But, most of us don't race offshore.And most of don't have boats equipped to
offshore specs. And, there was one recent example of a noted racer on the
East Coast, who got coshed on the head by a spinnaker pole, went overboard
and drowned, in spite of those all-important lifelines.There was talk
afterwards about requiring auto pfds but nothing mentioned about modifying
lifelines. I think the folks that write these regulations know that the
lifelines will only prevent someone from going over under optimum
conditions, a conscious, mobile person can grab something before they go.
http://www.sailing.org/offshore/2004...egulations.pdf

http://www.heathcote.co.za/archive/ssn155.htm
A link to the story, and again, in the aftermath, nothing about making
lifelines an "important" piece of mandatory safety equipment, just talk
about the pfd's, one other bit about mandating helmets. So again, I would
guess it would be how you define important. The regulations speak of
lifelines forming an "effectively continuous barrier around a working deck
for man overboard prevention" but I wouldn't stake my life on it. BTW, if
you read an earlier post I mentioned an incident last summer where I almost
got washed overboard, I ended up hanging over the side underneath the
intermediate lifeline with the water nearly up to my crotch. The stanchion
prevented me from going overboard because I grabbed it. If I hadn't been
able to grab it I probably would have gone overboard. And I doubt if Bob's
boat is built to those offshore specs either. It's all just semantics, I
reckon.
John Cairns
OzOne wrote in message ...
On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 22:22:10 -0500, "John Cairns"
scribbled thusly:

Bob, you miss a very important point. Lifelines won't keep you attached
to
your boat. A jackline, tether and harness WILL. Lifelines aren't designed
to
keep you attached to your boat. Jacklines, tethers and harnesses are.
Maybe
the usage thing is bothering you. You said lifelines are "important" bits
of
safety equipment, I disagreed and still do with the word "important". I
can't think of a real good example, but I'll try this. If you were to go
offshore, a liferaft would be an "important" piece of safety equipment,
an
inflatable dinghy would not.
John Cairns

Hmmm and if you were sailing on your local pond in conditions that did
not warrant wearing a harness, slipped and would have fallen over the
side without lifelines, would you then regard the lifelines as
"important" pieces of safety equipment.

Before you answer, note that a huge number of deaths from dropping
over the side are of unconscious crew who drown before retrieval and
that to race offshore you must have lifelines to the stage that their
construction is regulated.


Oz1...of the 3 twins.

I welcome you to crackerbox palace,We've been expecting you.