Did anyone ever see Dm H MacArthur clipped on?

[steve_cronin]

Watched the "video diary" last night - well actually hurried the RNLI branch meeting to an early finish, I confess, to get home in time.

There was our heroine bouncing around on her trampoline decks in shorts as well as running around the sponsons, supposedly thousands of miles from land (well except 2miles straight down of course) but not a tether in sight.

I doubt whether the cordless remote would stay in range long enough to stop or turn a yacht at 17kts in time. Then how would she re-board?

She is an icon and it's well deserved so suggesting that she is setting a bad example is not for me. Perhaps I missed something. Cordon alarm perhaps?

Steve Cronin

 

[mainmarine]

did see her wearing a lifejacket in one clip, which sets a good example, would have been a long wait for pick up though.

 

[Salty]

Not sure I wouldn't rather go over and take my chances with the remote control than get towed along a 20kts - sounds like instant drowning to me.

 

[phanakapan]

Although I clip on/wear lifejackets lots- I don't know that I would in Ellens situation. The boats slamming along at however many tens of knots in freezing southern ocean seas- you fall off, and get dragged along by your tether smashing into the hull, with not a lot of chance of getting back on -if the cold and whatever trauma that made you fall off in the first place haven't already killed you.... maybe if you fall in, your'e dead, so no point prolonging things.

 

[gjeffery]

Anyone know if her boat has jackstays fitted?

 

[AndrewB]

But isn\'t the purpose of a lifeline ...

... to help prevent you going over in the first place?

Or is that a misconception?

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Re: But isn\'t the purpose of a lifeline ...

Mine should? stop people going over the side in the first place, hard to test with a full falling type jerk.

This is something I noticed, not a massive problem on her return as she should have fallen into a rib! but on her own at sea.

She is either very brave or very stupid. When we are on passage and one of us is below asleep, the rule is to clip on if leaving the cockpit.

 

[RupertW]

I've never known professionals skippers to clip on when leaving the cockpit - except on corporate days or instructing.

When I've asked the reply has always been something like, "It restricts my movement and that's unsafe. I do this for a living"

Not surprisingly I started getting tempted to "be more professional" by not clipping on either, and it's certainly quicker not to. Mad though, unless you really do sail day in, day out.

 

[Robin]

This is largely a modern phenomenom, in days of yore there weren't even guardrails! I started sailing as a teen with Ocean Youth Club and did the 1962 Tall Ships Race on Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter we had government surplus kapok lifejackets and no harnesses. Deck shoes were gym shoes, no fancy non-slip Sebagos and we didn't even have wellies let alone yellow ones or gold plated Dubarrys and believe me this was one very wet boat to sail! We had 2 full gales in the 4 weeks I was on board as part of a crew of 14, eleven of which were teens new to life afloat.

Nowadays we carry top of the range lifejackets/harnesses, have several strategic clip on points in the cockpit and jackstays along the coachroof sides. We have only had our current boat for 3 seasons, and so far no really heavy weather except a downwind gale returning Cherbourg to Poole (8 hours but we can probably better it!) and our brand new combined harness/lifejackets have only come out of their bags to check the automatic devices over. In fairness we do all reefing from the cockpit with reefing genoa and 2-line slab main (we eventually pulled in 3 reefs in the downwind run mentioned above) and our cockpit has handholds about everywhere especially at the wheel where the gantry is like a rollover cage.

I admit it I am not politically correct, nor have I been asked to sit on the Health and Safety Execitive committee!

I have now switched on the flack shields awaiting incoming....

 

[Salty]

Aah, back when life was cheap and men were men. But I know what you mean - my first sailing was with OYC too: I proudly wore a pair of garden wellies. It was like a bloody ice rink when the deck was moist, let alone wet. can't see them allowing that now. In fact a few years back with some time on my hands I looked at volunteering as afterguard for the OYC, but was put off by all the child protection / police searches that were involved. Guilty until proven innocent it seemed to me.

 

[srm]

Hey Guys, why take this all so seriously? It was all one big, and very successful, publicity stunt. The sponsors must be laughing all the way to the bank.
Good for Ellen getting someone to pay for such a nice toy though, but please remember that the video diary is closely stage managed to look good to someone or others potential customers and is unlikely to bear much resemblance to practical sea going. Its no more real than comparing Formula One racing with day to day motoring.

 

[cameronke]

I think that Ellen can walk on water, so a quick jog and a short leap and she would be back on board. Easy!

Regards
Cameron

 

[jenku]

But surely if she could, walking around the globe on water single-handed would have been a much harder to beat record? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[cameronke]

She did say she was looking for new challenges.....................

Regards
Cameron /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[LittleShip]

I don’t ask my crew to clip on during the day but it is compulsory at night, or in bad weather, they are all told that they should, no matter what the weather conditions if they feel more comfortable doing so.
Haven’t lost anybody yet and hope never to do so?

My verbal rule to all that sail with me is
"If you think about it, you should be doing it!"

As for Ellen..................... she probably doesn’t realise that she isn’t infallible yet??

Still got the greatest respect for her abilities though.

 

[nickbailhache]

No flak. Clipping on does hinder one when working on deck. Have done this for over 30 years. However basic rule is to clip on in cockpit at night and when reefing in daylight if conditions very bad. The days of changing headsails on the foredeck are long gone thank goodness. One should clip on when on the foredeck as it is easy to slide under the guard rails if you trip or fall.

The counterbalance is that one may not fall if not clipped on as self preservation becomes a stronger factor!

 

[peterb]

Hey Steve! What's with the H MacArthur? H is nowhere near E on my keyboard?

 

[sailorman]

she could start by signing-up a decent TV interviewer & Producer & not the half-wit
ont telly last night /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[npf1]

err ... I'm sure that I've seen some TV footage in the last few days showing her clipped on. If it wasn't on the TV it was on the Net or somewhere.

 

[bobfrost]

Wonder if Malcolm Hardee (obituaries last week) was wearing a life jacket? I think not