I don't think there are any circumstances in which going overboard can be described as "safe"
We don’t change headsails, have no toerail there, and if we did, going overboard would be the least of our troubles if it were within 80cm of the water.
A yachtsman on our patch nearly drowned a few years ago. He went overboard whilst hoisting the mainsail, and due to the tether, was being dragged under.
Most tethers don't have a quick release - and those with identical ends can actually be quite tricky to undo. If it comes off too easily then that is also dangerous - there are examples of people being lost because one end or other of their tether came loose.
It needs individually designing for each boat but you could make a golden rule about nether having a tether attachment that was close enough to the edge that you can go over board while tethered.I don't think there are any circumstances in which going overboard can be described as "safe"
There are just too many different scenarios and trying to lay down the law about any one approach being ideal is just nonsense - for any set up you recommend there will always be a counter example where that is the worst possible choice.
I have the same thing. Though I’ve always wondered whether the D ring on a LJ would take the weight of winching someone out of the water. Obviously the D ring itself is strong enough, but if lifted by it, your entire weight is then on the crotch strap - which on my LJ’s are secured by a small plastic clip that I very much doubt could support 100+ kgs.
Am I missing something or are those not fit for purpose? If you were hanging over the side (or indeed being towed through the water at 5 knots) with your weight on the karibiner- you could release the gate but all your weight would still be on the hook???
Think you may have missed the demonstration video. It completely releases the carabiner unopened,
It has been known for clips to fail (and I suspect jackstays and tethers also)
You think you will be one of the lucky ones?
We’d all prefer better odds. I do think though that a lot, maybe most MOBs that don’t result in an emergency services rescue and / or medical treatment are not reported. So the odds in reality are nowhere near as bad
I agree with you -but the Practical Sailor report, sobering reading, highlights that the hooks were chosen by professionals, the hooks were made by a highly regarded and reputable company. The hooks were inadequately tested, the hook failed - and a man died. Fairly extreme conditions - but big crews
Point is, that if you tell your new crewsomething that is false, what else will you say that they won't believe?
Perhaps I'm being naive, but given that the hook of the clip is an arc of a circle, and the clip mechanism itself isn't under load, surely rotating the clip in the plane of the hook would release it without requiring any additional force? It's exactly what I do to release my dogs from their lead when they're excited and pulling to go for a run off the lead!
I missed the point AP, the whole hook/karabiner detaches from tether. But to address your point, karabiners are generally designed so that you can’t remove or unclip them whilst they’re under load, even with the gate open.