Babylon
Well-Known Member
What are the main purposes of guard-rail wires?
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What are guard-rail wires for?
- Thread starter Babylon
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Poignard
Well-Known Member
1. Tripping over
2. Being snagged by other boats
3. Something else to maintain
4. Spoiling the look of the boat
5. Getting in the way of mooring lines
6. Making it more difficult to launch/retrieve the dinghy
Despite all that, they are very useful for drying towels on.
2. Being snagged by other boats
3. Something else to maintain
4. Spoiling the look of the boat
5. Getting in the way of mooring lines
6. Making it more difficult to launch/retrieve the dinghy
Despite all that, they are very useful for drying towels on.
electrosys
Well-Known Member
Watta they for ? I thought everybody knew that ... to ensure that when going overboard, you enter the water head-first.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
Clever marketing by Rigging Companies to generate additional revenue streams . This was further enhanced by the introduction of plastic sheaved wire guard rails that required changing out at more frequent intervals. I believe they are working on compulsory Dyneema guard rails now to both increase the change out frequency and charge more.
I like to stand on mine when rolling up the slab reefed mainsail while leaning on the boom.
I like to stand on mine when rolling up the slab reefed mainsail while leaning on the boom.
Robert Wilson
Well-Known Member
Almost correct, but....
when I did my "Beth Tweddle bit" in Soay inlet in July it was the lower rail that ensured my cranium-direction plunge, but the it was the upper rail that ensnared my foot and left me dangling in the Antipodean Position.
Much laughter from crew and nearby yachts.
Spyro
Well-Known Member
Leaning back against from the cockpit when well healed but only if you have them covered with a bit of pipe insulation
mjcoon
Well-Known Member
And a handy source of painful sharp points if not maintained watchfully! (As on a Sailing Holidays flotilla yacht last year. Though the whole wire was replaced within a few days of notification of the fault.)
Mike.
Even Chance
Well-Known Member
Hanging dodgers from......and towels.
Saying that. I do use them as hand-rails when going forward on my E-boat, especially when heeled. Theres not much else to hold onto!!
Also stop headsails from going overboard during changes.
Saying that. I do use them as hand-rails when going forward on my E-boat, especially when heeled. Theres not much else to hold onto!!
Also stop headsails from going overboard during changes.
onesea
Well-Known Member
TimBennet
Well-Known Member
Lifelines are there
1. to give a false sense of security, so people take less care moving around on deck and thereby increasing the number of MOBs. This problem is then in turn 'solved' by festooning the pushpits with a litany of shoddily made horseshoe buoys, danbuoys, floating lights etc, in the same way that asian lorry drivers solve their road safety issues by festooning their cabs with statues, joss sticks and shines to the gods.
2. to support the dodgers which perform the same function as blinkers on a horse. They are to ensure that the helmsman / watch keeper is not distracted by anything to (especially the windward) side of the boat, such as waves, ships and other stand-on vessels, interesting sights, etc. Interestingly, horses don't have sprayhoods which on a boat screen off any similar distractions looking forwards as well. The consequences of this lack of visibility can of course be compensated by having radar, AIS, well reviewed reflectors, etc and the knowledge that the coroner will usually find it was the other boat's fault.
3. to provide a two foot lever to constantly waggle the fixing bolts in the stanchion base. This allows the convenience of knowing where to look first when one's boat develops a deck leak.
1. to give a false sense of security, so people take less care moving around on deck and thereby increasing the number of MOBs. This problem is then in turn 'solved' by festooning the pushpits with a litany of shoddily made horseshoe buoys, danbuoys, floating lights etc, in the same way that asian lorry drivers solve their road safety issues by festooning their cabs with statues, joss sticks and shines to the gods.
2. to support the dodgers which perform the same function as blinkers on a horse. They are to ensure that the helmsman / watch keeper is not distracted by anything to (especially the windward) side of the boat, such as waves, ships and other stand-on vessels, interesting sights, etc. Interestingly, horses don't have sprayhoods which on a boat screen off any similar distractions looking forwards as well. The consequences of this lack of visibility can of course be compensated by having radar, AIS, well reviewed reflectors, etc and the knowledge that the coroner will usually find it was the other boat's fault.
3. to provide a two foot lever to constantly waggle the fixing bolts in the stanchion base. This allows the convenience of knowing where to look first when one's boat develops a deck leak.
snowleopard
Well-Known Member
And of course for non boat owners to use to swing themselves aboard.
'If they aren't strong enough to swing from, how are they going to stop you going overboard?' - They will stop you but they are likely to leave cracked gelcoat and leaking bolts afterwards.
Victoria Sponge
Well-Known Member
What are these things you speak of?
Seagreen
Well-Known Member
I don't have guard rails. All of my offshore sailing has been on old boats which didn't have guardrails. I developed a healthy sense of "one hand for me, one for the boat" and caution when moving along the deck at night.
On a cross channel trip a few years ago, I was on a Jeanneau (of some description) which had absurdly loose wire rails just behind the helm seat. I always felt like I was just about to fall overboard with them, and other boats with rails have left me making rash mistakes. Granted, they make you feel safer, but mostly I've found them too short, even for me, to keep me inboard in a real emergency. If I fell, unless nets were rigged from the rails, I'd still be over the side hanging on with the difficulty of being stuck on a lifeline outside the wire, and having to un-clip just to get back over, even in a best-case scenario. Without rails, and if I went over the side and the boat was sailing slowly, it would be possible for me to climb back in over the lee rail unaided, in a best case scenario. Anyone going in at 4 knots or over would need help, no matter whether guardrails were fitted or not.
BTW, don't the Border Agency wallahs keep bending and snapping them off whilst boarding?
On a cross channel trip a few years ago, I was on a Jeanneau (of some description) which had absurdly loose wire rails just behind the helm seat. I always felt like I was just about to fall overboard with them, and other boats with rails have left me making rash mistakes. Granted, they make you feel safer, but mostly I've found them too short, even for me, to keep me inboard in a real emergency. If I fell, unless nets were rigged from the rails, I'd still be over the side hanging on with the difficulty of being stuck on a lifeline outside the wire, and having to un-clip just to get back over, even in a best-case scenario. Without rails, and if I went over the side and the boat was sailing slowly, it would be possible for me to climb back in over the lee rail unaided, in a best case scenario. Anyone going in at 4 knots or over would need help, no matter whether guardrails were fitted or not.
BTW, don't the Border Agency wallahs keep bending and snapping them off whilst boarding?
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Sheems to me the arrangement fitted to pilot boats makes most sense, ie a strong rail set inboard of the side deck
This sort of thing:
http://www.seawardboat.com/29Pilot.html
This sort of thing:
http://www.seawardboat.com/29Pilot.html
rbcoomer
Well-Known Member
As an alien from the 'other side', I'm going to have to guess... 
1. to tie off the strings of CDs, carrier bags and bunting used to deter gulls
2. something to provide extra revenue stream for chandlers
3. to lull landlubbers into a false sense of security against falling overboard when boat heels
4. to provide entertainment when rafted on a dark, windy night
5. when electrified, provides a deterrent against boarding parties, sharks and other undesirables...
1. to tie off the strings of CDs, carrier bags and bunting used to deter gulls
2. something to provide extra revenue stream for chandlers
3. to lull landlubbers into a false sense of security against falling overboard when boat heels
4. to provide entertainment when rafted on a dark, windy night
5. when electrified, provides a deterrent against boarding parties, sharks and other undesirables...
alant
Well-Known Member
elton
Well-Known Member
They're meant to give tactile sense to the legs as to where the edge of the deck is.
Norman_E
Well-Known Member
I thought that the main purpose was to enable charterers coming along side to push on them and bend your stanchions.
VicS
Well-Known Member
+1
Me_has_a_Boat
N/A
and if they were an extra inch or 2 higher and also replaced by s/s tube would make them far better for the hip to use as a guide. and as an actual handhold........that doesn't move 2 or 3 inches overboard and lower when actually needed to steady self.
It's on my to do list.........somewhere
