Guo Chaun sets tragic example for all singlehanders

[Foolish Muse]

http://www.xssailing.com/article/boat-skipper/
A few weeks ago long time sailor and singlehander Brian Hancock wrote a lengthy article in which he lectures AGAINST the use of harnesses for singlehanders: This time it’s about the use of life harnesses. Yup as you might imagine I am not really big on them. I think that they give sailors a false sense of security. I have always been a “one hand for the task, one hand for the boat” kind of guy. Knowing that you are not clipped on heightens your awareness. Makes you super sensitive to your surroundings.
See: http://sailinganarchy.com/2016/09/16/death-threat-anyone/ for the full article.

Guo Chaun has set a tragic example for all singlehanders. The weather he faced was nothing special, but he fell off none the less.

In my singlehanded tips book I clearly make the point in favor of harnesses. I'll tell you right now that I've gone singlehanding more than 1,000 times including some 300 races. I have worn my harness every single one of those times. In my book I tell the tale of a Mini sailor who fell overboard near France while working on the bow. He readily admits that even though it took him 10 hard minutes to climb back on board, his harness was the only thing that saved him from certain death. In fact he had to puncture his PFD to get between the lifelines.

I strongly believe that a singlehander will not fall overboard in a storm, where he is being extra careful about every single movement and crawling to the bow. Rather, he will fall overboard on a nothing day, when the winds are normal and the seas are normal, but he just lets his guard down for 1/2 a second or slips on a rope underfoot. Nobody can be 100% careful 100% of the time, especially a singlehander facing lack of sleep. A harness is the only thing between our boat the deep blue sea.

Fair winds and following seas in your next great adventure Guo Chaun.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

In my industry we get the same resistance to certain safety measures: safety glasses, gloves, hard hats, flame retardant coveralls, risk assessments and job safety analysis. Then over the years incidents happen, some big ones, some small ones: blinded, ripped fingers, cracked skulls, skin on the arms burned off where they cut the sleeves off to look cool, asphyxiation in pits and death by doing the job wrongly.

Yep, they all knew better, all skilled competent people (the worst offenders, not your young new guy on the job). Brian Hancock's argument is wrong and flawed, humans actually become used to danger and rather than have a 'heightened' sense of awareness it actually becomes dimmed as they get used to the new reality. This is a well proven fact when people are constantly exposed to danger. Not only that Hancock completely misses the point — he is not in control 100% of the time, something unexpected happens that causes him to react, he is no longer in control and over he goes. Wearing a harness maintain's control in that context.

 

[bbg]

I met him a few times - we both did the 2011 mini transat.

In several briefings before the start we were repeatedly told that the best way to be sure to get to the other side was to stay attached to the boat. It was poignant because one of the entrants had drowned after falling off his boat while delivering to the start port. And he was wearing a survival suit.

Whether everyone bought into the advice to clip on is impossible to know. I did, and I reckon I was clipped on more than 95% of the time I was on deck while going across. I do not subscribe to the view that clipping on gives a false sense of security. That is like saying that seat belts give a false sense of security. It isn't the moment that you feel insecure that is the danger. It is the moment that you aren't thinking about security that is the danger.