Safety On-Deck... Other than Lifelines, Jacklines, and Non-Skid

[thinwater]

Don't get me wrong. Those items are important. But I'd like to start a thread about less obvious things that have gotten us.


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Oversize openings in trampoline lacing. Corsairs often have a big gap near the center hull to allow for folding. I've gone through that one a few times, past the knee, and when your kneecap hits the ama the air turns blue. I filled the gap with a mini-tramp. The off-shore rule says the tramp must be "made from durable woven webbing, water permeable fabric, or mesh with openings not larger than 5 cm (2”) in any dimension. Attachment points shall be planned to avoid chafe. The junction between a net and a boat shall present no risk of foot trapping" (which to me implies less than 2").

Non-skid on slopes. Some makers don't understand that when a boat heels, slopes change. You stand places they don't consider to be deck. I've added non-skid to sloped cabin trunks, saving quite a few slips.

Sheet snaggers. Anything that can cause a hang-up mid tack or jibe could cause serious trouble short tacking in a breeze. It's not just a racer thing, it means someone has to run forward at a bad time.

Slippery step nosing. So often, the non-skid ends 1-2 inches back from the edge, because it looks better. Stupid. The last inch is what counts most.

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What do you see as hazardous?

[Sparx]

A pet peeve is steep slippery companion ways. Sailing on other people's boats I have been surprised how many people accept what I consider difficult companion way transits. This is the prime opportunity for falls from my experience. Nothing like a fall to ruin a cruise.

[dfelsent]

Varnish on companionway steps. Should be bare or something else for traction.

[gamayun]

Always wearing knee pads. I am not adverse to dropping to my knees and crawling or kneeling when I have to do something at the bow especially when I'm getting doused with water and there's not much to hold onto.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by thinwater

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Oversize openings in trampoline lacing. Corsairs often have a big gap near the center hull to allow for folding. I've gone through that one a few times, past the knee, and when your kneecap hits the ama the air turns blue. I filled the gap with a mini-tramp. The off-shore rule says the tramp must be "made from durable woven webbing, water permeable fabric, or mesh with openings not larger than 5 cm (2”) in any dimension. Attachment points shall be planned to avoid chafe. The junction between a net and a boat shall present no risk of foot trapping" (which to me implies less than 2").------------

What do you see as hazardous?

Which Corsairs are you referring to? I've owned two different sizes, and neither one had that much room, although I can't speak to the smaller sizes, I admit.

[tarian]

Keep the sliding hatch closed , as I found out when hit by a wave and went to starboard heel and my poor daughter slide all the way along the top of the deck and into the cabin , about 5 feet fall ,
She still held onto her phone though and landed on the 60lbs Dog trying to get up so that softened her fall

[Hudson Force]

When going forward in disturbing weather I always selected the high side, the windward side, as the safer choice. Like Gamayun, I would never hesitate to crawl on my knees when my steps seemed risky. I always thought the windward side was the best choice, but I don't remember any discussion of this,-'just seemed natural. Does everyone make this same choice?

[captmikem]

Unfamiliarity.
I think this is the biggest. For some reason people want to stay in the cockpit. They run lines aft, they rig things for when they HAVE to go fwd. If you go on deck every hour to check for chafe etc after a while you become familiar with it and can do it with your eyes closed. It becomes second nature, you know where lines are, you know where things to grab are, you know where to step and where not to step, you know what to avoid.

When things start to go bad, you don't have to struggle, you KNOW where things are and the muscle memory is there to get you safely to the job, fix it and return.

M

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

When going forward in disturbing weather I always selected the high side, the windward side, as the safer choice. Like Gamayun, I would never hesitate to crawl on my knees when my steps seemed risky. I always thought the windward side was the best choice, but I don't remember any discussion of this,-'just seemed natural. Does everyone make this same choice?

I always go windward side as well. Better chance of landing in the boat if you fall I think.

[tarian]

Originally Posted by Hardhead

I always go windward side as well. Better chance of landing in the boat if you fall I think.

This is the correct procedure and is taught as the basics in all RYA courses

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Always wearing knee pads. I am not adverse to dropping to my knees and crawling or kneeling when I have to do something at the bow especially when I'm getting doused with water and there's not much to hold onto.

Knee pads encourage you to get low when you should. sitting is good to. A wet butt is not a big deal.


In the winter I wear soccer keeper pants under my foulies. Knee pads.

[slug]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

When going forward in disturbing weather I always selected the high side, the windward side, as the safer choice. Like Gamayun, I would never hesitate to crawl on my knees when my steps seemed risky. I always thought the windward side was the best choice, but I don't remember any discussion of this,-'just seemed natural. Does everyone make this same choice?

Yah...only a dam fool moved fore and aft on the lee side

Also ..I can’t believe how may people sail without foredeck lifeline netting

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by LeeV

Which Corsairs are you referring to? I've owned two different sizes, and neither one had that much room, although I can't speak to the smaller sizes, I admit.

F-24, F-27, F-22. There are no lacing holes for about 16 inches. I've filled them in with mini-tramps.


(F-22. See the gap at the inside of the ama? There is also one aft. The gap is much larger on the F-24s. I have noticed that there is no gap on some models.)




Also some Dragonflies and many cats.

[Gaia]

Other than lifelines, fair enough. But what about the seldom seen high and preferably solid rails and super strong stanchions? Most lifelines and the dinky stanchions that go along with them are a joke.

We made them belly button high on GAIA, 38 inches for us with 1.25 inch diameter heavy wall stanchions and a one inch tube on top. 1.25 or 1.5 would have been even better. Marvelous security.

We have heard people say 'please do not pull on the lifelines or the (knee high) stanchions'!!

Jim

[thinwater]

Lots of good points.



Pulpit outside the deck. Look at the above F-22 image. This makes it roomier, but with no toe rail it would be easy to mis-step. Netting would fix it.


Latch on edge of companionway slider. Great noggin cutter. Doesn't need to be there, but it is the factory location on some.