the kid might have died of a blow to the head before the boat turned even 1/4
over.

Or, he might have had a non-stretchy tether that brought him so short, so
abruptly that his back or neck was broken.

Or, he might have taken so many seasickness pills he couldn't function.

Or, he might have panicked.

Or, he might have caught his foot in a lifeline.

Or, he might have broken his leg, the broken bone cutting an artery and he bled
to death.

Or, he might have gotten loose only to be drowned by a breaking wave.

Or, he might have been tumbled by a wave and hit his head on the bottom.

Or ...


A sailor should always have his 'rigging knife' handy and attached to him by
a lanyard.
You never know when you have to cut something loose.
That's a real tragady.

Jack Dale wrote in message
.. .
Does anyone in the San Francisco area have any further news?
Apparently one crew member was dragged down while wearing a harness,

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Calgar...20/354088.html

Jack

__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
Swiftsure Sailing Academy
Director/ISPA and CYA Instructor
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
Phone: 1 (877) 470-SAIL (toll free)
__________________________________________________

I would not
have taken a 20 foot boat outside the gate, even in the shipping
channel. You can get 20 foot breaking waves in the channel on days
like that. (BTW, I'm not convinced yet the boat was that small).

reports are now that it was a Newport 30.

I would not
have taken a 20 foot boat outside the gate, even in the shipping
channel. You can get 20 foot breaking waves in the channel on days
like that. (BTW, I'm not convinced yet the boat was that small).

reports are now that it was a Newport 30.

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 18:46:11 GMT, Jack Dale
wrote:

Does anyone in the San Francisco area have any further news?
Apparently one crew member was dragged down while wearing a harness,

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Calgar...20/354088.html

Jack

Another article

http://www.latitude38.com/LectronicL...#anchor1085433

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 18:46:11 GMT, Jack Dale
wrote:

Does anyone in the San Francisco area have any further news?
Apparently one crew member was dragged down while wearing a harness,

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Calgar...20/354088.html

Jack

Another article

http://www.latitude38.com/LectronicL...#anchor1085433

I am not saying that the young man involved might have done better, but
I think the group should know what the situation is really like.

I am never without a knife (except on an airplane recently), and have
had one all my life. It is an essential working tool for a waterman.

But, did you ever try to get your knife free to do something after you
were in the water? It sure did not go the way I had thought it might.
If you have grabbed up your oilskins (foulies for some) and left the
knife inside, kiss off getting it free after you hit the water. Even
still, be it a folding knife in a pocket (requires two free hands) or a
sheathknife at your hip, getting it out to do what you need after you
are in the water is not something done without practice. If the blade
is not at a lanyard, it will probably be lost.

Please think about it.

Matt Colie A.Sloop "Bonne Ide'e"
Lifelong Waterman, Licnesed Mariner and Congenital Sailor

Steve wrote:
"Don White" wrote in message
...

A sailor should always have his 'rigging knife' handy and attached to him

by

a lanyard.
You never know when you have to cut something loose.
That's a real tragady.



I agree regarding the knife. A good crewman should never report on board
without a good sharp knife. And a good skipper should provide a knife to any
crew member who doesn't have one.. ( keep several of the SS rigger knives I
get at WM on sale for about $8-9 )

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

I am not saying that the young man involved might have done better, but
I think the group should know what the situation is really like.

I am never without a knife (except on an airplane recently), and have
had one all my life. It is an essential working tool for a waterman.

But, did you ever try to get your knife free to do something after you
were in the water? It sure did not go the way I had thought it might.
If you have grabbed up your oilskins (foulies for some) and left the
knife inside, kiss off getting it free after you hit the water. Even
still, be it a folding knife in a pocket (requires two free hands) or a
sheathknife at your hip, getting it out to do what you need after you
are in the water is not something done without practice. If the blade
is not at a lanyard, it will probably be lost.

Please think about it.

Matt Colie A.Sloop "Bonne Ide'e"
Lifelong Waterman, Licnesed Mariner and Congenital Sailor

Steve wrote:
"Don White" wrote in message
...

A sailor should always have his 'rigging knife' handy and attached to him

by

a lanyard.
You never know when you have to cut something loose.
That's a real tragady.



I agree regarding the knife. A good crewman should never report on board
without a good sharp knife. And a good skipper should provide a knife to any
crew member who doesn't have one.. ( keep several of the SS rigger knives I
get at WM on sale for about $8-9 )

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 10:17:42 -0500, Matt Colie
wrote:

I am not saying that the young man involved might have done better, but
I think the group should know what the situation is really like.

I am never without a knife (except on an airplane recently), and have
had one all my life. It is an essential working tool for a waterman.

But, did you ever try to get your knife free to do something after you
were in the water? It sure did not go the way I had thought it might.
If you have grabbed up your oilskins (foulies for some) and left the
knife inside, kiss off getting it free after you hit the water. Even
still, be it a folding knife in a pocket (requires two free hands) or a
sheathknife at your hip, getting it out to do what you need after you
are in the water is not something done without practice. If the blade
is not at a lanyard, it will probably be lost.

Please think about it.

I switch my knife to my harness when I wear one, particularly when
solo sailing. Otherwise it's on my belt. I snap-hook a two-foot or so
lanyard to the D-ring, or to my belt buckle. Keeps everything on the
front.

I suppose a good way to secure a longer bit of lanyard would be the
old "thin rubber band" method used to break out genoas lashed to the
deck...a simple hoist is enough to break the bands, and yet secures
the sail to the deck in most winds. Yes, I still single-hand with
hank-ons! Anyway, you could flake the lanyard into six-inch loops and
tie it with a thin rubber band and slip it into a PFD vest pocket. One
pull free of the scabbard frees the lanyard, but there's little chance
of, say five feet of lanyard hooking on your neck or some other
inconvenient place prior to use.

R.

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 10:17:42 -0500, Matt Colie
wrote:

I am not saying that the young man involved might have done better, but
I think the group should know what the situation is really like.

I am never without a knife (except on an airplane recently), and have
had one all my life. It is an essential working tool for a waterman.

But, did you ever try to get your knife free to do something after you
were in the water? It sure did not go the way I had thought it might.
If you have grabbed up your oilskins (foulies for some) and left the
knife inside, kiss off getting it free after you hit the water. Even
still, be it a folding knife in a pocket (requires two free hands) or a
sheathknife at your hip, getting it out to do what you need after you
are in the water is not something done without practice. If the blade
is not at a lanyard, it will probably be lost.

Please think about it.

I switch my knife to my harness when I wear one, particularly when
solo sailing. Otherwise it's on my belt. I snap-hook a two-foot or so
lanyard to the D-ring, or to my belt buckle. Keeps everything on the
front.

I suppose a good way to secure a longer bit of lanyard would be the
old "thin rubber band" method used to break out genoas lashed to the
deck...a simple hoist is enough to break the bands, and yet secures
the sail to the deck in most winds. Yes, I still single-hand with
hank-ons! Anyway, you could flake the lanyard into six-inch loops and
tie it with a thin rubber band and slip it into a PFD vest pocket. One
pull free of the scabbard frees the lanyard, but there's little chance
of, say five feet of lanyard hooking on your neck or some other
inconvenient place prior to use.

R.

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 12:56:12 -0500, rhys wrote:

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 10:17:42 -0500, Matt Colie
wrote:

I am not saying that the young man involved might have done better, but
I think the group should know what the situation is really like.

I am never without a knife (except on an airplane recently), and have
had one all my life. It is an essential working tool for a waterman.

I have both a multi-tool and a rigging knife.

This thread got me to thinking about tethers.

I remember Practical Sailor testing both knives and tethers by
recording how quickly a tether could slashed.

Also, I believe that when one of tall ships went down a crew member
could not get free of his tether and was dragged down.

Since then, snap shackles seem to be the favoured attachment method at
the harness.

Does anyone have any experience with or knowledge of the efficacy of
the snap shackles? Can they be released under load?

From my own experience I will only use Gibb or Wichard clips for
attaching to u bolts or jacklines. I had a tether come off while I
was on a foredeck at night. It managed to attach itself to the jib
sheet.

Jack

__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
Swiftsure Sailing Academy
Director/ISPA and CYA Instructor
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
Phone: 1 (877) 470-SAIL (toll free)
__________________________________________________