How to Use Jacklines for Sailing Safety!

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Most popular comments
for How to Use Jacklines for Sailing Safety!

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Test Site - 8 years ago

Thank you. Helpful illustrations.

Captain John's Skipper Tips - 8 years ago

Most welcome!

bruce sinclair - 8 years ago

MOB is the most dangerest part of sailing, I know of yachtmasters who have drowned attached to the yacht, as they were draged through the water. If only the crew had stopped the boat.( 5 crew on board and he drowns) As I prefer to sail single handed my jackline is down the centre of the yacht. Fixed at the base of the mast, and to the roof so I can not tread on it. My tether length is 5' Beam is 12' so I feel that I am safe.

bruce sinclair - 8 years ago

I agree 100%

Captain John's Skipper Tips - 8 years ago

Bruce, good points. Great idea to run the jackline down the centerline! All crew should be trained on how to stop the boat under sail and how to heave-to under sail. Skippers have the responsibility to train their crew or partners. License or no license. It's part of the deal of being a skipper.

Terrence Bradley - 8 years ago

I single hand in the PNW 90% of the time. If I go overboard while clipped to a jackline my tether would hang up on the stancions and leave me dragging through 45 degree water (assuming my autopilot was engaged) If the autopilot was not engaged and assuming the boat stopped it would be next to impossible for me to clamber back aboard with no help. Since I am 75 years old the fact is that if I should happen to go overboard I can pretty much figure that I will soon be a resident of Davey Jones Locker. Which if that should occur, I would have no regrets as that beats heck out of finishing my sailing life in a hospital room.

Captain John's Skipper Tips - 8 years ago

You make excellent points. I too was a singlehander. Indeed, if you go overboard, even on a crewed vessel, your chances of recovery are slim indeed. In over 20 years in the US Coast Guard, our offshore MOB recovery rate was zero after days and hundreds of square miles searched. Time is critical. Lots of factors: injury; hypothermia; cold water shock. Unless you practice MOB turns and recovery day in and day out on a fully crewed vessel, it's not going to happen. Volvo ocean racing pros maybe. But the typical cruiser or occasional sailor, probably not. Stay aboard at all costs. Your grip is the best friend you have. It beats any pfd or harness. Grab and hold on. Work on it even in the off season. Get in shape. Webb Chiles says the same thing. He's in his 70's and solo circumnavigating again.

Ryan Terwedo - 9 years ago

Any particular knot used to attach the tether to the PFD/harness?

SnakeRiverFishing - 8 years ago

to answer your question if that happens to be a question at sea always use a bowline knot to fasten a rope for safety in leau of having a shackled end.

Ryan Terwedo - 9 years ago

+Captain John's Skipper Tips I appreciate the helpful info!

Captain John's Skipper Tips - 9 years ago

You can use one continuous length of line or webbing with the clips sewn, tied, or spliced into each end. The lark's head allows you to do this. Some sailors prefer individual tethers with clips on each end, but that can be heavy and cumbersome. There are no black/white answers. Any tether is better than no tether, in particular for the singlehander or solo watchstander.

Ryan Terwedo - 9 years ago

+Captain John's Skipper Tips I assumed it was a single 2m tether, tied to the harness so you could use both clips on the jackline. Is this an incorrect assumption?

Captain John's Skipper Tips - 9 years ago

+Ryan Terwedo Ryan, you need two tethers for your harness. I prefer the lark's head. Some folks use bowlines or the the buntline hitch. I find those too bulky and difficult to adjust.

Steve's ArtOfSailing - 10 years ago

Captain John, Your channel is really great. I am finding the feedback from you and reading the comments very useful. I subscribed and i recommend other sailers do the same as a point of sharing info and tips. its awesome. your vid's on sail trim are methods i use often and work out great, even the ability to truly get close hauled and gain a few boat lengths to windward on a tack. creating clean foils and balancing the helm for me have always been the goal of setting sails. A great task for me was to balance the helm by trimming the sails. It was easier on a tiller but weather helm is a great indicator also if you have a wheel. i have a 36 catalina with a furler reefing 160 genoa. i have the tack set just above no wrinkles. 40/60 ratio and my main is about 50/50 draft. i cant wait to practice sail trim and tacks with my newer crew made up of family and friends. its fun to see how everyone evolves together and really become part of the boat. thats always been when we were able to take sailing to the next level.

Steve's ArtOfSailing - 10 years ago

i am prepping my 36 Catalina for more adventures sailing to come. anything that adds a bit more safty and even simply for added piece of mind will help out alot. for me, theres nothing worse than family and friends wanting to venture to the bow under sail, even with a life jacket. any advice on this safty issue, thanks everyone.

Steve's ArtOfSailing - 10 years ago

very good advice, the windward jack lines address many safty issues and resolve most of them. there are very few reasons to ever venture down the lee side of the boat. jack lines may also give a false sense of security in these conditions. BUT, i will practice sailing with jack lines and maybe add a little safty for my family.

Captain John's Skipper Tips - 10 years ago

Good, realistic drills. In particular taking a crew out of the line and letting the remaining crew handle the load. Quite an eye opener.

Steve's ArtOfSailing - 10 years ago

thats actually a term i use to describe sailing conditions, { white knuckles }. i agree with you 100%. we did lots of cold weather night sailing and was a term associated with the bowman. all of our life jackets had flashing strobes and whistles. i was much younger at the time but i often did man over board drills with a floating cushion and to keep it real, i would say the name of a crew member and that person would not be able to assist in the rescue. everyone could operate the boat as a helmsman if needed. the drills often showed how little problems can become big ones fast. i believe our best times were well under a minute.

Captain John's Skipper Tips - 10 years ago

I would also emphasize the importance of developing strong muscles in the wrist, forearms, back and legs. All of these will help you stay aboard. You need a strong grip and coastal or offshore sailing really taxes muscles that are rarely used ashore. Indeed, I believe a strong grip, good balance and lots of common sense will keep you aboard just as much as any of our modern safety equipment. After all, sailors sailed for hundreds of years without any of it. And they were in remarkable shape.

Captain Donald Quackenbush - 12 years ago

I have always felt that a jackline system should keep you aboard in all conditions. I use mine as a third "hand", leaning back against it, all the time.

Captain Donald Quackenbush - 12 years ago

With a dodger, and a dinghy under the boom. Jacklines run along the top of the cabintop near the handrails. Use a very short "Y" tether. Hooked into the cockpit, reach out and hook up to the cabintop jackline, unhook from the cockpit, and walk to the mast. Another jackline runs from the forward hatch to the center of the foredeck. Hook into it from the mast. Adjust tether so you cannot get off the boat but can just reach the toerail, bow, and boom. Always hooked with no lines near your feet..

10. comment for How to Use Jacklines for Sailing Safety!

Nigel Doyle - 12 years ago

I hadn't considered attaching the lifeline in the centre like that instead of clipping on one end and using the other for the boat. Makes good sense. Thanks Captain!

captainandthelady - 12 years ago

I would think that if you had you jack line down the center of the boat it would keep you on the boat not just attached to it and dangling over the side.

About How to Use Jacklines for Sailing Safety!

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