Swinging from a halyard to jump in the water

[akopac]

My wife pregnant with my son in 2000 at Treasure Island SF Bay swinging....

http://www.sfsayc.com/sfsayc/pix/swing.6.00.jpg

[BlueSlue]

Originally Posted by Shrew

I see kids doing this in the anchorage on just about every beautiful summer day. Can they get hurt? Sure. They could easily get hurt falling off any rope swing, or any swing for that matter. Or jungle gym, or riding just about any bike anywhere, or crossing the street.......anywhere.

It's ok to let kids assume some calculated risk, even if it means the risk of getting banged up a little. I'd rather take the opportunity to teach risk assessment and how to conduct oneself in a safe manner. Such as situational awareness and site assessment.

I wish more people understood this concept.

[cj88]

This is more fun

[Suijin]

OMG I can't believe those that warn you off this. What a bunch of risk-averse pansies.

When I was a kid we did this for years off our parents' wooden 30' Cheoy Lee. Wooden mast, no problem. And did tons of spinnaker flying too, no bosuns chair just a line tied between the clews.

Let kids be kids. They have to grow up soon enough as it is.

[madprops]

OK after seeing all the reply's I was wondering, what is the best way to make a rope swing on a 50 foot cat? I really would like to be able to set this up on my boat for a friends B-day party i am planning? the only way i thought of was to by a large wisker pole (which I don't really need for anything).

My boat is a Prout Quasar 50, the beam is 20 feet

[teneicm]

Absolutely do not let them do this.

Way more fun can be had by tying an additional line to the halyard and then handing that line to the folks in the dingy. You then grab the end of the halyard and the dingy zooms off sideways to the boat, launching you into the air. This is the perfect antidote to overly energetic, cooped-up kids (and some parents!) on a cruising sailboat......

Might be a bit tough on a 28 footer as the mast is possibly too short, but anything 40 foot or over is perfect.

[Kerryf]

I have many times gone halyard flying in a bosuns chair while heeled over sailing. Subjects get all the thrill of being dunked in the water while moving but its a little harder to hit the hull.
Spinnaker flying was always another edgy but fun experience. Anchor stern to and put the chair on a line between the two clews. Let lots of halyard out and make sure you have a retreival line. (oh and lots of chain... one time we dragged anchor across Falmouth harbour, Antigua with a guy swinging in the air!)
Of course the fun police would definitely NOT approve either of these pursuits.

[captmikem]

bunch of fun