We had two incidents this year on the Nacra 20 in which a sailor fell off the boat and became separated from it.

In the first one, starting the second leg of the WRSC Twilight race in over 20 and big waves, the crew trap gear broke dropping him in the water. I was able to sail the boat back to him, but it took two tries. In those conditions, it was difficult to get the boat park enough so that he could swim to the boat. On the second pass I came closer to him then I like, but even parked he was barely able to grab the footstrap. In those conditions, parked the boat was still moving, and with the waves I feared trying to back down to him as it seemed likely the boat might go over backwards.

In the second - blasting downwind in the NASS Oxford race with Alec on the wire and me sitting on the rear corner, a wave popped up from the side and knocked me backwards off the boat. Weirdest damn thing. Watched as Alec sailed away on the wire with full sails and no helm until the boat turned downwind and his weight caused it to capsize. I tried swimming to the boat but it was no use, it was making more time on its side than I could do swimming in full gear. So I bobbed and watched as Alec prepared to right the boat, knowing that in those conditions he shouldn't have a problem getting to me. My biggest worry was getting hit by a monohull under spin in the 20kt breeze. A bit to my surprise, while I was watching Alec a monohull had noticed and dropped sails and was under power steaming towards me. I accepted the ride back to the boat, even though I was convinced we were ok. I estimate about 20-30 yards separation from the boat at the time I was picked up.

Anyway, these two incidents has gotten me thinking about tethers or other ways to secure oneself to the boat. Options would be be something like a big boat tether that has bungee in the middle of the line with clips on either end. Another option is clipping into the mainsheet and spinnaker sheet, with the hope that if you fall off the tension on the sheets will cause the boat to capsize right there with you.

The second option seems good, but I have to think that in the second incident (and the first one for that matter), with the main sheeted in traveler centered (hot downwind), that me falling off and pulling on the sheet would not cause the desired capsize and I would have become a sea anchor for a boat trying to go 20+ knots.

For my part, the two things I learned from the two incidents are 1) be ready with some kind of throwable for retrieving somebody who is close but can't swim to the boat, and 2) I should have a leg under the tramp strap (duh, but I still have to force myself to think about it and still don't do it) or have been holding on to it in the second incident - I was sitting with the helm in one hand and the traveler line in the other, very comfortable for the long downwind haul but not secure. I was not able to keep my grip on the traveler/mainsheet line against the power of the boat once I hit the water.

So - here's the question for discussion - does anybody have experience with using some kind of tethering? I'm looking for ideas, but also I'd like to hear of accounts when the sailors were tethered and either fell off or went through a crash. Given the two incidents, any thoughts on how things might have transpired with different tethering options. In a situation where you are unlikely to have help, getting separated from the boat could end badly, IMO.

This is a topic that I think a lot about. I'm pretty uncomfortable with the idea of strapping myself to a boat that could flip completely upside down. I have also been caught unbalanced by a wave before and knocked off the boat but was fortunately able to hang onto the spin sheet.

When I'm sailing distance races, unless it's extremely light, I usually hook into my trapeze dogbone whether or not I intend to trapeze. The Tybee500 race management requires us to carry a teather with enough line to go around circumference of the boat's width one time. Our Astral Bouyancy life vests have a towstrap designed for kayaking with a quick release mechanism. Last year, we tied our tethers to this tow system with the thought that if we needed to use it, we could get loose of the tether quickly if we needed.

The tethered throwable is an excellent idea and something I'll probably ad to our inventory too...or maybe I can clip the throwable we already carry on the boat to my personal tether.

Another thing that I've thought about - and seen in action in last year's Tybee, was to carry a VHF radio not on the boat but on each person. If you fall off, the radio on the boat doesn't do you much good. If you both fall off, the radio on the boat is useless.

About this time last year I was crewing on a Hobie20 and had just taken the spinnaker down. I improperly hooked into the trap for the upwind leg and pretty much did the Nestea plunge right off the side of the boat. The wind was blowing about 10 knots, so it was very managable for the skipper but still pretty choppy. He did a quick stop and tacked back around to pick me up. On the first attempt, he got really close and stopped but I found that I could not swim for crap with all the gear on (ie. shoes). We were able to communicate so we decided that on his second run he would run right over me and I would grab the dolphin striker. It worked like a charm (that time). I'm not sure I would want to try it with just any skipper. I don't think it would work in any significant breeze either. It took some serious skill for him to sail that slowwwwww and right over me. It also takes a little bit of dexterity to climb over the front beam. I was able to pull up in the coner of the beam and the hull and grab the front trap handle.

My questions for those of you doing Tybee and other long races with tethers are: How do you manage all the extra line everywhere? Do you switch attachment points on each tack?

Thanks for the insight, Jake.

-Rob V.

In all honesty, I've never actually connected myself to the boat with the tether (we are required only to carry it). I have been in two instances where I thought it would really be an advantage to have it - both times the boat was capsized and slowly going turtle while my sailing compadre was tangled on the 'top side' of the trampoline. The first time I didn't think to throw the tether over the hull to help hold him up (and resist turtling), the second time I did think about it but it didn't quite get to the point where it was needed.

Again, the Astral life vests have this tow line thing really figured out and have a zipper pouch tucked neatly onto the side of the vest for the tether line than remains connected to the quick release tow ring. It stays neatly contained but quickly accessable in a second or two.

Here is my theory about tethering yourself to the boat in distance races:

1. If you don't have any children between the ages of 0 and 18 and you are not married or you ARE married and your wife is not pregnant, don't use the tether.

2. If your children are all grown and on their own, don't use the tether.

3. If you DO have children and/or pregnant wife, USE the tether.

It's pretty simple. If it's your own life at risk and that's all, don't use the tether. If you are responsible for other people in your life, stay attached to the boat!

I asked this question before, because in all honesty, this is my greatest fear while doing the tybee... getting separated from the boat while it capsized or simply falling off when a big wave got me.

Some people have tethers like Jake. Others I've talked to simply clip into the mainsheet or spinsheet. if they fall off, the boat will likely capsize and you'll have a way of getting back to the boat.

Jake,
What is the point of carrying a tether on the boat if you are not attached to it?

Isnt that the same philosophy about seat belts.. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I think it is all about options. If it gets howling pretty hard, someone might have wanted to tether themselves in. I talked to Matt Morris in AZ who did the Texas Race. We talked about this same issue. I am kind of going on hearsay say, but he talked about a clip that could be unloaded UNDER pressure. He said it had 2 'wings' on either side you had to squeeze or someting of the sort, but it made him feel like if he had to actually deattach himself from the line, he could do it. Whereas with a carbiner, you would have to relieve the pressure. After seeing that video of a tornado capsize and the crew/skipper hanging from the chicken line, i was always curious how he got down. His feet could not touch the hull underneatth him and it is hard to lift your own weight with one hand AND unclip your carbiner with the other.

I do like Mary's reasoning, but she did not address if you have life insurance and/or DONT want to be married. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Jonathan Grant
boatless
Mesa, AZ

If it were that simple, I would wear the tether all the time hands down. However, there is already so much stuff to get entrapped and tangled on the boat that I can't imagine taking another 18' of line and purposely attaching myself to it. My biggest fear is to have the boat going turtle and be tangled and snarled an unable to get free as the boat pulls me under or drags me uncontrolably through the water. Even without tethers, I've experienced a close call this way and in my opinion tethers would make potential for problems worse. They could be more of a liability than the risk of getting separated.

On a monohull, that should ideally remain upright under most all conditions, I wholeheartedly agree to strap myself in. But on a boat that is more stable upside down than rightside up, I have concerns.

Two quick items I have considered if I do more serious distance stuff (like Tybee)

- Tether with float that is attached to the end of the boom (like your protest flag). With about 30' of cordage. That way, if one of the sailors is separated, the other can release the float with the line, which will drag out behind the boat. Circling the sailor in the water should eventually put the line within reach. It's basically a smaller version of a monohull MOB system

- In lieu of a tether, if you have the snap thingy on your harness hook, it should stay connected to the dogbone unless you unlock it. If you're hooked in the whole time (even not trapped), you should remain connected with the boat. In the unlikely event the trap line breaks, you can hope the shock cord is strong enough to hold you. I upgraded my shock cord thickness AND length (zig-zag under the tramp), and it DID once drag me along after the dogbone broke off the swedge about 25 feet behind the boat until my crew parked the boat. Of course, it's easy to forget the harness lock is on when you are gybing, which leads to a "Keystone Cops" looking fumble on the trampoline...

To me I like the solution mentioned by Keith (or JC originally) of "hooking in" to the spin sheet or mainsheet and then maybe getting sheets that are alittle (maybe 5') longer than spec. For hooking in, use a shackle that can be released under load, instead of a carabiner. This way you don't have an extra tether to deal with and should you go off, I would think you can hold your breath for the 30 seconds or so it would take for the boat to capsize or stop itself. I think that is the solution I will employ along with getting a heaving line.

Now my only other question comes to chicken lines. I think I would go with the system that you have a jam cleat on your spreader bar (as recommended by a couple of tybee/worrell veterans). I'm just not sure how to attach it, anyone have a picture of how that is mounted??

cheers

TB

Todd - Initially I like the idea of clipping in to the sheets as well. Except that in the case like what happened to me the main would already be tight and the traveler almost or centered already - in other words I'm not certain the boat would flip quickly, and I'm not sure what the experience of being dragged would be like. At least if a bungeed tether were involved the shock of being yanked by the boat might be lessened. Would the shock load on the main system cause a failure there?

Also, for that case, Alec was on the wire and the boat finally turned downwind and de-powered. When it capsized it capsized on top of him to windward. The only thing he had a grip on was the bungee from the trap line. In other words, he was close to being separated as well. If both sailors get separated... If he at least had been clipped to the spin sheet he would have been in good shape.

The entanglement issue is big, too.

If this happens in a bouy race I really don't care that much. When it did happen was during distance races, and the prospect of having it happen in the Tybee (as has already happened) is a little fearsome.

So, anybody been personally dragged by a tether or sheet? Anybody capsize while tethered?

I think being dragged by the boat until it either depowered and stopped or capsizes is less worrisome than being separated. I guess I remember learning to slalom waterski and being dragged under water for a bit didn't seem that bad (i didn't give up easy so would hold on while impersonating a submarine). Also figure if you're being dragged and nothing seems to want to stop the boat, you can always disconnect (if you are using a snap shackle that will release under load) and hope for the best.

I didn't really think about breakage but then, what's worse being separated or breaking something...

I did drag my crew once and it was a pretty frightening sight. We had capsized and I had just climbed back on board, my crew was struggling to get over the front beam, lost grip and slipped back into the water. The boat was still moving slowly through the water as I had not yet gotten everything situated after righting the boat, and crew exited from under the rear beam. My thought at this point was "holy crap, now my crew is separated and I've got to get the boat turned around to make a pick-up". The wind was a solid 20+. By freak coincidence, the knot at the end of the righting line snagged the crew's trapeze hook just out of reach from behind the boat and the crew at this point was being dragged with just enough tension on the line to prevent it from being unsnagged from the harness hook. The dragging was actually forcing her underwater despite the lifejacket. Keep in mind that all this took just a few seconds to take place. Another couple seconds later and I had the boat was stopped enough to unsnag the righting line, get her back on board and all ended well.

Speaking of being drug, and adding a little levity (def. 3. The state or quality of being light; buoyancy.) Check out this, errrr, guy!

Great thread. I have been meaning to start this one myself. I sail on the great lakes and during the weekdays there is often no one on the water at the yacht club or our cat club. In most cases, even if I have crew I will take the monohull out simply because of fear of being separated from the boat due to mistake or hardware failure.

Next year I was hoping to come up with some kind of tether system that would allow me to solo the cat if no one was around. Maybe a long line in a bag right to the center of the tramp that is connected to my harness with a shackle like

http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d6000/e4621.asp

We use them on our 40’ racing mono and they are easy to release under load

I always have the vhf and cell phone on my person. I would probably stay close to shore if I was solo as well.

I am confused, don’t your boats round up into the wind if you fall off? Mine does upwind and down as long as the spinnaker is released.

Matt

P.S. I don’t have any kids, but I do have a fiancé, do I need one mary??

Anecdotal Wisdom

[color:"red"]DUMBASS[/color] is the phrase that I coined several years ago that describes what I had done to save my life when my boat ran away from me as I fell off the back during a broad reach. While feeling the boat speed away from my via the mainsheet passing quickly through my hand as I tumbled in the ocean behind, I grasped it quickly enough to get a rope burn. I had to wrap the spooling line around my arm to harness it. The boat then dragged my butt under the water while my resistance created enough mainsheet hardening to produce enough weather helm for the boat to develop weather helm and round up into a capsize.

I called that the [color:"red"] D[/color]ragging [color:"red"]U[/color]nder [color:"red"]M[/color]y [color:"red"] B[/color]oat [color:"red"] A[/color]utomatic [color:"red"] S[/color]heeting [color:"red"]S[/color]ystem. Had I let that sheet get away from myself, I would have been stranded several miles from the nearest landfall in cool water.

Had I been tethered onto a long line, I suppose the shock load may have either caused a safety tether failure or broken my back. That boat was moving pretty fast and weighed about 400 pounds; lots of energy there. So I guess that the shock absorption of the mainsheet system really increased my survivability in that occurrence.

I sail solo more often than with crew, and being a sea-going sailor and still here to tell you about it, should obviously mean to all of you that I do in fact remain tethered to my boat. I have been dragged by my boat on at least four occasions that come off the top of my mind as I type this.

As with any change you make to your rigging, style, practice, and habits, you are going to run into unexpected problems. I hope that everyone who changes their safety practices are all able to sort things out without getting into trouble. One thing you should know is that when you are being dragged at almost any speed, you are going to be under the water and fighting for your life, fighting to breath. You also are going to find out that pulling yourself on that tether, enough to get any slack in the tether for any amount of time is going to be so severely difficult or, more likely, not possible. I suggest having a buddy tow you, for practice at a slow speed so that you can find out what it is like. Now, try being towed from any of the spots on your body where you are considering attaching your tether. You will be amazed at how hard it is to pull yourself back to a moving boat that refuses to round up or capsize. You will also probably find out that if you do manage to pull yourself to a moving boat, that you will not have the strength to get a grip on it that will keep you up there with that boat.

If you'd like to read about a rough time I once had, you can take a look at this event that I wrote about in 2003.

Being dragged by my boat during a cut off low pressure system

I have a lot more to say about this topic than what will be said in a single post.

GARY

Getting dragged upside down behind a boat can be a big drowning hazzard. Been there twice and I like the idea of letting go if I have to. That said, I don't do many distance coastal races and am very unlikely to get swept out to sea.

Tiger Mike

Being drug by the boat is most certainly an issue. I've been towed by my F18 for 100 or more yards while I hung behind, in the water, onto the WINDWARD rudder trying to either get hold of something to climb onto the boat with or turn the boat windward relentlessly. Finally coming to grip with the reality that I was not going to accomplish anything other than dangerously exhausting myself, I finally let go next to the committee boat that I had just narrowly avoided. I opened a bottle of water somebody handed me, had a sip, and wrestled with the site of my boat screaming across Charleston harbor unattended for another 200 to 300 yards before it finally jibed and capsized. I would NOT have wanted to be tethered to that boat under any circumstance.

BTW, preceding this incident was a capsize where my crew fractured two ribs and I urgently righted the boat to get back to him. Sometime during or before righting the boat, the tiller bar flipped backwards over one rudder and stayed correct over the other so when I tried to turn one rudder, the other rudder went in the opposing direction. I kept trying to flip the bar back over but it was impossible while trying to hang on to the boat while it zizzed through the water. My point is, being dragged through (and under) the water is a distinct possibility.

What about a bungee that turns your rudder when pulled