Did they give any tips on how to stay awake at he wheel while
singlehanding on an overnight?

Scotty

"Michael" wrote in message
...

Went to a seminar on singlehanding or single watchstanding safety.
The
panel members have all solo circunavigated. Lots of good info but
here are
three I wanted to sha

1) When securing the vang to the boom don't rely on just the under
boom
fitting. Also pass a canvas or cloth strop from the end of the vang
over the
boom, under the sail. This works unless you have a bolt rope. The
idea is to
put the strain on the top of the boom and spread it out rather than
on a
fitting underneath that will eventually break due to fatigue of
metal.

2) Instead of relying on the single length tether on your safety
harness put
one in the cockpit (two if the foreward one won't reach aft to the
wind vane
etc., one by the vang, one by the stays'l and one by the
jib/forestay and
anchor area plus one by the mast. Make each one the right length for
what
you are doing. For example the one at the mast should be short,
maybe a foot
to 18". Then use the regular one to get from spot to spot along the
jacklines. (side note ) I learned to run a second line from the
upper end of
the bow pulpit up to just about elbow height on the lower shroud and
then
down to the pushpit. Set so that boom and jib sheet etc. clear. When
go
forward in rough seas you have deck jackline, toe rail, two
lifelines (to
30" high) and this higher line so you are caught toe, above the knee
and
just below the shoulder.

3) Running Rigging - As a rule of thumb figure they will last 30,000
nm. Cut
them at least 10' longer than normal. Then every 3,000 nm cut off a
foot and
move everything along the route, through the blocks etc, to a new
sport.
This keeps the line from wearing in only one spot as it lays in the
sheaves.
Also means you don't have to end for end quite so much. That can be
done at
15,000 nm at which point you reverse the procedure. So there's three
good
ideas I came away with!

Michael