News of sailing tragedy off San Francisco? (tethers and attachment methods)
 

"Paul" wrote in message ...
"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
The quick-release shackle has a nice
lanyard on the release pin and it works smoothly. I have never had one
of
these ... open accidentally.

maybe *you* haven't, but most of the sailing world has.

snap shackles are thoroughly considered to be no-no's on tethers because
they
so often come open when the lanyard gets snagged on something.

I'm not saying it can't happen -- it just hasn't happened to me or my crew
during many thousands of miles of blue-water and coastal sailing. The short
release lanyard is close to the chest and not easily snagged. Of course it
*could* release accidentally, but I feel that the ability to manually
quick-release the tether more than compensates for the slight (as I see it)
risk of accidental release. If anyone know of a better solution, I would
love to hear of it.

I thoroughly agree that snap shakles at the boat-end of the tether are
unacceptable.

-Paul
s/v VALIS
I fully agree with Paul. In over 10 000 miles oif offshore sailing, my
Lewmar bronze snapshackle has never opened accidentally. As a matter
of fact, it tales a bit of effort to open it deliberately. The
"lanyard" (actually a shor "tail") would find it very difficult to
snag anywhere.
john

News of sailing tragedy off San Francisco? (tethers and attachment methods)
 

well, in my several millions of sea miles on over three thousand ships and
fourteen kayaks ...


I'm not saying it can't happen -- it just hasn't happened to me or my crew
during many thousands of miles of blue-water and coastal sailing. The
short
release lanyard is close to the chest and not easily snagged. Of course it
*could* release accidentally, but I feel that the ability to manually
quick-release the tether more than compensates for the slight (as I see it)
risk of accidental release. If anyone know of a better solution, I would
love to hear of it.

I thoroughly agree that snap shakles at the boat-end of the tether are
unacceptable.

I fully agree with Paul. In over 10 000 miles oif offshore sailing, my
Lewmar bronze snapshackle has never opened accidentally. As a matter
of fact, it tales a bit of effort to open it deliberately. The
"lanyard" (actually a shor "tail") would find it very difficult to
snag anywhere.
john

News of sailing tragedy off San Francisco? (tethers and attachment methods)
 

well, in my several millions of sea miles on over three thousand ships and
fourteen kayaks ...


I'm not saying it can't happen -- it just hasn't happened to me or my crew
during many thousands of miles of blue-water and coastal sailing. The
short
release lanyard is close to the chest and not easily snagged. Of course it
*could* release accidentally, but I feel that the ability to manually
quick-release the tether more than compensates for the slight (as I see it)
risk of accidental release. If anyone know of a better solution, I would
love to hear of it.

I thoroughly agree that snap shakles at the boat-end of the tether are
unacceptable.

I fully agree with Paul. In over 10 000 miles oif offshore sailing, my
Lewmar bronze snapshackle has never opened accidentally. As a matter
of fact, it tales a bit of effort to open it deliberately. The
"lanyard" (actually a shor "tail") would find it very difficult to
snag anywhere.
john

News of sailing tragedy off San Francisco? (Snap Shackles??)
 

"Jack Dale" wrote
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?

Tack shops and farm supply stores have quick release shackles that work
reliably under load. (Don't ask .... :) They have a sliding sleeve and a
hinged hook sort of like a pelican snap on a lifeline gate but more
substantial and easier to work.

News of sailing tragedy off San Francisco? (Snap Shackles??)
 

"Jack Dale" wrote
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?

Tack shops and farm supply stores have quick release shackles that work
reliably under load. (Don't ask .... :) They have a sliding sleeve and a
hinged hook sort of like a pelican snap on a lifeline gate but more
substantial and easier to work.

News of sailing tragedy off San Francisco? (Snap Shackles??)
 

x-no-archive:yes "Vito" wrote:

"Jack Dale" wrote
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?

Tack shops and farm supply stores have quick release shackles that work
reliably under load. (Don't ask .... :) They have a sliding sleeve and a
hinged hook sort of like a pelican snap on a lifeline gate but more
substantial and easier to work.

The harnesses used for roofing work (construction) also have snaps
that release when desired but not by accident. (if you fall off a
roof, you want to stop before you go very far so that the stop - even
if before you hit the ground) doesn't injure you severely) One of the
guys in a shop that I inspected wanted to use his sailing harness rig
for roofing work, but it would not have been satisfactory because it
didn't have the correct type of snap attachments.

grandma Rosalie

News of sailing tragedy off San Francisco? (Snap Shackles??)
 

x-no-archive:yes "Vito" wrote:

"Jack Dale" wrote
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?

Tack shops and farm supply stores have quick release shackles that work
reliably under load. (Don't ask .... :) They have a sliding sleeve and a
hinged hook sort of like a pelican snap on a lifeline gate but more
substantial and easier to work.

The harnesses used for roofing work (construction) also have snaps
that release when desired but not by accident. (if you fall off a
roof, you want to stop before you go very far so that the stop - even
if before you hit the ground) doesn't injure you severely) One of the
guys in a shop that I inspected wanted to use his sailing harness rig
for roofing work, but it would not have been satisfactory because it
didn't have the correct type of snap attachments.

grandma Rosalie

News of sailing tragedy off San Francisco? (tethers and attachment methods)
 

On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 12:19:27 -0600, "Wendy"
wrote (with possible editing):

Same thing with the aforementioned snap-carabiners. I'm a (not very
accomplished) rock climber of sorts, and a snap gate crab is NEVER used as a
primary means of hooking into a line, and the use of a locking (screw gate)
crab is frowned on as well- knots are the only safe way, in rock climbing.
Of course, it's a bit of a different situation; if the rock sinks you've had
it anyway :)

No flame intended, Wendy, but in years of rock climbing and tower
work, I have never had a locking carabiner open by mistake. Snap gate
biners are also commonly used, but in pairs with the gates on opposite
sides.
--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com

News of sailing tragedy off San Francisco? (tethers and attachment methods)
 

On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 12:19:27 -0600, "Wendy"
wrote (with possible editing):

Same thing with the aforementioned snap-carabiners. I'm a (not very
accomplished) rock climber of sorts, and a snap gate crab is NEVER used as a
primary means of hooking into a line, and the use of a locking (screw gate)
crab is frowned on as well- knots are the only safe way, in rock climbing.
Of course, it's a bit of a different situation; if the rock sinks you've had
it anyway :)

No flame intended, Wendy, but in years of rock climbing and tower
work, I have never had a locking carabiner open by mistake. Snap gate
biners are also commonly used, but in pairs with the gates on opposite
sides.
--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com

News of sailing tragedy off San Francisco? (tethers and attachment methods)