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Suicide / crew retention line?

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MN3

Rank: Master Chief

Registered: Jun 20, 2006

Last visit: Apr 06, 2024

Posts: 7088
Posted: Sep 29, 2018 - 08:17 AM

QuoteThe rope from the righting bag/bucket wrapped my ankle and the boat starts to power up. The bucket is now acting as a sea anchor! The boat does not want to round up, I'm facing the crossbar and being dragged under the tramp and can't see what I'm sailing toward.

WOW
glad you made it through that one
Andinista

Rank: Mate

Registered: Aug 18, 2003

Last visit: Dec 13, 2023

Posts: 880
Posted: Sep 29, 2018 - 09:35 AM

MN3
QuoteI'm not discounting that anything's possible, or the other risks of being tethered. I suppose, for example, the boat could flip over and somehow pin you underneath if you are tied.

i agree the risk of being pinned under the boat is more of a risk than being drowned by being dragged

Those risks are considerably increased if you are tied to the boat, therefore the quick shackle becomes critical
cholley12

Rank: Mate

Registered: Feb 28, 2018

Last visit: Feb 13, 2023

Posts: 145
Posted: Jun 05, 2019 - 06:18 AM

Mattson,

Where did you clip to on your vest/ harness, and do you have approximate lengths and sizes for the lines and attachment points? I solo a lot and want to copy this setup

--
Captain Chris Holley
Fulshear, TX
'87 Prindle 19 "¡Hijole!"
'74 sunfish "1fish"
--
pknapp66

Rank: Mate

Registered: May 09, 2009

Last visit: May 15, 2023

Posts: 684
Posted: Jun 05, 2019 - 07:26 AM

To keep from reinventing the wheel take a look at the leashes that kite boarders attach to
their harnesses. They incorporate a really simple quick release. At about the 1 minute mark of this video
they illustrate the operation of the release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUAEZfIlxlY

Edited by pknapp66 on Jun 05, 2019 - 07:37 AM.

--
Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
--
badfish

Rank: Mate

Registered: Jan 17, 2019

Last visit: Jan 13, 2020

Posts: 216
Posted: Jun 05, 2019 - 07:37 AM

Make dang sure whatever you attach to your body is with a quick release shackle that releases under load. Give yourself an easy to grab tag line.
We ran tethers on the GT300 and they were connected via quick release to the harness spreader bar.
If I were running something for solo, I think I would consider something like the SailGP F50 teams are using. A jackline run port to stbd with just enough tether to get on the wire in hopes that if you fall off, you are within arms reach of the rudders/tiller.
I have also seen guys attach a quick release shackle to their harness and run the mainsheet through it. Serves two purposes as its been explained to me.
1 - Keeps the main always with you.
2- If you fall off, the main would be cranked on and the boat would round up. Not sure I believe it in all scenarios, but I suppose its possible.
I would only add, keep your dang VHF on your person. I see so many people with their VHF in the tramp pocket or attached to the boom. It's useless there. Clip it on (I have a small bit of line and a carabiner as a backup retention)

--
Joshua

Texas Gulf Coast
'82 Prindle 16 (Badfish)
'02 Hobie Wave (Unnamed Project)
‘87 Hobie 18 (Sold)
‘89 Hobie 17 (ill-advised project boat, Sold)
--
sirsailsalot

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Sep 15, 2019

Last visit: Aug 07, 2021

Posts: 8
Posted: Sep 22, 2020 - 10:55 AM

When you hook a chicken line it goes only on the trapeze loop on the boat, DO NOT connect it in any way to your harness or yourself. Its connected ONLY to the trapeze. Unhooking in an extreme situation is basically the same with or without the chicken line. I have jammed my boat head long till both rudders were 6ft in the air. My crew looked glued to the boat with the chicken line, the trap and the foot strap holding him fast to the boat. He rode the near catastrophe up and back down and we took off again. This is for LONG DISTANCE ONLY for sure not around the cans. But really nice to have in high winds. Mine retracts completely into the rear beam with just the hook showing. When I deploy it it is just the right length for crew whilst in the rear foot strap. Naturally crew must adjust it to suit their height prior to the sail. Its a great add.
sirsailsalot

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Sep 15, 2019

Last visit: Aug 07, 2021

Posts: 8
Posted: Sep 22, 2020 - 10:57 AM

When you hook a chicken line it goes only on the trapeze loop on the boat, DO NOT connect it in any way to your harness or yourself. Its connected ONLY to the trapeze. Unhooking in an extreme situation is basically the same with or without the chicken line. I have jammed my boat head long till both rudders were 6ft in the air. My crew looked glued to the boat with the chicken line, the trap and the foot strap holding him fast to the boat. He rode the near catastrophe up and back down and we took off again. This is for LONG DISTANCE ONLY for sure not around the cans. But really nice to have in high winds. Mine retracts completely into the rear beam with just the hook showing. When I deploy it it is just the right length for crew whilst in the rear foot strap. Naturally crew must adjust it to suit their height prior to the sail. Its a great add.
wlrottge

Rank: Mate

Registered: Oct 24, 2006

Last visit: Jun 21, 2023

Posts: 160
Posted: Sep 24, 2020 - 03:31 AM

At the GT300, Trey asked to see our safely lines, then he asked me to rig them like we would use them. He wasn't impressed when I coiled them up and stuffed them in the hull.... But that's the only way I'd use them, so...

There's a better way to run your chicken line than hooking a fixed length line too your trap loops; it's more secure, releases automatically and is adjustable.

Edited by wlrottge on Sep 24, 2020 - 03:33 AM.
sirsailsalot

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Sep 15, 2019

Last visit: Aug 07, 2021

Posts: 8
Posted: Sep 28, 2020 - 10:53 AM

Thanks that sounds like you have a better design, can you share a sketch?
halfcat

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Sep 08, 2007

Last visit: Dec 16, 2020

Posts: 15
Posted: Sep 30, 2020 - 01:14 PM

Here's another option.
Connect a line to the transom, most boats the line can be tied to the gudgeon and use a take-up bungee in the rear crossbeam. This puck will allow you to set yourself up anywhere on the back of the boat, only limited to the length of the suicide line. The "other" puck on the front can be used for the spin sheet on long distance sailing or short handed situations. In the event you turn over you can unwrap the line and release yourself safely.
https://www.facebook.com/PurplePuck -- send an email for details on ordering.
wlrottge

Rank: Mate

Registered: Oct 24, 2006

Last visit: Jun 21, 2023

Posts: 160
Posted: Oct 01, 2020 - 12:54 AM

halfcatIn the event you turn over you can unwrap the line and release yourself safely..

Yeah.... No... No no no no no no no

Have you ever tried to unwrap a line while being drug through the water?? You want it to basically disconnect by itself. Wrapping a line, not only no, but hell no.

Also, you absolutely do not want a plastic cleat; why is that you say? Have you ever seen a line burry itself into a cleat because the plastic flexed or the line partially melted the cleat? Metal ONLY; plastic cleat might not release.

You need two of these, one port and one starboard and you do not want something big enough that you could use it for a spin sheet as well... Small and properly sized to the line you are using because you want it to function properly; hold when it is supposed to and release when you need it to.

https://www.clamcleat.com…ng-fine-line-port-3.html

Also, "use it while sailing by yourself"??? If I'm sailing alone and it gets nasty enough to want a chicken line, I'm on the boat. This is coming from someone who has sailed and raced an A-cat in 25. I mean, seriously, you have to consider what would happen if/when you flipped or fell off with that line wrapped around a cleat on your harness and it's dragging you without a teammate to help. Imagine if your using those terrible can't hurt/can't miss coated wire trapeze loops and it breaks while the chicken line is wrapped around that cleat; the boat might not flip, it also might not be going that fast, but it doesn't take much to keep you from pulling yourself back to the boat or being able to get free. I grew up "dragging" behind monohulls for fun, but the fun comes to an end at just a couple of knots of boat speed.
sirsailsalot

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Sep 15, 2019

Last visit: Aug 07, 2021

Posts: 8
Posted: Oct 01, 2020 - 10:06 AM

I totally agree with WLROTTAGE.

I would caution anyone to ONLY ATTACH a CHICKEN LINE to TRAPEZE.
NEVER ATTACH YOURSELF (or HARNESS) DIRECTLY TO YOUR BOAT.

Having to unwrap something seems very dangerous.
I carry a rigging knife but HOPE NEVER to have to use it.

I was hoping to find a better chicken line system but I'm sticking with what I have
Mine is simple. BUNGIE CORD in the rear beam with a micro block on the end. The block gets pulled into the beam. The CHICKEN LINE goes through this micro block with a hook on one end and the other end attached to the gudgeon. I want a better way of attaching that bungie to the micro block. Any ideas?
wlrottge

Rank: Mate

Registered: Oct 24, 2006

Last visit: Jun 21, 2023

Posts: 160
Posted: Oct 01, 2020 - 08:33 PM

Distance racing, I carry a strap cutter that is in a quick access sheath on the outside of my lifejacket.

Just tie the bungie to the block, nothing fancy, works fine that way.
cameronb

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Jul 03, 2009

Last visit: Feb 05, 2024

Posts: 51
Posted: Oct 06, 2020 - 09:35 PM

Hi All,
Late to this topic. I have a 'double' chicken line so to say fitted to my Tornado. It's a rather complex (yet simple) affair that involves shock cord within the rear beam, and multiple 3mm lines exiting the beam.. One line is run to a bock at the stern, the over exits the front face of the rear beam. Each side. Thus, two discrete lengths for different needs. Yes, there are foot straps also (two per side). Each line is fitted with a special hook that attaches to the trapeze(s) assembly.
Of course....there are just a few other controls to deal with...many rigged for access either side while on the wire.

--
Cameron
Tornado (Marstrom) USA 851
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