Single Handed Sailing

[areddon]

Singlehanding, your life can depend on the design and installation of your jacklines and tethers. There is a lot of misinformation and misguided advice on the internet about these items and there has been a real change in practice away from side deck jacklines which can drag you to death in a quick drowning. On most smaller boats, a 6 foot tether is a recipe for a dragging death. The safe, and in my view, clearly superior approach is well described in a series of articles by John Harries at Attainable Adventure Cruising. The cost to join is trivial and the content beyond the jackline/tether articles is quite amazing, especially to a new sailor. Please consider joining. Apart from the small financial cost, the real cost is the hours you will spend devouring the content. I have no affiliation with the site, just a member.

[Nauticus]

Well said boatman!

"Or work the deck barefoot, broken toes are quick teachers of safe deck manoeuvres.. [emoji3]"

[Cynara]

I through bolted a jib track on to the cabin side. Or you can do it through the top. Then slid on a jib car. Attached the teather to the car. Easily moved forward/back. Very strong was able to keep the teather short. Worked will but I never went over to test it

[thesaltytar]

Originally Posted by areddon

The safe, and in my view, clearly superior approach is well described in a series of articles by John Harries at Attainable Adventure Cruising.

I searched for his articles and found:

https://www.morganscloud.com/2013/02...-aboardpart-1/

But the system appears to be behind a paywall. Can you give us a basic synopsis of what it is and why it is superior?

[andrzej0nl1ne]

I found that any length tether is the wrong length in some situations so I replaced the strap with line that I run through a climbing jammer attached at my harness. It is easy to quickly lengthen or shorten the tether as conditions require. It can be 9' long to reach the forestay or 1' long to work at he mast, all without disconnecting. The challenge becomes managing the long line.

[thesaltytar]

Originally Posted by andrzej0nl1ne

I found that any length tether is the wrong length in some situations so I replaced the strap with line that I run through a climbing jammer attached at my harness. It is easy to quickly lengthen or shorten the tether as conditions require. It can be 9' long to reach the forestay or 1' long to work at he mast, all without disconnecting. The challenge becomes managing the long line.

I wonder if fall protection mechanisms could be employed here. Kind of like a seatbelt where you can extend the strap slowly but a more rapid acceleration jams on a friction brake.

Then everything could retract to a one-foot length or whatever you want so you have freedom to work without being pulled into your jack line.

[andrzej0nl1ne]

Personally I prefer the predictability of a manually operated climbing jammer.

[JBP]

I prefer the Kong tether that has a long and short tether with bungee to keep them short, safety carabiners that can't unclip by themselves but are easy to use, and a full tension quick release just in case I do get dragged. When not in use, I can clip the tethers to the D-ring and they are mostly out of the way.

I have a hard point low and forward in the cockpit, with the long tether I can reach anything in the cockpit but not go overboard. Jack lines run from the cabin top just outside the companion way to the mast and are tight. I can clip the short tether to them before unclipping the long one. I can go up either side to the mast and just beyond. If I need to reach the fore peak, I can attach the long tether to the mast. Thus I can go anywhere and only have change tethers once or maybe twice.

[Garob]

If you single-hand and do fall overboard, here's a "Magic Reboard" ladder that hangs off your stern rail to allow you to climb back aboard... assuming you are alert and physically able to... https://www.ebay.com/itm/144323768046?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=0Gan40krT6u&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=&widget_ve r=artemis&media=EMAIL

[ScottMeilicke]

I made tethers using 3/8 nylon spliced to kong tango single handed double action carabiners. They won’t let go inadvertently, and can be operated single handed - very useful and a good safety feature.

[thomm225]

Pretty much any old rope and harness will work.

This guy circumnavigated with his

[Kurlie1]

Sailing offshore aroud Nz the rules are simple..... And they are RULES.

Three clip propriotory teather ... Short enough to stop you going over the side.

One clip to jacket/harness and 2 for the boat attachment. Never some old rope!!

Jackstay running fore n aft ... webbing (not rope ... stepping on rope will roll your ankle) ... This jackstay location varies from boat to boat but is critical to keep you on board.

When sailing single handed I consider this well designed system even more critical than a life jacket ... A real life saver!

ALWAYS clip on attachment eye in cockpit before exiting saloon.
NEVER go forward of cockpit in the dark when on your own.
Happy Sailing

[MicHughV]

This is an interesting topic....

In my early years, I often singlehanded.

My harness was a piece of rope, one end wrapped around my waist, the other to an eyebolt, it was long enuff so I could clamber around the boat.....was all I had.
I was young and invincible....

During one trip I thought I'd put this to the test. I wrapped a bucket in some towels, attached a line and threw it over board. The bucket drifted back and until it came to an abrupt stop. One could say a sudden and painful stop for the bucket.

Then I tried to get it back aboard, while the boat was still clipping along at 5-6 knots...

Suffice it say, it was a sobering moment in my sailing career, causing me to seriously re-consider my harnessing arrangements. Had I been the bucket, I would have been in deep doodoo.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Kurlie1

Sailing offshore aroud Nz the rules are simple..... And they are RULES.

Three clip propriotory teather ... Short enough to stop you going over the side.

One clip to jacket/harness and 2 for the boat attachment. Never some old rope!!

Jackstay running fore n aft ... webbing (not rope ... stepping on rope will roll your ankle) ... This jackstay location varies from boat to boat but is critical to keep you on board.

When sailing single handed I consider this well designed system even more critical than a life jacket ... A real life saver!

ALWAYS clip on attachment eye in cockpit before exiting saloon.
NEVER go forward of cockpit in the dark when on your own.
Happy Sailing

Those are nice “rules” that are unworkable for lots of people.

A proprietary tether is not necessarily better than home brew.

Never go forward of the cockpit after dark means being stuck with whatever mainsail size is set.

Rules are meant to be broken.

[Icarus]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Most boats have a length of wire running from the bow to a point near the stern fixed to hard points at each end of the side decks either side, this however does permit one to go over the side from where it can be difficult if not impossible to clamber back onboard if underway at 3kts+.
I do not use tethers personally but feel a line from cockpit to mast along the cabin top would be a better idea, plus one from mast to bow for individual need.
Using the centerline seems the safest most logical way to go.
But that's just my 0.000001 cents worth.
Or work the deck barefoot, broken toes are quick teachers of safe deck manoeuvres..

Well said..a centreline is the go...there is most likely no climbing back on board doing some speed.