Safety Lanyard?

[Inselaffe]

If I were to make these up myself:

- is that a good idea?
- what size carabine/line or webbing would be best and what's the best method of joining the two?

It's a 'Don't scrimp on safety' vs. 'Am I getting sucked into blind consumerism' dilema!

Thanks

Leigh

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[StugeronSteve]

I would have thought that the cost saving was hardly worth the hassle. Or the responsibility!

<hr width=100% size=1>I had a wheel barrow, the wheel fell off.

 

[snowleopard]

nothing wrong with making your own as long as you do a 'proper job'

hand-spliced 3-strand nylon was standard until tape started to take over. or you could buy tape and sew your own.

it's important to use a hook that can't open if twisted round a deck eye the wrong way. that rules out standard carbine hooks.

since the loss of morning cloud when the sinking boat pulled a man down with her, it has been considered essential to have hooks on both ends so you can detach yourself even when you can't reach the far end of the tether. before that they were often spliced direct to the harness.

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

I realise what you are saying and I tend to agree.

I bought mine, unusual as I tend to make / copy most things, like my new lazy jacks.

They were if I remember about £29.00 each.

Why... They have decent double action hooks to prevent accidental opening, and have a thick rubber sleave to prevent banging / scratching the deck.

But mostly they are elasticated, this is a great comfort and prevents snatching, think of a bungie cord.

I would say, in this instance, it just isn't worth the hastle. I just had a look online at some prices, the hook only, Approved to EN 362 is £15.95. It is cheaper to buy them made up......

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<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Top Cat Homepage</A>

 

[peterb]

I'd recommend a three-hook lanyard. Centre hook goes to the harness; one end about the same length as a conventional lanyard, the other about half that length. Makes all the difference if you're working at the mast; the long end stays secured to the jackstay while the short end goes round the mast and gives you something to lean on.

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

Actually I have to agree, in hindsight I made a mistake getting two hook versions, can be a real pain going around my baby stay and the like.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Top Cat Homepage</A>

 

[Inselaffe]

Thanks all,

Guess I'll buy them since it will end up cheaper.

But buying out of responsibility......?! Sorry, getting too philosophical

Leigh
(still stuck in 1977!)

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[Peppermint]

Re:It\'s not long ago

that wearing such things was pretty rare. If it got lumpy you might bowline a loop around your waist and tie it something but that was it really.

If your only doing one for yourself of course you can do your own. Or not have one at all. Other people though deserve to be able to trust what you give them to use.

Using webbing and stiching makes the load calculations a bit tricky. You won't find a sailmaker or canvass worker willing to stich safety lines these days because of liability fears. There's plenty of info on rope and knot strengths and the clips are rated, so you could make up adequate, safe, lines out of those materials.

I've bought the stretchy ones though and they are much less of a hassel around the boat.

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[dickh]

If you want to see how the Americans tested safety lanyards and the results - very sobering, go to <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ussailing.org/safety/H&T/harness_study.htm>http://www.ussailing.org/safety/H&T/harness_study.htm</A>
just click on "Next" and you can search the whole results.
Some of the "Caribinier" clips failed; some stitching failed and the onl;y good hooks were the Gibb or Wichard type. Interesting that the US recommend having a Snapshackle at the harness end so you can undo it easily - what is the forums views on that?

In the past I did make up 2 lanyards using 10mm dia polyester with 10mm dia caribiniers(I was skint then) and did use them for several years, and now keep them as spares. I did know about the problem of them twisting off a "U" bolt, but I fitted a ring the "U" bolt and always clipped to the ring - It is then practically impossible for the clip to undo. On my present boat I fitted rings to the "U" bolts if I ever need to use the ones I made.
<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by dickh on 12/03/2004 14:05 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Roberto]

***Interesting that the US recommend having a Snapshackle at the harness end so you can undo it easily ***

the ORC offshore special regulations share the same view, rule 5.02.5 e), I personally see no reason not to trust such a comprehensive and sensible set of rules




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[shamrock]

Snapshakles on a lifeline?

Try asking Lewmar about that following recent court case with an American Wrestling Federation.

I'd be very wary of that given that we use snapshackles on spinnakers because they are easy to release, and I've had more than one pop open on me at an inconvenient moment...

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[qsiv]

That rule does not imply snapshackle on the harness end, rather it suggests that a Gibb or Wichard style hook should be used to prevent auto disengagement from a U bolt.

I'm not sure I'd want a snapshacle - if you want to bail out, then a knife should be able to cut the lanyard easily.

Verbatim, the rule you cited says ...

e) snaphooks should be of a type which will not self-release from a U-bolt (5.02.1 (a)) and which can be easily released under load (crew members are reminded that a personal knife may free them from a safety line in emergency)

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