to be used every time.
b. The windlass goes underwater. But I got 17 years out of the first one.
c. Chain weight is forward. But in only carry 100' of chain (balance is line--shallow water around here).

Some folks mount 2, but I've always through having 2 anchors through rollers is asking for monster tangles when the boat spins. I prefer to attach the 2nd rode to the first rode (2nd rode is mostly rope) a few feet below the roller.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by maxingout

We started our circumnavigation with jacklines at deck level, and we finished the circumnavigation with jacklines at chest height. At chest height, they kept us from falling overboard, and we could still clip on to them with our safety harness when going forward.

And if the weather was really rough, I had one spare halyard that had about twenty feet of extra length that could go to any place on deck. If a person was going forward in really bad weather, they could clip into the halyard, and if they went over the side, they were already attached to a halyard and could be winched back on board.

SURVIVING THE DANGER ZONES ON BOARD EXIT ONLYÂ*Â*Â* Exit Only has an extremely safe cockpit for offshore sailing

Though I like a lot of these ideas, I tried the halyard idea and it was a glaring failure. Perhaps it is boat-specific. In my case, if the halyard was slack the line whipped around and caught in the diamond wires. If the halyard had less slack, it could lift you off your feet unless someone VERY belayed it carefully. I found it dangerous. But I like the out side the box thinking.

Might work on a different boat. Try it.

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The chest-height jacklines is a good idea. Mine start on the hard top (chest level) and angle downwards, eventually following the chine of the deck (where they are easy to step over). My boat is center cockpit (deep) so jackline are a non-issue there. We use fixed tethers if working near the transoms (either securing dingy or landing fish... or sometimes just sitting on the swim platform dragging feet in the water to cool off).

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The answer is to try different things in fair weather and fix the problems. The nice thing about the bolt hangers is that you can use an existing hole while sorting things out.

[Illusionv]

Thanks guys, some really useful info there. Because your boats are different designs to ours I think we'll just have to play around with the best position for our anchor points (we don't have handrails on the cabin top) but could possibly put in some strong points on the aft end of the cabin top, utilising the backing plates for the winches.

[thinwater]

There might be enough meat in the salon "eyebrow" near the aft edge. So long as the tether can reach into the cockpit from there, you're good. I leave my tethers on the jacklines and only clip when I leave the cockpit, which seems safe for your boat.

[SailMonAmi]

I'm going on an extended sail also and have the same question, but not crazy about installing new hardware to accommodate the jack lines. What is the collective wisdom about using the bow and stern cleats? The obvious downside being that it is not at all close to the centerline, in fact as far from it as could be. Note: yes, I am aware of the engineering/design flaw of the factory installed stern cleats.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by SailMonAmi

I'm going on an extended sail also and have the same question, but not crazy about installing new hardware to accommodate the jack lines. What is the collective wisdom about using the bow and stern cleats? The obvious downside being that it is not at all close to the centerline, in fact as far from it as could be. Note: yes, I am aware of the engineering/design flaw of the factory installed stern cleats.

At least use the front cross arm 4' inboard.

If the lines are far enough in you can allow yourself some stretch, which lowers the load and permits lower strength mountings.

[Dreaming Yachtsman]

At night and in heavy weather I run a line from the stbd leg of the bow A-frame along the deck to the stbd stern cleat. I keep just enough slack in it to allow me to climb on top of the cabin while reefing the main. So far I have not had to rely on it to keep me out of the drink - perhaps I should test it in warm calm waters before my next overnighter.