Jacklines

[malyea]

So...
- if I rig two jacklines on either side of the cabin down along each side deck and I fall outboard with a 6’ tether ... I go over the side and drag along in the water till I drown or release my quick release ... correct?
- if I rig a single jackline on top of the cabin along the boats centerline and I fall outboard my 6’ tether keeps me onboard ... correct?
What am I missing?

[Lake-Effect]

An oversimplification, but that's pretty much it. My expectation of jackline and tethers is to keep me on the boat, not as a convenience for recovering my body.

Have you considered a shorter tether as well?

On a 43' you have more options where to run the jacklines. For example you could have two jacklines but secured to anchor points closer to the centerline, set so that with a 3' tether you'd stay inboard.

[Mirage35]

An ever-popular question. In fact it looks a lot like the first question I ever asked on CF, to which I got a lot of good responses. For old times' sake here's the link:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nt-146250.html

[LLCoolDave]

I use two jacklines. I always go on the fordeck on the windward side. If I lose my footing,even with a six foot tether I won't go over.

[Snore]

Originally Posted by malyea

So...
- if I rig two jacklines on either side of the cabin down along each side deck and I fall outboard with a 6’ tether ... I go over the side and drag along in the water till I drown or release my quick release ... correct?
- if I rig a single jackline on top of the cabin along the boats centerline and I fall outboard my 6’ tether keeps me onboard ... correct?
What am I missing?

DING! Ding! We have a winner. Getting from the cockpit to forward of the dodger is the issue. I like going out over the companionway. On deliveries, where I don’t want to mess with an iffy dodger, I rig lines along the side deck from the beam cleat to the stern cleat. From the cockpit to forward of the dodger, I use the side deck, then clip onto the center jackline that is snubbed on the cabin top winch.

Another method is to go from port stern cleat to starboard bow cleat, crossing the jackline aft of the mast.

[thinwater]

Gross over simplification.

First, where and when do people fall overboard?

• Working, not moving. I'm not aware of a case where the person was moving beside the cabin. It may feel scary, but it doesn't seem to happen often. People that are moving are holding on and watching the waves. People that are working are distracted and not holding on.
• Bow or cockpit. In the case of Speirs (Clipper), he was working near the bow on the windward line and still fell over the leeward rail. Another man on a short tether did not go as far, but had he been on a center or leeward line it would have been worse for him. Windward is generally better where the boat is less than 12 feet wide (which is nearly all of the area forward of the mast) (remember the jackline will sag to leeward).
• To leeward. Unless the boat is jibing, people fall to leeward.
• The jackline will sag to leeward in a fall, probably 1-2 feet. Include that in your math.
• Centerline near the mast is good. Clipping to the mast or a nearby hardpoint is better, though. Obvious. So when working at the mast, leave on clip on the jackline and clip short to a sling on the mast. Better and easier.

So a cabin top location doesn't change these cases.

There is no reason you can't do both. But I've seen no evidence that a center location is consistently better, only that it is occasionally better.

More important, to me, is that jacklines should end 4 feet short of the bow and stern. There is no purpose, since you can stand tall with the tether 4' behind you.