"Stefan Lloyd" wrote in message
...

"Arwen Lune" wrote in message
...
However, I have, or
rather have had, RSI (repetitive strain injury for those who
wonder). I am healed now and fully functioning again, but my hands
will always be a bit of a weak point. I am a bit worried about how
much this will be a problem on board.
I'd like to hear some input from you people, especially those who
have sailed on a tall ship and/or with the Youth Trust. If you have
healthy hands, did yours ever hurt from the work? (I don't mean
blisters, but internal) What is the hardest/heaviest tasks you
performed? Do you think my hands will give me much trouble during
the trip?

Sorry but I think your hands will give you trouble. Sailing involves a lot
of pulling as hard as you can on ropes. You need to be able to grip hard,
or wrap the rope around your hand and pull.

I can't agree with the last bit. Wrapping a rope around your hand is risky
and should not be done. You must
always be able to let go in an emergency.
If the rope pulls back your hand can become trapped in a block or similar
and give you a serious injury. Don't do it, or if you do, don't complain
when you get hurt.

In article ,
says...

Sorry but I think your hands will give you trouble. Sailing involves a lot
of pulling as hard as you can on ropes. You need to be able to grip hard,
or wrap the rope around your hand and pull.

I can't agree with the last bit. Wrapping a rope around your hand is risky
and should not be done. You must
always be able to let go in an emergency.
If the rope pulls back your hand can become trapped in a block or similar
and give you a serious injury. Don't do it, or if you do, don't complain
when you get hurt.


No way I can pull enough tension on the mainsheet without doing this.
Class rules only allow a 5:1 system. I wind the sheet around one hand
and partially stand up so my thighs do most of the work. The other hand
is occupied steering.

Ditto for many control systems on most boats I've sailed e.g. heaving on
outhaul or kicker on boats where you cannot winch them on.

"Duncan Heenan" wrote in message
...

"Stefan Lloyd" wrote in message
...
Sorry but I think your hands will give you trouble. Sailing involves a
lot
of pulling as hard as you can on ropes. You need to be able to grip
hard,
or wrap the rope around your hand and pull.

I can't agree with the last bit. Wrapping a rope around your hand is risky
and should not be done. You must
always be able to let go in an emergency.
If the rope pulls back your hand can become trapped in a block or similar
and give you a serious injury. Don't do it, or if you do, don't complain
when you get hurt.

I don't know about "risky". Depends on the boat, surely? Frequently done it
in dinghies, sometimes in the keelboat (33') but never on anything bigger,
when tensions are higher. Also, personally, I don't just wrap the line round
my hand but as it comes out of the bottom of my fist I pass it across the
top of the wrist and under the thumb so that it comes out forwards. Works
for me - increases the grip I have on the line compared to just holding it,
without trying to hold two passes of the line, but YMMV.