katysails wrote:
I was missing something like harness
attachment.

We always attach harness to the inside of the boat...I've seen people
attach to the rails but that wouldn't prevent you from going
over...sure would be a rough ride, though, until they hauled you back
in...

I was meaning when having to attend to the halyards at the mast or do stuff
on the foredeck - there are harness attachment loops inside the cockpit. I'm
thinking that a similar loop at the base of the mast might be a good idea.


--
Wally
www.makearatherlonglinkthattakesyounowhere.com
Things are always clearer in the cold, post-upload light.

Thom Stewart wrote:

On a small boat they really aren't lifelines as such but more of
outboard boundary markers.

On most boats MOB's are usually miss steps because people lose track
of where they are, while doing something else besides watching for
when they run out of boat. I don't know if the low lifeline is more
of a triping hazard or slipping off without a line is greater?

Just thougth I'd mention that the line reminds you of where you're
stepping

Well, as I said to Bob, my experience is in dinghies, where such things
don't exist. I think I'll be taking them off for now and see what I can do
to rig a harness attachment point in the forward part of the boat.


--
Wally
www.makearatherlonglinkthattakesyounowhere.com
Things are always clearer in the cold, post-upload light.

Simple Simon wrote:
If you don't have lifelines you will probably be more
conscious of being careful to not fall off your boat.

Aye, that's a good point. I've never felt that I was about to fall off the
dinghies I've sailed - good non-slip footwear and a hand on the mast or a
bit of standing rigging seemed to be fine for keeping my balance.


--
Wally
www.makearatherlonglinkthattakesyounowhere.com
Things are always clearer in the cold, post-upload light.

I would say not very necessary. Mostly, they give you a false
sense of security at best. At worst, they're a hazard. On bigger
boats, when you're going up to the front a lot, I can justify them
I suppose.

"Wally" wrote in message
...
How neccessary are lifelines on a small boat like my 18-footer? They don't
seem very functional to me - they barely reach knee height, there's no
deck
to speak of along the sides of the coachroof, and they come down to the
sides around the cockpit - there's no pushpit, only a pulpit, and the most
aft stanchion is level with the back of the cabin.

In terms of their supposed function as something to stop people falling
overboard, it seems that the only area of the boat that they have any
chance
of protecting is the foredeck. I've always likened them more to tripwires
and I've been swithering about whether to keep them on at all. There are
no
spreader plates, so work is required to strengthen them anyway, and making
plugs for the mounting holes will be much less work than trying to make
spreader plates to fit into the tight spaces inside.

Before I make the final decision to remove them, is there anything I'm
missing about their function, such that removal would be a mistake?


--
Wally
www.makearatherlonglinkthattakesyounowhere.com
Things are always clearer in the cold, post-upload light.

Well, as I said to Bob, my experience is in dinghies, where such things
don't exist. I think I'll be taking them off for now and see what I can do
to rig a harness attachment point in the forward part of the boat.

Well, now you're not making any sense at all. If you are daysailing dinghies,
you won't need lifelines. If you are talking about storm jibs and attaching a
harness, and if you ever experience conditions where you actually deploy such
things, you'l be glad you have lifelines. They are not supposed to be a wall
to keep you on deck, but they are something nice to grab if you are sliding
over board in the dark on a bad night. If they are not falling apart, God
knows why you would want to remove them.

SkitchNYC wrote:

Well, now you're not making any sense at all. If you are daysailing
dinghies,

I'm making perfect sense. My experience thus far has been in dinghies, but
the boat concerned is an 18' cruiser.


you won't need lifelines. If you are talking about storm
jibs and attaching a harness, and if you ever experience conditions
where you actually deploy such things, you'l be glad you have
lifelines. They are not supposed to be a wall to keep you on deck,
but they are something nice to grab if you are sliding over board

So are the shrouds. A harness loop at the base of the mast can be reached
from the companionway.


... in the dark on a bad night.

No lights. No night sailing. Not for quite some time, at any rate. If
lifelines are a very good thing at night, then I'll look into them when such
activities are on the cards.


If they are not falling apart, God knows
why you would want to remove them.

There are no spreader plates under them and I don't like the present
mounting - too weak and too close to the hull. Making up plates involves
more metalwork than I'm willing to undertake at present.


--
Wally
www.makearatherlonglinkthattakesyounowhere.com
Things are always clearer in the cold, post-upload light.

I was meaning when having to attend to the halyards at the mast or do stuff
on the foredeck - there are harness attachment loops inside the cockpit. I'm
thinking that a similar loop at the base of the mast might be a good ide

Jesus wept.


RB

Aye, that's a good point. I've never felt that I was about to fall off the
dinghies I've sailed - good non-slip footwear and a hand on the mast or a
bit of standing rigging seemed to be fine for keeping my balance.

Hand on the mast?
Holy hulkster.

RB

Yup, that's one consideration. As Neal says, though, not having them might
make one more cautious and aware, and thus more careful about how one moves
around.

Yep. Good plan. In fact you should carry no safety gear at all, which will make
you VERY careful!
Holy halibut.

RB

That said, I
think a harness would be in use by then in any case.

Okay, now I'm positive that this is all a troll!
Whew! Glad that's over.

RB