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[quote=CatFan57]I’m re-starting this thread because I’m interested in rigging a chicken line/wire(s).  Am going to start solo-sailing the P18.2 and am wary about possibly slipping/falling off and having the boat sail or drift away from me when I’m a mile or two or five from shore and nobody around to help.  Even closer in would still be an unwelcome problem.

1.  A couple of commenters have felt they’re a pain in the a** and not really necessary for pleasure sailing – only for distance races, etc.  I can definitely see why they’d be PITA, and I’m thinking that in under 5kt winds of easy sailing I wouldn’t worry too much about my ability to stay on and connected to the boat.  But I’d worry more when trying to push it in stronger conditions.  I'd consider my a** in trouble if I’m alone and lose contact w/ the boat w/ nobody around to help.  I'll be carrying a radio in my PFD, but I’d rather be sure I can stay attached to the boat.  It sounds like a lot of you guys sail by yourselves quite a bit(?); if so, I’m not sure why you aren’t too concerned about getting detached from your boat.  Maybe I'm just a chicken  :-O , which is why I'm interested in chicken lines.

2.  I don’t have holes in the end caps of my cross beams, so the solution listed by andinista above isn’t available to me.  Klozhold posted a quote from Dartman that he rigged chicken lines for his P18.2 while sailing offshore in the Santa Barbara channel.  But it doesn’t really indicate where he ties the lines from and to.  I’d like to know.

I have rear foot straps and am thinking maybe I should tie a line to each one of those.  Maybe with a carabiner on the other end that I can hook into my harness?  But I’m guessing the line not in use would just fall off the tramp and drag in the water?  Or is it better/possible to have just one line that always stays attached to you so you are not hooking/unhooking?  If so, where is best to attach it to?

Any comments welcome.  I just started thinking about this.

(Edit: The boat wants to sail away from me just standing in shallow water getting ready to climb aboard w/ sails rigged up and both sheets loose.  So I figure if for some reason I slip off while out sailing and the boat doesn't tip over immediately, there's a decent chance it'll sail away.)<em>Edited by CatFan57 on Sep 19, 2018 - 06:22 AM.</em> [/quote]

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