Why Lifelines on Sailboats?

[BobHorn]

This will be the third boat that I have replaced the top lifeline with SS tubing. Much more secure feeling when moving around the deck. So why do sailboats have those wimpy lifelines when you spend a fair amount of time moving around the deck, while power boats have nice rigid railings even though you spend very little time moving around the deck?
Just curious,
Bob

[Pete7]

Money and lower down the list visual image.

We did replace the guard rails a couple of years ago. They were 30 years old and had that horrible white plastic on, so you can't see what's going on inside. Now plain stainless wire.

Stainless tube would have been nice, but quite a big job and we would want a gate in each side too.

Pete

[alctel]

My bloody stanchions are 1" 1/16 for some reason and so no T fittings fit them so unfortunately that's not a option for me, else I would

[Bowdrie]

Lifelines can be quite secure; the key is being TIGHT and staying tight.
Many years ago, the Naval Academy did an engineering study on that issue.
The results were substantiative.
The wires and terminals, (assuming good connections,) did not cause problems, the overwhelming cause of lifeline failure was that under load, (as when someone falls against them,) the bow and stern pulpits would deflect.
This allowed the lifelines to go slack which results in the bending/collapse of the stantions.
Also, the typical 24" height of 1" tube is a disaster in waiting, their height is just about right to flip you over them and the small tube with its small base is inadequate to carry high tension.
Taller and of larger tubing is much preferred, but with height comes increased leverage, and the need for rigidity in pulpits is increased.
Having the stantions leaning inboard a bit decreases deflection also.

[noelex 77]

A solid bulwark or high toe-rail is the most important in my view. The ability to secure your footing is critical. Multiple suitable placed inboard handholds and Jack lines are also vital.

Lifelines whether they are solid or rope help, but even if they are higher than standard they are still at height that tends to tip the occupant over the side in many circumstances. They are best regarded as a tertiary safety device for offshore sailing. They are sometimes used as handhold, but an inboard deck mounted handhold is better.

Unfortunately, solid rails tend to be bent and dinged with the stress of long term cruising. This can be fixed but it is added nuisance. Stanchions are easily replaced (order a couple extra with a new boat build).

[wingssail]

Why not have stainless railings instead of wire lifelines?

1. Weight. Many people wouldn't care. Other people say, "It wouldn't make a difference" but four railings (top and lower) 32ft long, is 128ft of stainless tubing added above the deck level on my very weight sensitive boat. I prefer dyneema, very light.
2. Cost. This change (to stainless railings), will not be free.
3. Permanence. Stanchions cannot be removed or replace when they are part of a welded railing system.

About the height: No lifeline or railing system will prevent a person walking next to it from pitching overboard unless it is above waist height. I caution every person on my boat, "don't walk there unless hanging onto a handheld inboard". In seas where there is significant motion, move in a three point posture (two feet and one hand on deck).

My lifelines are to keep seated or crawling persons on board, not walking tourists.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

A solid bulwark or high toe-rail is the most important in my view. The ability to secure your footing is critical. Multiple suitable placed inboard handholds and Jack lines are also vital.

Lifelines whether they are solid or rope help, but even if they are higher than standard they are still at height that tends to tip the occupant over the side in many circumstances. They are best regarded as a tertiary safety device for offshore sailing. They are sometimes used as handhold, but an inboard deck mounted handhold is better.

Agreed. A toe rail and inboard handhelds are critical. Lifelines or rails are there to give you something to guide where the outer edge is, as well as a second handhold to put your other hand on.

Of course, what's most effective depends on the boat's deck layout. What works best on a boat like mine (shown below) with confined side decks that keep you up against the sides of the deckhouse is very different from a sailboat with a low, possibly sloped deckhouse and lots more room to move inboard (as well as more ability for a person to get flipped, as there's nothing to prevent their legs from moving inboard).

[TrentePieds]

Here is another one who hates lifelines :-).

As Noelex sez, a secure foothold is ALWAYS essential, as are devices to hold the other end of you securely in place and still aboard. Short tethers for me!

In itty-bitty boats such as the ones we sail, or at least the ones I sail, I CRAWL when I'm on deck! It's important to be able to reach a new hand hold before you let go of the one you already have a grip on. If you can do that, while crawling, lifelines become redundant.

It's sort of like not leaving a landing field that is within reach, when you are going cross country in a sailplane, until you have another in sight that you are sure you can reach.

TrentePieds

[chris mac]

Lifelines aren't there to keep you aboard, jacklines do that.
Life lines are a visual reminder of where the deck ends, and a place to hang laundry[emoji39]

[StuM]

One other consideration - with lifelines secured by lashings (or pelican hooks or whatever), you can easily loosen them to facilitiate a MOB recovery etc. Not so a solid rail.

[Bowdrie]

Another consideration.
The stanchions that have the welded-on integral bases are wretched and miserable losers.
Separate bases in which you insert the stanchions are much to be preferred.
Also having stanchions installed on a heavily cambered deck so that they lean outboard is amateurish.
Use tapered pads so that they mount vertical or leaning slightly inboard.
Pads also greatly diminish the chance of leakage thru the fasteners.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by StuM

One other consideration - with lifelines secured by lashings (or pelican hooks or whatever), you can easily loosen them to facilitiate a MOB recovery etc. Not so a solid rail.

That and reasonable boarding access from a dock are why any good rail or lifeline setup should have well placed sections that can be opened for access.

[ItDepends]

Of course not ALL sailboats use wire.

Our Amel has 50mm stainless tube all the way round. Amel has been doing that on all their boats for decades. I think the key is that it has to be designed as a system, and not just a tack on afterthought.

While I admit there are pros and cons, but still, net-net I'll never willing go back to wire.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

It's sort of like not leaving a landing field that is within reach, when you are going cross country in a sailplane, until you have another in sight that you are sure you can reach.

TrentePieds

As a non current pilot of power and sailplanes, I concur. I've heard this described as the First Rule of Wingwalking: Never let go of what you're holding until you have ahold of something else.

[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