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Old 05-01-2021, 14:00   #16
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

If solo the teather would have to be short so you could not fall off the boat. Fairly hard to maintain on most boats. If it was longer how would you get back into the boat with the boat doing, say, 5 knots?

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Old 05-01-2021, 14:13   #17
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

Glad it worked out. My vest has a PLB, a waterproof VHF, 2 strobes (in addition to the strobe on the ACR PLB), and a whistle. ePIRB is in the boat.
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Old 05-01-2021, 14:14   #18
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

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Originally Posted by b_rodwell View Post
If solo the teather would have to be short so you could not fall off the boat. Fairly hard to maintain on most boats. If it was longer how would you get back into the boat with the boat doing, say, 5 knots?
That's the idea; a tether long enough to put you in the water is effectively no tether at all.

The key is to run the jacklines so that you minimize re-clipping and can't go into the water. Unfortunately clipping systems are often rigged as an afterthought rather than being designed in. My ideal system would likely feature one along the center-line, with a mechanism to allow passing the mast without having to re-clip.

Edit: such a mechanism isn't needed if you just run a loop down the centerline, one strand to either side of the mast, but some might prefer to have a Y-split on beamier boats.
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Old 05-01-2021, 14:52   #19
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

I have a PLB but most of the time it's hanging with all the other handy junk like sunnies, headlamp, water bottle etc.
This is a good wakeup call for me that it needs to be in my PFD.
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Old 05-01-2021, 14:57   #20
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

Short enough not to fall overboard long enough to allow you to move about the boat. offshore, Jack lines are most important and Several intermediate hook up points , through bolted with backing plates to spread the weight. throughout the boat forward and stern and amidships. A built-in harness into your PFD, a 4 to 6 foot tetherAnd a decent carabiner. Don’t be overconfident. Losing your footing can happen to the best of us. Be safe and happy new year.
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Old 05-01-2021, 15:15   #21
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

I use two carabiners with two lines to the harness. I just clip the new one and unclip the old when moving across the mast and along the center safely line. I also put on over my PFD a military surplus CG net vest with extra reflectors and so many extra pockets for all the safety devices, to which I'm now going to add an AIS/MOB.
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Old 05-01-2021, 15:18   #22
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

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Originally Posted by SV Aquavit View Post
I've been looking at PLB options and concluded that a solo sailor needs both EPIRB and AIS/DSC devices. AIS/DSC could help if there are nearby vessels. EPIRB if there's a chance of surviving until you're found.
Thoughts?

I keep both a PLB and and an AIS/DSC SART in my life jacket, and have for years.
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Old 05-01-2021, 17:06   #23
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

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Originally Posted by capn ken View Post
several hours in pacific northwest waters and your dead . Tether always offshore .
Yeah, whereas at this time of year the Arafura sea is like a warm bath...30deg C.(86F) Lovely! You could bob around for days...It is just a question of who finds you first, the rescuers or the crocs/sharks/stingers etc.....
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Old 05-01-2021, 18:47   #24
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

The SAR guys dropped a liferaft to him first, to disappoint the crocs, sharks and stingers. Then they sent a four-man tinny out to pick him up. Now they're tracking his boat so he can get it back. Sounds like job security for the SAR guys: keep the customers alive so they keep us busy!
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Old 05-01-2021, 20:21   #25
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

If you're offshore and go over board most likely you are dead meat gadgets or not. I'll make sure I stay on board.
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Old 05-01-2021, 20:34   #26
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

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Originally Posted by Russ View Post
Solo sailor not apparently tethered to his vessel.
Real cheap low tech fix
Did I miss something in the post???
going overboard & tethered while solo sounds a really slow and unpleasant way to die (you aren't going to get back onboard)

personally i'd prefer to drown quickly...

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Old 05-01-2021, 20:50   #27
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

Sailing solo a tether long enough that you can go over the side is probably worse than going over the side with no tether and a PLB.

In the ARC Atlantic five years or so ago one of the boats was sailed just by two brothers. One fell over and the tether was long enough that was dragged by his tether. His brother was not able to pull him up and they even talked as he slowly drowned.

The brother aboard finally cut the tether. By the time he got the boat back to him, his brother was dead.
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Old 05-01-2021, 21:01   #28
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

Quote:
Originally Posted by requiem View Post
My ideal system would likely feature one along the center-line, with a mechanism to allow passing the mast without having to re-clip.

Edit: such a mechanism isn't needed if you just run a loop down the centerline, one strand to either side of the mast, but some might prefer to have a Y-split on beamier boats.
I agree. If you are clipping onto the lifelines this could end up being a big mistake. Personally I think if you lose your footing you should still be held with most of your body on the deck so you can get a leg up if needed.
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Old 06-01-2021, 04:06   #29
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

Quote:
Originally Posted by b_rodwell View Post
If solo the teather would have to be short so you could not fall off the boat. Fairly hard to maintain on most boats. If it was longer how would you get back into the boat with the boat doing, say, 5 knots?

Cheers,

Brian
It doesn't matter whether you're solo or not. If you fall over tethered, at any kind of speed, you're dead.
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We must have a turn together . . . . I undress . . . . hurry me out of sight of the land,
Cushion me soft . . . . rock me in billowy drowse,
Dash me with amorous wet . . . . I can repay you."
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Old 06-01-2021, 10:15   #30
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Re: PLB Saves Solo Sailor

If using the lifelines to clip onto or having a long tether, some safety experts recommend hooking the harness on the back of the pfd. So the MOB will drag back-first and be able to breath instead of dragging face-first with seawater flowing onto one's face and causing drowning, as in the previous tragedy mentioned.
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