Why Lifelines on Sailboats?

[ItDepends]

On my boat, I can make my way forward with one hand on the liferail, and one hand on the "other" rail on the top of the coach roof. I feel pretty darn secure like that.

If the boat is heeled a lot, then my feet are against the doghouse, and my hands are on the liferail. I am quite happy with that.

The idea that I could somehow be just as secure without something up there on the high side to easily hold onto seems highly improbable.

[BobHorn]

I've read all the responses and still haven't seen any reason for life lines on sailboats. Surely not because of additional weight. As far as MOB recovery, we have a gate on each side and at the stern. I agree, they should be higher and I could have easily replaced the stanchion with taller ones, too cheap I guess.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Don C L

It's true. My wife who had never sailed before asked me right away, why not have a solid railing? I had no good answer for her. My old boat had no lifelines and then I added them. I don't think I was any safer. When the boat is heeling, the leeward lifelines aren't going to keep you in, but the upwind are kinda nice to hold on to. I guess they are a last shot at something to grab on your way over. As chris mac said, we need them most for hanging laundry. Curtains around the cockpit are nice too

I prefer going forward on the Lee side as my feet are bracing on the toe rail, I'm leaning inboard with the grab rails easy to hold onto and the genny sheet makes a good 3rd lifeline as one moves forward.
The windward side has ones natural balance out of kilt with grab rails lower down and one needs to lean out to counter the 15-20* heel.. or crawl.. not conducive to rapid moves to mast or foredeck.

[Cheechako]

Full railing is difficult to do in production. Boats are not nearly as repeatable construction tolerances as a Toyota Camry. Custom build components for each boat often occurs. Boats today are becoming more closely toleranced though.
They say that the length of a 747 can vary as much as 8" or something like that just from accumulated tolerances in the parts.
So cost really.

The other issue is the strength of stancions. With the height and resultant lever force... the narrow bases, tubing size, fasteners and deck layup may not be large enough to withstand a 200 lb man hurled against the rail. Wire lifelines absorb more shock force. But a welded tubing top rail does help make the entire railing system a more monocoque system. So there is that.

[Be Free]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I prefer going forward on the Lee side as my feet are bracing on the toe rail, I'm leaning inboard with the grab rails easy to hold onto and the genny sheet makes a good 3rd lifeline as one moves forward.
The windward side has ones natural balance out of kilt with grab rails lower down and one needs to lean out to counter the 15-20* heel.. or crawl.. not conducive to rapid moves to mast or foredeck.

I'm usually a windward side guy. If I have to go forward in bad weather I want to have as much deck between me and the lee rail as possible (and it's harder to fall uphill).

Back to the original question: I see the lifelines as a visual marker for the edge of the deck and a psychological barrier that makes you feel like they are actually helping you stay on board (and they are a handy place to hang things ).

If your lifelines don't already have an adjuster in them it's not hard to add a turnbuckle. There's no reason why they should be loose.

[skipgundlach]

The single most attractive and effective (and cost effective) improvement I made to Flying Pig was to remove the 24" stanchions and lifelines (I'm 6-4, just the right height to trip over) with 1" SS tubing, 30" stanchions, continuous top (with Ts) and hole-saw-cut edged middle tubing pieces with +s.

Total for my Morgan 461 (pushpit replaced by arch and welded rails) - because I did the labor, a doddle - was $1000 (in 2006).

The mental and physical difference was starkly amazing. It also made lovely mounts for my saddle-clamp&street-ell solar lamp mounts...

[BobHorn]

>>>hole-saw-cut edged middle tubing pieces with +s.<<<


I'm using 26" stanchions and continuous top rail with Ts. Can you clarify the above quoted statement? Maybe it's too early in the morning, but I don't understand what you mean.


Thanks,


Bob

[thinwater]

One more point.


No one said you need to walk tall all the time. Scooting and crawling work, and then the railing is well above your COG. I often sit down and scoot, if that is the safer way. And I'm an active rock climber for 40 years.


It's just common sense.

[Arne Henriksen]

It’s a cost issue. Expensive boats like Nauticat, Amel, Sirius all have solid rails.

[thinwater]

I think we may also be under weighting tradition as a factor. I've seen wire, and even Dyneema on plenty of $1,000,000 boats.


It's not just one thing.


(Personally, I find puny or missing toe rail equally vexing.)

[Rumrace]

I’ve had a number of SeaRays a couple Donzi and the current sailboat. I prefer the life lines which are way more secure for a sail craft. My power boats all had gaps going forward switching to hand rail before you are in the bow rail. It’s that gap common would represent a danger to a sailboat.
I’m sure the naval architect amateurs and professionals would also not want them add weight to fight the keel. Even in interiors with wood ceiling glued to them and upp cabinets are fading for a better sail in a much shallower hull design then the past. Cables stand up well at gates. Picture a big swinging hunk of tubing with a teak cap on the old sea Ray standing up on a sailboat heeling. Finally I think being able to secure a safety strap on cable moving around the boat in weather easy.

I gather that’s why sailboats in my class don’t have 800 pound of stainless tipping the balance

[Brioche]

No pun intended, lifelines are more flexible. I can drop mine at the pulpit by clipping to an eye at deck level to allow the genoa to clear the lifelines when running or on a broad reach. As others observe, I can also drop them to allow access at any point along the rail. Single handed it is bit easier docking to jump off from the cockpit, while some folks have trouble coming onboard midships unless the lines are down. That would require several gates in a solid rail.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Rumrace

I’ve had a number of SeaRays a couple Donzi and the current sailboat. I prefer the life lines which are way more secure for a sail craft. My power boats all had gaps going forward switching to hand rail before you are in the bow rail. It’s that gap common would represent a danger to a sailboat.
I’m sure the naval architect amateurs and professionals would also not want them add weight to fight the keel. Even in interiors with wood ceiling glued to them and upp cabinets are fading for a better sail in a much shallower hull design then the past. Cables stand up well at gates. Picture a big swinging hunk of tubing with a teak cap on the old sea Ray standing up on a sailboat heeling. Finally I think being able to secure a safety strap on cable moving around the boat in weather easy.

I gather that’s why sailboats in my class don’t have 800 pound of stainless tipping the balance

Most of those issues are fixable. You can have chain or cable gates in an otherwise solid rail. And if the rail setup is well designed, you don't get gaps. That's mostly a problem on express and sport fish style power boats, which all have crap for safe bow access in my opinion.

[BBill]

I was knocked (not tripped) overboard on a 36' sloop with wire lifelines while beating hard and decks awash. The wire flexed enough to cushion my fall and I was able to grab the stretched wire to pull myself back on board with help. My ribs hit first and I was slightly bruised but no real injury, so flex was a good thing. Had this been rigid tubing I probably would have broken a rib two and is the best reason I can think of for not doing tubing.

[Cwens]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

They say that the length of a 747 can vary as much as 8" or something like that just from accumulated tolerances in the parts.

Visiting an airliner factory is eye-opening. Relative to, say, automobiles, airliners are built in tiny quantities. In comparison to a car factory, an airliner factory is more like a workshop full of craftsmen hand-building one-offs.