Siting of Jack Lines

[Snorkel]

Hi there, I am about to add some jack Stays to my 31" foam core yacht. I believe or have been told that they should be placed in a way that there is no way a person could actually fall into the water and then get dragged along and potenitally drown.
Has anyone got any great ideas/ experiences that could help me in positiioning the jack stays?
Snorkel

[cburger]

Sometimes installing along the cabin top and making sure the length of the tether straps are not to long can solve this issue.

[bloodhunter]

The problem with some tethers is that if they're short enough to keep you on board no matter what while you're moving around, they can be too short to allow you to do the work you need to do once you get there. My answer and that of many other is to have either two tethers or an extension that will give you the extra length you need.

[Bash]

rig them with the understanding that crew should always go forward on the high (windward) side of the boat. That way, a fall is into the boat rather than overboard.

Our rule when offshore is that no one goes forward of the cockpit, even when tethered to jack lines, unless/until someone else is in the cockpit.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Snorkel

Hi there, I am about to add some jack Stays to my 31" foam core yacht. I believe or have been told that they should be placed in a way that there is no way a person could actually fall into the water and then get dragged along and potenitally drown.
Has anyone got any great ideas/ experiences that could help me in positiioning the jack stays?
Snorkel

Have long post on my blog on this subject; it is writen for catamarans and much will not apply, but some will.

Sail Delmarva: Climbing Gear for Sailors; or Jacklines and Harnesses for the Unemployed


Tethers. You don't need to buy them; tie them from 1" tubular climbing webbing to custom lengths that suit YOUR BOAT. Tie mid-point loops where you like them. a water knot (overhand on a bight) is the preferred knot; no bowlines, please. Tighten the knots hard before use and leave the tails at least 3" long. Climbers bounce on them with full body weight to make them permanent. Do not sew them unless you have received specific instruction in the method. Any concerns over reduced breaking strength in knots can be dismissed; long experience by climbers reveals that ropes and slings do not break at the knots in practice; they break where they cross over a sharp edge. OK, maybe that wasn't so reassuring after all....


Tethers - Length and Getting Back On-board. In the best of all worlds tether length and jackline position are such that falling off is not possible. That must be addressed on a boat-by-boat basis due to geometry differences. Often having 2 length options on a tether will help. But let's assume for the moment you can fall over.


Can you get back aboard? With a full crew, someone may be able to man-haul you aboard. Let's disregard that option for the typical cruising family; they lack the horsepower, depending on who went over. There is always the option of cranking them up with the spinnaker halyard. Again, not dependable with a family crew. Not enough hands and not enough horsepower.


I suggest trying to reboard without assistance, with you crew slowly motoring ahead. Don't strain yourself either; this must be easy or it will not work if you are injured or unconscious. Gently - there is no point in risking injury. Lower yourself easily over the side and see what works. In my case, the long setting of my tethers allows me to easily glide to the sugar scoop steps in the transom where there are big hand holds, a ladder, and stairs. I can easily climb, or family could haul me up with the assistance of a spare sheet winch. My short tether won't let me over the rail. Another method that should work for a family crew, if there are transom steps but the tether is too short to reach, is to attach a spare sheet to the harness attachment, cut the tether loose, and use a sheet winch to pull the swimmer up to the transom. Any climber would ALWAYS have extra carbiners on-hand for this sort of work-around! Anyway I look at it, without transom steps this is going to be a very tough test for a family crew, if the largest, strongest member goes over. Realistically, the victim is likely to be Dad, as he goes forward to wrestle with the jib in terrible conditions. Poor old Dad.