Safety Harness Purpose & Placement

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by rgesner

Nylon webbing doesn't roll underfoot, but stretches too much and can be hard to grab flat on the deck with cold or gloved hands.

Rope lines roll underfoot.

I'm thinking of sleeving a dynema line through tubular webbing for the best of both, but getting it threaded thru a long length of webbing may be difficult or tedious.

- Rusty

Exactly.

Webbing, if used alone, is polyester and is much lower stretch.

APS sells Dyneema/webbing jacklines.

With a long stick it goes fast, since it is a loose fit.

Do go up from the standard to 8500 pounds though, as APS has; with Dyneema the loads are higher.

[Bulawayo]

Originally Posted by rgesner

Looks like a good device. Thanks. I just ordered 3 from https://lrse.com/B.E.L.L.-Throw-Line.html

Their price of $12 was so low, I first inquired and verified that it was the complete device, not just a replacement line. (They do however excessively charge nearly $8/unit for shipping). Even including the shipping, the cost is 1/2 of what I found elsewhere.

Anyone want a good throwbag ;-)

- Rusty

Thanks Rusty, I paid a lot more when I bought mine - I'll buy a couple more now! We keep one on either side of the cockpit in 'C' clips, ready to immediately snatch and throw. At the price you found its worth buying a couple to keep elsewhere.

[kas_1611]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Many possibilities, and I have my own thoughts, but...

The main thing is to install them and to used them in fair weather with some crew on board. Get used to them and work out how they can be used instinctively and without tangles. The answers will vary somewhat depending on the boat and the rigging. They need to be as thoughtfully designed as any permanent rigging.

Bad weather, night, or even at the dock are not the time to be sorting it out. Sailing in a fair breeze is.

Very good point and true for any safety system. Better to practice it in good conditions often than ever actually need to do it once for real. I'd go even further and suggest the best time to set up and practice using them with crew is still tied to the wall/pontoon/quay. Then go out for a second practice session in calm seas so everyone has a feel for how it all works with boat motion with a final practice when you have some bigger waves.

I would also add that before you go out you thoroughly check every aspect of your safety kit for wear, tear, damage, items out of date etc and if anything looks wrong get it repaired or replaced. Webbing straps, especially left outside for long periods, degraded rapidly from UV but might still "look" good. Buckles and clips can break or seize. Any exposures to oils can damage synthetics without it being easily visible. If a harness, lanyard or safety line has been shock loaded then ditch it immediately. Don't baulk at the cost because what cost a human life?

Keiron

[Snore]

Originally Posted by thinwater

This depends on the material. Dyneema works fine, but needs to be 8000-pound because of the more demanding angles.

The trick to having a long jack line is that it reeves through a hard point. In my case the same tab on the mast that secures the soft vang has a spare hole (for a cunningham?). I place a snap shackle on that tab and run the jackline through that fitting.

Net is that there is 10 feet or so between hard points.

All jacklines will stretch. Mine go to the cabin top winch. Every time I clip to it I check the tension. Tightening takes a second. FYI no winch handle needed, just lean on it and secure the end.


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