Why only guard wire on yachts?

[Simondjuk]

I suspect the point Seajet is making is that you'll only be able to get the MOB on at the point at which whatever you are using to lift him, be that the boom or a halyard or whatever, brings him to the boat, and the chances are that this won't happen to be at the gate.

Getting a person who may not be able to assist in their recovery under the guardwires may be challenging to say the least. At worst you might smash them up pretty badly as you'll have them dangling at deck level while you try to get hold of them and drag them through the small gap, during which time they may be swinging and crashing against the topsides.

Casually plucking even a moderately built bloke out of the drink by hand when he's carrying a lot of extra weight in the form of all the water in his foulies and boots is only doable if you have a big crew or happen to be superhuman.

 

[Bloater]

There doesn't appear to be a definitive answer to my original question. Whilst there may be some exceptions to the rule it seems that sail boats have guard wires and motor boats can have solid rails because it is tradition.

I don't see why the use of guard wire for MOB recovery is restricted to sailboats so that argument doesn't make sense.

I remember looking at an Island Packet SP cruiser recently and that (being a motor sailer) was the only model in the manufacturers range that had solid rails. I'm leaning towards the argument that it is only a style choice that determines that sailboats don't have solid rails.

I might add that I have seen plenty of motor boats that have guard wires, particularly at the cheaper end of the market, and also lots with a solid rail at the top and a wire running below. It's just that you never seem to see a sailboat with solid rails...

 

[[2574]]

Wouldn't be without....

...the teak handrails on my Nauticat. They're great to hold on to at sea. I've been on a yacht with wires and I felt much less secure though that could be unfamiliarity I suppose. Picture attached.

 

[wklein]

A bit of a guess here but sailing boats have pretty low guardwires compared to some motorboats due to sheeting difficulties with inboard tracks, if a sheet (or any other rope e.g. guy spin downhaul) managed to bend or damage a rail it would be a nightmare to replace, compared to a wire.

I would say that jackstays are there to keep people aboard and guardwires are there to keep gear aboard and occasionally to brace yourself against. They are a psychological boost as you feel pretty exposed going forward without them. I am all for lashings, far better for tensioning than bottlescrews, as for letting them off regularly not convinced you could get satisfactory tension easily with pelican hook.

 

[prv]

...the teak handrails on my Nauticat.

Doesn't that jib sheet chafe on the rail if you slacken it a bit from that position?

Pete

 

[ripvan1]

Abolish them ! (Wires) As a tall bloke I find them just at the right height to toss me over the side if boat gets a side one whoooosh ----- boom (That's a wave BTW )

On last boat I did away with them and installed jackstays - always clipped on 'til it was automatic. Docking was a joy, just step off where you need to, no trip hazard, regular handholds help, and all the above posts become relegated to the bin of design aberrations.

Can anyone tell me any advantages to them.

Starter for 10 - you can tie your fenders onto them

 

[Poignard]

Abolish them ! (Wires) As a tall bloke I find them just at the right height to toss me over the side if boat gets a side one whoooosh ----- boom (That's a wave BTW )

On last boat I did away with them and installed jackstays - always clipped on 'til it was automatic. Docking was a joy, just step off where you need to, no trip hazard, regular handholds help, and all the above posts become relegated to the bin of design aberrations.

Can anyone tell me any advantages to them.

Starter for 10 - you can tie your fenders onto them

I agree with you. The only thing my guardrails have ever done for me is to trip me up and generally get in the way. My first two boats didn't have guardrails and I never felt the need of them.

I would like to get rid of them but The Old Guvnor forbids it and, because the boat is half hers, I can't.

(I suppose I could take them off one side of the boat and say that's my half. )

 

[[2574]]

Doesn't that jib sheet chafe on the rail if you slacken it a bit from that position?

Pete

If we're well off the wind yes, at which time I put a 3rd sheet on the clew and lead it back to the cockpit via a block on the toe rail underneath the rails, that works well albeit that it effectively fixes the position of the geno car.