Jackstays. Inside or outside the shrouds. One for a PBO debate?

[Deleted member 36384]

I believe this concern falls squarely in that catagory of preparing for a failure you won't survive. If you are working at the mast when the boat rolls over (the probable cause) and you are one a jackstay you are also probably dead from the rag doll you just did. You are increasing risk working at the mast to protect against a very unlikely (that you are working at the boat at the exact moment the boat rolls) and probably unsurvivable risk. Rather like not wearing a seatbelt because it might trap you in the car (far more likely, in fact).

I disagree with your assumption that it is multiple risks, the weather and falling overboard is irrelevant to the risk of being attached to the mast if it decides to fail for whatever reason. There is no good reason to have jackstays attached to any part of the rigging / mast. If one is going to optimise a jack stay arrangement there are many things that can be done without attaching them to the mast.

 

[thinwater]

I am partially corrected. There were several things being proposed at the same time.

I agree, you should not attach jackstays to rigging. That is an absolute and it is obvious. Handlines, perhaps, but never jackstays.

I meant it would be safe to clip to a loop (hard point) on the mast while working at the mast.

 

[Norman_E]

I disagree with your assumption that it is multiple risks, the weather and falling overboard is irrelevant to the risk of being attached to the mast if it decides to fail for whatever reason. There is no good reason to have jackstays attached to any part of the rigging / mast. If one is going to optimise a jack stay arrangement there are many things that can be done without attaching them to the mast.

I was not proposing to attach jackstays to the mast, merely to have an attachment point for my lifejacket lifeline so that I will not be dependant on attachment to the jackstay. I am actually wary of the risk that if someone slips under the guardwires and goes overboard they could be dragged underwater because lifelines are long enough to allow that if the jackstay is pulled right to the toe rail.