"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote in message
...

In a real blow, real sailors use safety harnesses and jacklines. A
single jackline down the center of a yacht is safer than two jacklines
down the side decks of a yacht. It would not be very difficult to get
flipped over the low lifelines and be drug though the water by your
safety line on the side decks. Walking in the center of the boat keeps
you on the boat.

Wilbur Hubbard

The question was guard rails not jacklines.
But for jacklines the safety factor is determined by the length of the line
you use to tether yourself to the jackline.
Here there is a problem because a short safety line is better for getting
forward but once you are there it may impose limits on the work you need to
do. For this reason the best solution is to have both a short and a longer
safety line on your lifevest.

Depending on the design of the boat and whether you have a large dodger in
the way or not the problem with a single central jackline is how you can
clip onto it before you leave the safety of the cockpit.

But guard rails are a necessary safety factor for any offshore yacht. Do you
think you just stroll forward in a force 8 blow? Of course you do not- you
can be reduced to almost crawling from one handhold to another and you are
better off clipping onto a jackline on the weather side deck with a short
line before you leave the cockpit than trying to reach round the dodger to
clip onto a central jackline with what has necessarily got to be a longer
safety line.
I favour a jackline on each side going forward as far as the mast and then a
single central one going right to the bow. No problem changing from one to
the other if you have two safety lines as I mentioned above..

"Edgar" wrote in message
...

"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote in message
...

In a real blow, real sailors use safety harnesses and jacklines. A
single jackline down the center of a yacht is safer than two
jacklines
down the side decks of a yacht. It would not be very difficult to get
flipped over the low lifelines and be drug though the water by your
safety line on the side decks. Walking in the center of the boat
keeps
you on the boat.

Wilbur Hubbard

The question was guard rails not jacklines.
But for jacklines the safety factor is determined by the length of the
line
you use to tether yourself to the jackline.
Here there is a problem because a short safety line is better for
getting
forward but once you are there it may impose limits on the work you
need to
do. For this reason the best solution is to have both a short and a
longer
safety line on your lifevest.

Depending on the design of the boat and whether you have a large
dodger in
the way or not the problem with a single central jackline is how you
can
clip onto it before you leave the safety of the cockpit.

But guard rails are a necessary safety factor for any offshore yacht.
Do you
think you just stroll forward in a force 8 blow? Of course you do not-
you
can be reduced to almost crawling from one handhold to another and
you are
better off clipping onto a jackline on the weather side deck with a
short
line before you leave the cockpit than trying to reach round the
dodger to
clip onto a central jackline with what has necessarily got to be a
longer
safety line.
I favour a jackline on each side going forward as far as the mast and
then a
single central one going right to the bow. No problem changing from
one to
the other if you have two safety lines as I mentioned above..


You're correct. When the going gets really rough everybody crawls from
handhold to handhold. You cannot stand up at all. I always feel safer
crawling forward in the center of the boat. That means forget the
dodger. A well designed yacht does not need a dodger to begin with. They
are just another "monkey see, monkey do" yachty gimmick. The next time I
see somebody in bodily contortions trying to look over a dodger, I'm
going to hurl. The things are dangerous. If you're afraid of a little
spray then stay home for Pete's sake. I prefer a single jackline down
the center. I run mine to on the starboard side of mast down the center.
No stupid dodger to dodge. Just clip on in the cockpit, move up and atop
of the house and move (crawl or walk according to the conditions)
forward. If I expect really rough weather I zig-zag lines horizontally
between the aft lower/upper/forward lower shrouds which makes sort of a
cage for working the mast winch main and jib halyards at the mast.
Moving forward to change head sails is no problem even in the roughest
of weather when on all-fours. I like a short life line on the harness. I
don't want to fly six feet and flip over the side. Lifeline height seems
calculated to cut you off at the knees anyway and flip a body right over
the side.

If I were to design a larger boat, say sixty feet or so, I would make it
a raised deck model but I'd build in a walkway right down the center of
the deck. Maybe three feet deep with two foot high lifelines or railings
on either side of it. This would go all the way to the bow with a
circular area at the mast. You could walk from the cockpit to the mast
to the foredeck in comfort, safety and style. The companionway would be
to one side, of course. Steps up to the walkway would be molded into the
bulkhead up from the bridge deck.

Wilbur Hubbard

Edgar wrote:
"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote in message
...


In a real blow, real sailors use safety harnesses and jacklines. A
single jackline down the center of a yacht is safer than two jacklines
down the side decks of a yacht. It would not be very difficult to get
flipped over the low lifelines and be drug though the water by your
safety line on the side decks. Walking in the center of the boat keeps
you on the boat.

Wilbur Hubbard


The question was guard rails not jacklines.
But for jacklines the safety factor is determined by the length of the line
you use to tether yourself to the jackline.
Here there is a problem because a short safety line is better for getting
forward but once you are there it may impose limits on the work you need to
do. For this reason the best solution is to have both a short and a longer
safety line on your lifevest.

Depending on the design of the boat and whether you have a large dodger in
the way or not the problem with a single central jackline is how you can
clip onto it before you leave the safety of the cockpit.

We've run jacklines in a V from the cockpit to the mast and then from
the mast forward...

But guard rails are a necessary safety factor for any offshore yacht. Do you
think you just stroll forward in a force 8 blow? Of course you do not- you
can be reduced to almost crawling from one handhold to another and you are
better off clipping onto a jackline on the weather side deck with a short
line before you leave the cockpit than trying to reach round the dodger to
clip onto a central jackline with what has necessarily got to be a longer
safety line.
I favour a jackline on each side going forward as far as the mast and then a
single central one going right to the bow. No problem changing from one to
the other if you have two safety lines as I mentioned above..


The old adage "One hand fro the boat, and one hand for yourself" comes
to mind. Any time I
I've had to go forward in weather and had to do a two handed job, I've
made sure that I am clipped in more than one place, preferably one clip
to port and one to starboard to avoid being thrown overboard
inadvertently...

"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote in message
...

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Mar 2, 1:49 pm, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:
"Joe" wrote in message

ps.com...





On Mar 2, 1:19 pm, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:
"Joe" wrote in message

roups.com...

On Mar 2, 12:52 pm, "Wilbur Hubbard"

wrote:
"Nathan Branden" wrote in message

. ..

I've been tempted to use the stainless steel bathroom handrails
on
my
cabintop. They are those handrails you see in Lowes or Home
Depot,
pretty sturdy bent tubing with only two welds. How will they
stand
up
in a marine environment? They definitely long strong enough and
mount
over a wide area. I just think the boat store handrails are
outrageously expensive and the bathroom ones a much less
expensive
and
even look better.

Nathan

Nathan,

If you own or sail a properly designed sailboat you need no hand
rails
on the cabin top. Hand rails are used only on sailboats that have
side
decks. A proper sailboat has a flush or raised deck. Instead of
walking
precariously along the side decks, on a proper sailboat you walk
on
top
of the flush or raised deck. Here is a picture of a proper raised
deck
sailboat.
http://www.sailboatlistings.com/sailimg/6070/SJ2003.jpg
and here's another http://captneal.homestead.com/files/stbsd.jpg
Note
the total absence of unsightly hand rails.

Wilbur Hubbard

Is this an inproperly designed boat Wilbur?
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...rmarine.com/im...

The Oyster 68 is a competent yacht. However, it would be a better and
more seaworthy yacht if they made it a flush deck or a raised deck.
On a
sailboat that size a flush deck would be the answer because it is
large
enough to have plenty of headroom. A flush deck is much more
practical,
it's easier to clean and move about on. Corners and stressed areas
are
eliminated. It has less windage thus it would go to weather better.
It's
lighter. So, to answer your question it is, indeed, improperly
designed.
If they make a flush deck version then that would be proper and
Bristol.
That particular Oyster 68 is style over substance and practicality.

Wilbur Hubbard- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

What about this 40 footer is it another messed up design?
http://www.theyachtmarket.com/userimages/55213.jpg

Let's just say it is a "poor" design. For one thing heavy teak on the
deck raises the CG and is a maintenance nightmare. Get rid of it. For
the second thing construct the house the full width of the hull. Get rid
of the side decks. They are totally unnecessary. Better to have the room
inside than sacrifice layout options for side decks that only force a
crewman to walk closer to where he will be washed or knocked overboard.

Wilbur Hubbard- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

So you think an Oyster 40 is a poor design...bwahahahahahahahaaa, you
would rather sail Cut the cheese?

Joe

I'd much rather sail one of these quality steel yachts.
http://www.bruceroberts.com/public/HTML/V450.htm

Wilbur Hubbard

Bruce Builds Boats!

--
jlrogers±³©