Random thoughts: 1. Industrial fall harnesses have a tether attachment at the back because a "fall arrest" from that direction is less likely to cause a back injury. Your spine can bend forward further than backward, at least that is what they taught us in the working at heights safety courses at Ford. The assumption is that you hang there until someone comes and rescues you. I think that for marine applications the tether attachment in front makes more sense.
2. A friend of mine actually fell overboard while in the process of lowering a hanked-on foresail at night. He was tethered and managed to get back on board only because the boat was plunging into the waves so much that he was carried back up by the waves. Conditions were such that when he returned to the cockpit, the other crew were unaware that he been over the side. (They had come out past a point of land and "discovered" considerably higher wind and seas than expected. It was off either Rondeau or Point Pelee, I forget which, on Lake Erie.) 3. Standard harnesses don't have crotch straps. They should. A harness and or lifejacket is not much good if you slip out of it. It is not difficult to add one using standard webbing and hardware. I was taught this "trick" by a guy who used to train crews for the British Telecom around the world races. 4. The GLSS (Great Lakes Singlehanded Society) that Bill Coleman provided a link to, has done considerable work on the subject of tethers and jack lines. It is worth taking a look at their rules, and the video of their outboard system in action. The question of how you might switch from one attachment point to another is not addressed in the video. The basic idea is that you use 2 sets of jack lines. One set is rigged central to the boat with the idea of keeping you on board. The other set is rigged outside of the lifelines. The outside jack line extends back to where there is a re-boarding ladder mounted on the side, and crew is equipped with dual tethers so that it is possible to clip on to the desired line before unclipping from the inboard attachment point. It is the only system I have ever seen where you actually have a fighting chance of getting back on board unassisted. 5. One of the GLSS suggested pieces of equipment, a folding knife that can be opened one handed, is illegal in Canada, and visiting sailors should be aware of that fact. Possession is a criminal offence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gQbDzXAOdY&context=C3eea170ADOEgsToPDskJJp-f-bBF0SutwvJyyAoGV http://www.solosailor.org/pdfs/Std_GLSSRequiredEquip.pdf Steve Thomas C&C27 MKIII -----Original Message----- From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com]On Behalf Of Dennis C. Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 11:22 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List safety tethers Tether attachment to the back is standard in industrial fall protection. <https://www.millerfallprotection.com/fall-protection-products/body-wear/full-body-harnesses> You can grab one on eBay for about $30. See eBay listing 280932207169. If I went with one of these, I'd want to figure out a foolproof way to pull the quick release on my tether. Would be difficult reaching over my shoulder and trying to pull it. Dennis C. Touche' 35-1 #83 Mandeville, LA On Friday, October 25, 2013 9:56 PM, Ken Heaton <kenhea...@gmail.com> wrote: Thanks for the heads up on that one Graham, that modification makes sense. I wonder if any of the local manufacturers (say Mustang) will licence and incorporate that in their own products? Ken H. On 25 October 2013 22:53, Graham Collins <cnclistforw...@hotmail.com> wrote: I'm hoping this will PFD / harness eventually become available / approved in Canada, I may buy a couple in any case since I think it is a superior solution if attached to jacklines. http://teamomarine.com/ Graham Collins Secret Plans C&C 35-III #11On 2013-10-25 10:00 PM, Bill Bina wrote: Coupla minor points that could save a life: Andrew is 100% correct that staying on the boat is far superior. If you go in the water you are more likely to die, than not, regardless of anything else. Not only do you need a quick release, but you need to make sure you can release it with either hand, while suspended with your FULL weight on the quick release. (feet not touching anything solid) If you do find yourself being dragged behind the boat, get on your back. Your shoulders will plane you to get your face out of the water more, and you will also have far less drag preventing you from pulling your way back to the boat. Trust me when I tell you that even Hulk Hogan would probably not be able to pull himself back to a boat going 6 knots unless he was on his back. If you are not Hulk Hogan, your limit is less than 4 knots. One friend of mine tells students to regard water as if it was molten lava. If you fall in, you are likely dead. That's what the stats say. Bill Bina On 10/25/2013 8:00 PM, Andrew Burton wrote: I towed a crew member behind the boat at 4 knots in each of several harnesses. (We were in the Caribbean) In every case the crew member would have drowned had he not released his harness from his tether. My plan when I'm rigging jack lines is to keep the crew on the boat. I also run them inboard of the shrouds and keep them tight. I can't emphasize enough the importance of having a quick release on the harness so if a crew goes over the side he can get off the tow line before he drowns. Andy C&C 40 Peregrine _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
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