Single Handed Sailing

[SailorX]

Hi everyone!

I got my first boat a while ago, and I'm really having a blast!
Last sunday, I went out completely by myself.
There were a few situations where I almost tipped overboard, while sailing.

This made me realize that I need to prevent that. I purchased a selfinflatable lifevest that has a metal ring where a tether could be attached.

My question is, where on the boat should I attach the other end of the tether?
And should I allow it to throw me overboard and climb back in or would it be better to keep myself on a "short leash"?

Sorry if this question sounds stupid or dumb, but I'm still quite new to all this.
Thanks!

[SV Tom Crean]

You don’t say what size boat but anything over 30 feet and I’d be adding jacklines - these are lines that run from the cockpit forward and you attach your harness clip to it. You can move along the line without unclipping. You want the harness line to be as short as possible so that it keeps you from even making it past the guardrails.

[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..

[Quebramar]

It’s been 2 years that I haven’t put back the jacklines, for the exact reason stated by BM and many others: being dragged by the boat is far more risky for the MOB.
I had placed 3 chainplates in the cockpit to prevent falling over when the sea gets really rough.
I still haven’t found a good way to enable going forward safely if the sea is in such state. Maybe a few other articulated chainplates.
For examples of CP, Wichard makes excellent ones

[TrentePieds]

To condense the above advice: DO NOT GO OVERBOARD! Do what you have to do to prevent it! In our waters life expectancy for a strong man in good condition is 40 minutes once he's in the drink. Unless you are a lot fitter than I, hypothermia would probably cause you to lose muscular control in ten minutes.

In any event, getting back inboard, once you are over, is well nigh impossible without mechanical aid - a hoist of some sort, but that obviously is of no use to a single-hander.

If you are using a tether, keep it short. So short that in a fall on deck, it will stop you before you go over the rail. Do not trust to the "life lines" - the "fence" that runs around the deck. The weight of a grown man thrown again the life lines will break the stanchions out of the deck on most production boats.

Lean to tie a CLOVE HITCH AND HALF TURN. With one hand! In the dark! While seas are breaking over the deck! That is the knot you use to secure the tether to something substantial on the boat. A solid handrail running fore'n'aft on the housetop for example. You hold onto the boat with one hand while you tie the knot with the other.

Bonne chance!

TrentePieds

[leecea]

should I allow it to throw me overboard and climb back in or would it be better to keep myself on a "short leash"?

We use tethers with 3' and 6' connections so we can use the shortest one that allows us to access whatever we need to do. Staying on the boat is the goal - not trying to climb back on (which as people have said can be impossible). Our tethers also have a quick release on the harness end, just in case.

My question is, where on the boat should I attach the other end of the tether?

We luggage tag short loops of webbing (buy from REI or climbing stores) around strong points in the cockpit and clip to them. We remain clipped in most of the time unless it is super calm, so we have webbing loops setup for the helm, the stern rail seats, and in the cockpit.

Going to the mast, I can leap-frog my way between various clip in points using both arms of the tether. I use handrails or even rigging on my way (there are people who say you should never clip to rigging in case the mast comes down - which would obviously be very bad).

Getting from the mast to the bow would be trickier as there is nothing on the way that I could clip to. I do have jacklines for that - I would clip to the windward side with the short tether. But so far that hasn't been necessary.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by boatman61

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.

I single-hand frequently, but I've only been in a tether situation a few times (race crewing, and a little heavy weather sailing). I've never been happy with the way people usually set up jacklines down each side of the deck. They almost guarantee going overboard, and don't necessarily lead you to a stern ladder.

And from comments here and other reading, it seems that tethering works best when it keeps you aboard. So I prefer the above idea of a short jackline going from cockpit to mast.

I do NOT endorse the idea of going barefoot on deck except in the mildest of conditions.

[flee27]

The type of boat you are sailing and where you are sailing will also impact the steps you should be taking IMO. This info will help you get more relevant responses.

Best

Foster

[Marathon1150]

We use the double tethers (one short tail, one long tail) and when doing crossings we are always clipped in, even in the cockpit and even with more than one person on board. Going back to get someone in big seas is really difficult and getting a COB back on the boat, as noted by others, can be super challenging.

In the cockpit we have folding padeyes in the companion way and always clip in when entering the cockpit from below. The cockpit has a wire jackline that allows access to everything but with the short tether, it is not possible to exit the boat over or under the lifelines.

We have a jackline setup that allows us to go forward. Most of the way to the bow, it is not possible to exit the boat while tethered. There is some risk of that happening while moving around the dodger on the way forward, even using the short tether. See photo.

[ChrisJHC]

Another thing that hasn’t been mentioned is to always try to move and work on the high side of the boat (almost always windward).
That way, if you do slip or trip, you’re more likely to fall towards the centre of the boat rather than towards the side.
As a plus, you tend to stay drier!

And, as mentioned previously, clip on with the shortest tether possible.

[wholybee]

I cross my jacklines at the mast. So I can exit the cockpit going around the dodger as usual, but am henceforth kept away from the side of the ship.

IMHO, a 6 foot tether is too long. A good 3' tether is the correct length, but impossible to find.

[Quebramar]

Originally Posted by wholybee

IMHO, a 6 foot tether is too long. A good 3' tether is the correct length, but impossible to find.

Would a 10mm double-braid line with bowlines not be sufficient and practical, if only a meter long?

[thesaltytar]

In a pinch anything will do, but a loop of flat webbing sewn onto itself is ideal to me. I use a 4' loop purchased from an arborist supply site with a carabiner with a twist lock gate, so it has positive closure and I can operate it with one hand. I hitch the loop through the D ring on my harness and clip into the jack line.

4' works for me because if I need extra reach I have it, it doesn't quite hit the deck when I walk (saving my deck and the off-watch's sleep), and if I want a shorter leash I go around the jack line (or mast, boom gallows, etc.) back to my D-ring and clip into myself.

The jack line is also flat web so it doesn't roll if you step in it. I have one on each side of the deck made off to the fore bitt on the bow. How to rig this really comes down to your boat's deck plan and what makes sense.

[thomm225]

OP sounds like he was on a very small light weight sailboat that almost tipped him overboard.

On some boats 3'-6" tethers don't work especially if you are already trapped out 3' or so

You need a chicken line on each side or something of this nature.

As far as not going in the water, again depends on the boat and what you are doing with it.

If racing you are trying to get the most speed out of the boat you can so you may be sailing the edge of out of control so sometimes pitchpoles do occur......

On my Good Old Slow Monohull though I do use a 6' tether every now and then. I always sail singlehanded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3I2zc0_7wY

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Quebramar

Would a 10mm double-braid line with bowlines not be sufficient and practical, if only a meter long?

My current tether is approx 3' long, 7/16" line, and has a Wichard quick-release snap shackle on my end, and a double-locking clip on the jackline end. The rope is tied to the clips with halyard hitches which have proven reliable, but if was using it more, I might be tempted to stitch the line ends in place.


In my view it would be a bad idea to just tie on, especially on your end

• too slow to attach to you or jackline
• dangerously slow to release in an emergency (and unreleasable under tension)
• if it's a hassle to attach/release, you won't want to use it often enough