clipping on

[NotBirdseye]

I sail solo. I have a line rigged over the side from near the bow to the transom that can be easily reached from the water. If one falls from a dinghy there is nothing one can grab and in any tide one can be quickly swept away from the boat. A line gives one a chance to hold on & work along to the stern & climb aboard.
If I go on deck I do not do it unless really necessary. All lines lead to the cockpit. If I do have to go I just slow the boat down first. generally it is to get fenders in or get lines ready to enter port & drop sails. So there is no need to blast along at 6 kts. If I do these things close to or in ports ( ie Cherbourg, Dieppe Boulogne, river Orwell, etc etc) I could grab the side lines Hook a 150mm tether that I have on my LJ, Cut the main tether & slide to the back of the boat. I will be dragged along clear of the boat but the way the line is rigged, high up at the stern, it should lift me a little. If i cannot climb aboard the boat will eventually hit a wall or run aground somewhere & hopefully someone will start asking questions & come & look. If it runs aground in the Orwell or Blackwater or a sandbank I can walk ashore. It is just a last roll of the dice but worth giving it a go.

 

[25931]

I wouldn't. But then, I have a standing rule on my boat, no life jacket, no boarding. I'd have a slightly different opinion if my boat was at least 160ft long but even then I'd have a 'noone on deck without a life jacket' rule. To be fair my boat is 30ft, there isn't much room to invite anyone for dinner... that's what the Yacht Club is for.

It's alright for you posh people but we lesser mortals are more used to the sort of marina that doesn't boast a yacht club.

 

[Resolution]

It's alright for you posh people but we lesser mortals are more used to the sort of marina that doesn't boast a yacht club.

The dress code of my yacht club is a bit iffy about wearing LJs. Of course DJs are acceptable.

 

[NotBirdseye]

It's alright for you posh people but we lesser mortals are more used to the sort of marina that doesn't boast a yacht club.

Try the pub down the road then.

 

[Never Grumble]

Far from criticizing In was complimenting you after some unbalanced posts and your adjective was very suitable.

Thanks, the problem was I could see what I had written could have been interpreted quite widely. Apart from the death bit.

 

[William_H]

I can confirm by personal test experience that being dragged behind a sailing boat is not fun. I have a simple harness with tether attachment at the chest. Thought I would try it out without life jacket. Being pulled chest first was terrible with face hit by water. My only choice was to roll onto my back by taking the strain of the towing rope. Being a small boat the speed was reduced to about 3 knots with the drag but my only chance to get back on was to have the crew luff up and stop the boat.
The lesson being that you must not go over the side. tether on the chest s fine but only to hold you on the boat. Ideally a life line down the middle of the boat and a short tether will keep you on board. If you have life lines around the outside or near the gunwhale you must attach on both sides. Especially so at the bow. So you need 3 tethers on your harness 2 short and a longer one. This allows moving along the life line past obstacles etc by attaching one to the next stage with another still connected and the long one to keep you on the deck. Or combinations of tethers to suit.
Re boarding ladders use them often to know if it works. ol'will

 

[penberth3]

I sail solo. I have a line rigged over the side from near the bow to the transom that can be easily reached from the water. If one falls from a dinghy there is nothing one can grab and in any tide one can be quickly swept away from the boat. A line gives one a chance to hold on & work along to the stern & climb aboard....

This all sounds too optimistic to me.