is your harness any use?

[DeLam]

Why is it the general concensus is that guard rails should be at minimum 30 ins
high and yet no boat builders seem to fit them. It couldn`t cost much more to use a 30 ins rail . I fitted 30 in rail , pushpit and pulpit on my boat with gates both sides and in the pushpit and always been glad of that extra security. Never have any problems boarding.
Wonder why the RCD did´t specify them, suppose they might upset the Chirac people.





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[Dave99]

oldsaltoz, that is why you should always have a serrated blade on you to cut yourself free!

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

The best way to keep your crew aboard in my opinion would be to remove your guard rails completely, watch as they hug the cabin roof on their way around the vessel. Gasp as the tenderly work at the bow and then creep back unharmed!

I once worked on a trawler with less than 10 inches or gunwhale from the deck, when swinging nets etc it is amazing how I at 18 years old, invincible, hung on to anything and everything when moving around the deck. It is like the argument, put a 6 inch spike into the middle of a steering wheel and watch as the world drives at less than 10 miles an hour!

After all this reading I will be wearing my harness far more from now on, just have to work out how to tether the 'houdini' dogs into theirs.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> Julian </font color=blue>

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ukstaffords.com>http://www.ukstaffords.com</A>

 

[Jacket]

I'd be able to step over 30 inch high guard rails (just) but neither of my regular crew would be. While a gate can be used most of the time, sometimes when trying to get into tricky berths, its vital to be able to step off the boat at places other than mid-beam.

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[qsiv]

Almost as dangerous as the 'I cant be hurt cos I'm wearing my seatbelt' philosophy.

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[wpsalm]

carried one for years hardly ever used it ....if the weather is so bad you could actually be washed overboard don,t go on deck over the years have seen a number of people go overboard in every case the vessel was at anchor ...

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[Jacket]

How do you reef if you don't go on deck? Not possible on many boats.

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[bigmart]

Swing an axe at the mast from the forehatch.

Martin

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[claymore]

Get the reef in early enough, before it gets to the gawdelpus stage. Actually this has made me think a bit - the 2 times that I really hurt my self were going forward to shake reefs out - the wind had dropped and we were needing more sail to power through the lumpy sea that we were in. Once was changing up to a bigger headsail when my nimble 13 stone landed on one knee on the foredeck cleat and the other was when I put the Kelvinside Kiss on the mast as I was shaking out a reef in the main.

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Claymore
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[John_Clarke]

Climber\'s hip harness

My father sails single-handed and has been wearing a climber's harness for about 7 years. It has 2 advantages. Firstly, being at hip level you can have a shorter safety line so that you are less likely to end up in the water even if over the rails. Secondly, it is comfortable to hang in it and you have a chance of climbing back onboard. A sailing harness, even with leg straps, is painful and suffocating to hang in. It is a salutary lesson to try hanging in one – after trying this suspended in the garage I decided that with a conventional harness I would want a long enough line to reach the water.
I am now experimenting with a climbing harness. The length of the safety line can easily be adjusted if it is held to the harness carabiner with a prussik knot. Combined with jackstays which run along the top of the coachroof and inside the shrouds the line can be adjusted so that you can reach the guardrails but if you fell you would be well clear of the water and your feet could easily reach the toerail to climb back. It is a very secure feeling.
A disadvantage is that if you are wearing oilskin trousers you have to take the harness off to pee but it is safer to do this below decks. Another disadvantage is that the Petzl harness I am trying (which I believe is favoured by bowmen on racing yachts) has some coated mild steel buckles so it needs rinsing if it gets salty. There are other makes of climbing harness but this one is very easy to take on and off. Also, as it is worn on the hips it is well protected most of the time when under a waterproof jacket.
I think it will take several years before I am satisfied that it really is better than a traditional sailing harness but so far it is most encouraging


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[Guest]

Can anyone else comment on scaffolders' harnesses? Had a quick Google search and they do seem (as you say) to be built to higher standards than our recreational toys...but the tethers look like they have only simple hooks without those secondary internal finger-catchers which are apparently safer (I'll stick with them out of faith but they are a pain)...and prices look OK at GBP 40 or so plus VAT..

Comments?

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[wpsalm]

as to how I reef without going on deck, reef as soon as I think about it though ocasionally down to third reef and storm jib, realize its time to get all sail off I might put the harness on for the crawl forward.

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