Which Safety Line

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Colin747

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I regularly crew on different boats for club races and I'm looking to purchase my own safety line rather than relying on what other happen to have available on board. I'm looking something with three points and ideally elasticated. I've been having a look and narrowed it down to three options, though feel free to welcome alternatives I may have missed! (not necessarily buying from below vendor)

Baltic Supreme Safety Line - 3 Hook Elasticated
Baltic Supreme 3 Hook Elasticated Safety Line

Spinlock Performance Safety Line - 3 Hook
Spinlock Performance Safety Line - 3 Hook | Force 4 Chandlery

Crewsaver CREWLINE Pro Triple Hook Elasticated Safety Line
Crewsaver CREWLINE Pro Triple Hook Elasticated Safety Line

Does anyone have an hands on experience with any of these options? The Crewsaver line looks in that photo like all three points are elasticated, but on the manufacturer website one of the short points are not which is what I'd prefer if anyone could confirm?
 
I personally do not like having a Kong Tango style shackle at the harness end, it would have caused problems on a couple of occasions when I had to quickly release the tether, I use a snap shackle (and make my personal tether myself, I do not like the available ones). It's indeed one of those things I bring with me if I go on someone else boat.
 
Roberto said:
I personally do not like having a Kong Tango style shackle at the harness end, it would have caused problems on a couple of occasions when I had to quickly release the tether, I use a snap shackle (and make my personal tether myself, I do not like the available ones). It's indeed one of those things I bring with me if I go on someone else boat.
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Understood except our Spinlock life jackets have a harness release system. There’s an emergency pull ting on the lifejacket which unlike you.

I’m interested in when you’ve had to use the snap shackle. In fifty years of sailing I’ve never had a problem with a harness where I’ve had to release it.
 
Possibly a stupid question from someone who lurks around here to learn and has never used a safety line .....why 3 Hooks ?
 
seanav said:
Possibly a stupid question from someone who lurks around here to learn and has never used a safety line .....why 3 Hooks ?
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No such thing as a stupid question.

Two reasons.

Firstly one is on a short line and one is on a longer line so you can choose which is the more appropriate.

Secondly so that in extremis you can hook on second before you unhook the first one. In some conditions you want to stay hooked on at all times.
 
john_morris_uk said:
No such thing as a stupid question.

Two reasons.

Firstly one is on a short line and one is on a longer line so you can choose which is the more appropriate.

Secondly so that in extremis you can hook on second before you unhook the first one. In some conditions you want to stay hooked on at all times.
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Thank You ...very clear answer
 
Thanks for the input everyone, it seems the Spinlock one seems to be the more favourable. With regards to the comment about the Spinlock vests having an emergency release I'm afraid I'm using a CrewSaver jacket so won't have that luxury!
 
john_morris_uk said:
I’m interested in when you’ve had to use the snap shackle. In fifty years of sailing I’ve never had a problem with a harness where I’ve had to release it.
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First time I was working at the mast to reef/unreef, the tether got tangled somewhere while the boom was oscillating and rythmically banging against the shrouds with myself in between quickly turning to minced meat, I instantly tried to move my body away but the tether under tension kept me there, I grabbed a shroud with an elbow to keep safe and opened the shackle; had I had to move my body to get back in the smashing area and use both hands to release the Tango while pushing the harness ring to free it I'd have finished with a lot more bruises, quite possibly worse.
Another time I slipped badly and kept pulling the tether with my weight: I grabbed myself somewhere with one hand and released the shackle with the other one.
Another potentially more dangerous case (a Mini650 solo experience, not mine), when someone falls overboard it's often above the lifelines, if one manages to grab him/herself back to the deck it will most likely be passing under the lower lifeline: the tether goes from the deck attachment --> around the two lifelines --> towards the deck. With a short tether -which has a lot to go for- the guy was kept half outboard and could not pull his body totally on deck until he had released the tether. (Of course, never fall overboard etc etc )

Some lifejackets have a webbing attachment for a cow hitch and an emergency knife, once the tether or webbing ring is cut, it's cut and one has one less lj/tether. It also takes a lot longer to take the tether on and off wrt to a shackle, I take it off every time I am going to spend more than a few minutes inside (cooking, toilets, chart table etc). Anyway just sharing my thoughts, after quite a few modifications over time I eventually developed my personal approach/equipment I am perfectly happy with and see no reason to change anything, as plenty of different approaches make other people equally happy of course. :)
 
Roberto said:
First time I was working at the mast to reef/unreef, the tether got tangled somewhere while the boom was oscillating and rythmically banging against the shrouds with myself in between quickly turning to minced meat, I instantly tried to move my body away but the tether under tension kept me there, I grabbed a shroud with an elbow to keep safe and opened the shackle; had I had to move my body to get back in the smashing area and use both hands to release the Tango while pushing the harness ring to free it I'd have finished with a lot more bruises, quite possibly worse.
Another time I slipped badly and kept pulling the tether with my weight: I grabbed myself somewhere with one hand and released the shackle with the other one.
Another potentially more dangerous case (a Mini650 solo experience, not mine), when someone falls overboard it's often above the lifelines, if one manages to grab him/herself back to the deck it will most likely be passing under the lower lifeline: the tether goes from the deck attachment --> around the two lifelines --> towards the deck. With a short tether -which has a lot to go for- the guy was kept half outboard and could not pull his body totally on deck until he had released the tether. (Of course, never fall overboard etc etc )

Some lifejackets have a webbing attachment for a cow hitch and an emergency knife, once the tether or webbing ring is cut, it's cut and one has one less lj/tether. It also takes a lot longer to take the tether on and off wrt to a shackle, I take it off every time I am going to spend more than a few minutes inside (cooking, toilets, chart table etc). Anyway just sharing my thoughts, after quite a few modifications over time I eventually developed my personal approach/equipment I am perfectly happy with and see no reason to change anything, as plenty of different approaches make other people equally happy of course. :)
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All understood. Whatever works for you. Although in my experience snap shackles have an alarming tendency to open unexpectedly if the toggle on the pull ring snags. (I never use the snap shackle in our spinnaker halyard when I use the halyard as a safety line when going aloft).
 
A few tips on tethers:
  • Practice with jacklines and tethers in nice weather. You want it completely dialed in, as second nature, before it blows. If you wait to learn under fire, you will put yourself at risk and also look like a fool, making foolish mistakes. You will.
  • When not in use, wrap the long tether around your back like a belt. This keeps it out of the way.
  • If your harness-end is quick-release, do NOT park the unused tether on the harness eyes; you just defeated the quick-release mechanism. It must be parked on either the eye of the quick-release shackle or a provided parking loop. This mistake has caused several fatalities.
  • If you have the old Spinlock Race Clips, bin them. They can fail under body weight alone (happened in several fatalities), and they can unclip, and yet they were never recalled nor was a stop-sale issued.
7.+spinlock+tests+Speirs%252C+122%252C+600%252C+and+350+pounds.jpg

 
Just make sure you can unclip them easily - I tried some once and found them difficult - can't remember the brand, possibly Wichard? - my wife found them impossible... look similar to Spinlock, but check them before purchase. I use Seago ones which I find easy to use.
 
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