All you show here is inexperience with safe practices, good seamanship, and
you are a hazard to newbies who might mistakenly believe you know what you
are talking about. The practice you have described here is inherently
UNSAFE.
"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
at night, offshore and in utter safety. As much safety as if I were
walking
down 5th Avenue in NYC at 10:00 at night.

maybe *you* wouldn't be safe on a deck at night -- offshore OR coastal --,
but
you know your limitations better than we do.

Please don't claim that because *you* can't walk on a deck without falling
off
that the entire rest of the world can't either.

From: "The Carrolls"

At night, offshore? No you haven't, you may have been lucky but not
using
safe practices, there fore not in utter safety.
"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
jonny, you stupid, clumsy, spastic clod. I have gone forward at night
offshore
to change headsails without a harness or jackline in utter safety.
You,
on the
other hand, would fall overboard.

Yep... it's better to have two (one short and one so you can stand)
for
rough conditions. As you say, jacklines in sections is the ticket.
Also,
don't forget the instruction to the crew. For example, when off shore,
the rule was that you must be hooked on when you exit the cabin at
night. During the day, this is true only in rough weather.

I have the SOSpenders with the integrated harness. Why do you think
a separate system is better?

"Michael" wrote in message
...
I mentioned earlier that the lifeline is only one integral part of
the
system and then included stanchions and Doug brought in the issue of
stanchion bases. Finally we mentioned jacklines. But's thats' not
all
of
it.

A word on harnesses and tethers. Again this is of interest only for
those
who go where they are needed, or those who need them regardless of
where
they go.

Tethers. I was tempted once upon a time to use one long one. Then
I
had
occasion to test what it was like to be dragged alongside a self
steering
boat and try to get back on board. Not a pretty picture. No it
wasn't
an
accident it was a tested conducted at speeds from one to seven
knots.
Based
on that days work we came up with the following:

Use short tethers. That coupled to a centered jackline will keep
you
from
going over.

Use two tethers in heavy weather. Snap in to the next section of
jackline
before unsnapping the first one. In the worksite use both.

Use snaplinks that are positive locking. The best one's don't come
from
the
marine stores. Go to a store specializing in gear for blue collar
folks.
My personal favorite isWork Wear in Lynwood WA.

Harnesses. The SOSpenders and the stand alone harnesses are neat,
comfortable and do the job PROVIDING they don't pop open. The kind
with
the
buckle that goes through an opening sideways then falls into place
is
not
worth the money. On our fullharnesses we use the kind where the
chest
and
leg straps are a sturdy belt buckle arrangement or a positive snap
link
with
safety release arrangement.

For going aloft or for veryheavy weather I use the industrial kind
withtheleg straps. On these the tether goes in the middle of the
back
or
to
two chest rings. For standard work around the boat I had my
comfortable
chest only harness modified with positive snap hooks to ensure it
wouldn't
come undone.

This sort of gear also makes it easy for other crew to get you back
on
board
or lower you down from an aloft worksite.

Stay away from the belt only kind for deck or going aloft purposes.
These
are banned from commercial ships anymore. Sudden falls to tether end
save
the sailor from going over but damage the spinal cord severely.

When choosing your gear keep this in mind. No one is going to show
up
in
a
few minutes when you are way out there. What you have with you is
all
you
have. Tools not Toys. And those who choose to use none of the
above
won't
be out to help you either.

M.