Safety harness for a back sufferer.

[Simon F]

Hello fellow sailors,

As a back sufferer I've always disliked wearing even the lightest and best fitting pcd/harness for any length of time as it starts to feel like a yoke on my shoulders compressing my thoracic spine. For the same reason, I never wear a rucksack when hiking, preferring to sport a huge and seriously dorky bum bag. I nearly always sail solo, and so the basis of my safety strategy is less about the prospects for being rescued if I fall overboard, and more about not falling overboard to begin with, so I use a harness in conjunction with an elasticated tether and jackstays when on the deck and keep the harness on most of the time in the cockpit, so as to be ready if something develops. Of late I've been experimenting with using the half body climbing harness that I use for rigging work, as a deck safety harness instead. It certainly feels a whole lot better and I'm positive I couldn't slip out of it, but the attachment point is at belly button height rather than sternum height, as on a life vest. I'm wondering about the importance of this anatomically and whether anyone else similarly afflicted, has found a better solution?

 

[johnalison]

Although I have back problems, it is at a lower level and harnesses don't trouble me. There is a wide variety of fittings for life-jackets, some with a simple skeleton and others with spaces filled in. I think the proper way to deal with it would be to go to someone with a large range and try them out for fit. I went to a technical demonstration at Suffolk Marine Safety recently and was impressed with their range, though I am not currently in the market for buying. There may be a good stockist near you.

 

[William_H]

I would advocate that OP try designing and making his own harness out of webbing. Use 1 inch and 2 inch webbing sewn on domestic sewing machine. Now this may seem very non professional even dangerous. However a harness and tether system should be designed so you never go near going over the side. So loads at most would usually be of the over balance sort. The chances then of being hit by a huge wave that will provide a huge load on harness and tether will be small. Yes a commercially made system will be tested to huge loads (of necessity due to product liability etc) I think you should be able to concoct something that suits you for comfort. ol'will.

 

[Roberto]

I would advocate that OP try designing and making his own harness out of webbing.

+1
I have commercial harnesses (alone or integrated into lifejackets) for crew, but I make myself those I personally wear (when without a lifejacket), same for tethers.

 

[Bouba]

What about something like...
Safety Fall Protection Harness Abdominal Front Guard Body Safety Harness For 610161392854 | eBay
Anti-Fall Safety Belt Adjustable Half-Body Harness Outdoor Activities Climbing | eBay

 

[Simon F]

Thanks Will. Matter of fact I've been reading up on the doability of that very thing. Made to measure would eliminate a lot of the components and hence weight of a harness which is just what I'm after.

 

[William_H]

A harness for staying on board your boat can be essentially a belt around the upper chest of 2inch webbing with Stainless steel rings sewn in each end. The more overlap of webbing back on itself and stitching at rings the stronger it will be. This is held up in place by over shoulder straps which can be lighter webbing. either sewn in fixed or using velcro.
From there you may think it worth while to have crutch straps to hold belt in place. 2 loops of lighter webbing that go around legs.
Note however that if you do go into the water and are towed along (long tether) this will be bad as you will be towed face first and unable to roll over or get back to boat. So short tethers to stay on the boat. ol'will

 

[Simon F]

Thanks Will. I agree, going over the side is bad however you slice it, So I use 2 x 1m tethers with a breakaway. And I have my lines led aft so I really only have to leave the cockpit to fix something, or to rig a pole.

I've ordered a sewing awl, time to get to work!

Best wishes

Simon.