Harvest Moon Safety Item

[Chris P]

What is everyone doing for tether attachment points in the cockpit?  I really don't want to start drilling holes in the deck, removing interior liners, etc..... I've got jack lines on deck, but no "attachment points" in the cockpit as someone leaves the cabin, which is what I understood was req'd when I attended the safety meeting a week ago.
Thanks-

[KevinBednar]

Hmm,  Stinger's jack lines run all the way to the stern.  Are we required to have something more than that this year?

[RumSponge]

On Kenai, jack lines go all the way to the stern; however, there are u-bolts on either side of the companionway that are very useful for trimmers to clip to.  It keeps the tether away from sheets and don't have to worry about someone hiking sitting on the clip.

[Chris P]

See the quote taken from the rules below (as copied from the regs on the Harvest Moon web site's extract) Especially notes b) i , and c:

4.04.2   Clipping Points:-
shall be provided-
        
a)   attached to through-bolted or welded deck plates or other suitable and strong anchorage points adjacent to stations such as the helm, sheet winches and masts, where crew members work for long periods:-
        
b)   which, together with jackstays and static safety lines shall enable a crew member-
        
         i   to clip on before coming on deck and unclip after going below;
        
        ii   whilst continuously clipped on, to move readily between the working areas on deck and the cockpit(s) with the minimum of clipping and unclipping operations.
        
c)   The provision of clipping points shall enable two-thirds of the crew to be simultaneously clipped on without depending on jackstays
        
e)   Warning - U-bolts as clipping points - see OSR 5.02.1(a)

Like you, I have always just had jack lines from forward to all the aft. Any thoughts? Especially puzzling if the goal, as stated, is to avoid being attached to jack lines for extended periods....

[Christopher]

Does the boat not also have:
- through bolted hand rails on the coach roof and at the companionway?
- hand rails on the binacle at the wheel?
- open/slotted toe rail?
- pad eyes at the mast or else where?

[billC]

On the J122's (Otra Vez and Gambler) there is a large padeye mounted on the companionway bridgedeck specifically to meet the ORC regs as noted above. 

Bill

[Chris P]

Yes, but if I am not mistaken, an adult sized body, falling overboard and being yanked at the end of a tether by a boat moving around 6-7kts loads the tether and attachment points with sudden hit of something like 4000lbs.(seems like I read that in a book somewhere)... So other than maybe the pad eyes at the mast base (which might be tough for 3-4 guys to clip to at one time and still sit on the rail), I don't think any of the items you mention would hold the sudden load. Or at least not on most production boats - like mine. Am I wrong? Inquiring minds want to know... How do you guys clip on?
CP

[Kevin Bednar]

I doubt a pad eye with one person attached is going to see anywhere near that kind of load.  I'm sure a crew falling overboard attached to the same jack line could create that kind of load however.

My question is, am I supposed to wrap my tether around the stainless handles on the cabin top instead of the jack line?  Does that meet the HMR's standards?

[KevinBednar]

Oops, I forgot to log in as myself when I posted that ^^^^

[billC]

The companionway padeye is part of the standard builder specification and is meant to satisfy the ORC requirement.  I believe its a Wichard 6506 padeye with a breaking load of 9000 kg.

Bill

[Scoundrel]

On Antares we run the jack lines from bow to stern cleat (backed with oversized 1/4 stainless steel plate); to clip on before coming on deck or after leaving deck, installed a Wichard folding padeye and have another in the cockpit well for the driver to clip on, both are well backed.  Like the folding padeyes since they are out of the way when not needed, but either will work. 

[STuma]

One thing I have installed on long distance cruisers is a folding pad eye in the center of the cockpit... Drilling 3 holes is worth the saftey... On my teathers, I built two: a 6' and a 2'... I make sure I just reach the lifeline, but not over, with the 6'... when I am on the foredeck, I use the 2' so I cannot be thrown over the lifeline... I started doing this from my dad's boat, changing jibs @ 10 knots being lurched up and over the pulpit was not a fun idea... I use the two teathers also if I have to go from one point to another, I am always clipped... I don't think any of the teathers should be long enough for you to go over the lifelines... 

you can have a sailmaker make a webbing strap, or any of us can splice a chunck of spectra...