[Public-List] going solo

Kris Coward kris at melon.org
Tue Jun 5 11:11:29 PDT 2012 

I'd still want to test it with a tether on a harness instead of a tow
line. They attach to my body in different enough places that I'd expect
to get pulled through the water in quite different ways..

-Kris

On Tue, Jun 05, 2012 at 10:56:55AM -0700, Bill Wallace wrote:
> I've tried it - I'm ok up to somewhere between 3 and 4 knots and at any speed at which I'm not having water splashing into my face so much that I have to let go the tow line, I can also get up onto the boat - in fact it becomes easier near the stern of the boat so within 4-6 feet I can really manage any speed at all - even 30 knots would be ok - the limit is never how hard I can hold but always how much water is in my face.  It is also sometmes possible to be pulled backwards at slightly higher speeds as that puts one face away from the water - but it is harder to hold onto.  A life jacket helps because it boosts one's face height above water.
> 
> Bill.
> 
> 
> ________________________________
>  From: Kris Coward <kris at melon.org>
> To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> 
> Sent: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 1:13:11 PM
> Subject: Re: [Public-List] going solo
>  
> 
> Why take chances? It's not that hard to tie a bowline around the arm of
> a tiller pilot, lead it through a snatch block clipped on to the nearest
> stanchion, and tie a float to the end of it. It's only a little trickier
> to set something up that's triggered by tension on your jacklines. And
> having a handheld VHF on a good lanyard; that doesn't require any
> special rigging at all.
> 
> As for the relative perils of being tethered to a moving boat vs. being
> boatless, I think the only way to settle this is for each of us to
> tether ourselves to our boats (in warm water, with someone capable and
> trustworthy at the helm), hop off into the water, and see how fast the
> boat has to go before it becomes difficult to hold a survival position
> or keep one's mouth out of the water (or for an extra challenge, to do
> both).
> 
> We should have warm enough water up here for me to give it a try in
> about a month or so..
> 
> Cheers,
> Kris
> 
> On Tue, Jun 05, 2012 at 12:03:23PM -0400, Lawrence Morris wrote:
> > Kris
> > 
> > All good points. Even without a plan I will take my chances being attached to the boat than the alternative
> > 
> > Sent from my iPhone
> > 
> > Larry Morris
> > 
> > On Jun 5, 2012, at 11:35 AM, Kris Coward <kris at melon.org> wrote:
> > 
> > > On Tue, Jun 05, 2012 at 07:46:35AM -0400, James Allocco wrote:
> > >> I agree with George that for me an auto pilot is a must when single handing
> > >> and get dock lines and fenders ready, etc. I would suggest jacklines and a
> > >> harness when single handing in heavy weather.
> > > 
> > > I'd also recommend that if you're single handing with a harness,
> > > jacklines, and an autopilot, you consider how difficult it'll be to get
> > > back aboard if you don't have some means of making the boat stop (or
> > > calling for help that can make the boat stop).
> > > 
> > > I have something of a history of dropping the boarding ladder, and tying
> > > the lifering to the pushpit with the heaving line to go for a swim when
> > > becalmed (NOT while single handing). In terms of gettign a sense that
> > > the boat is really speeding back up and the swim should end, I've
> > > already found myself considering it unwise to expect to be able to climb
> > > back up the boarding ladder at speeds higher than 3/4 of a knot. Based
> > > on that (and the fact that the original world record for men's 100m
> > > freestyle was swum at an average speed of under 3 knots), I can't really
> > > imagine pulling myself back aboard if the autopilot is holding a course
> > > where the boat's making 4 knots through the water.
> > > 
> > > Whether it's a handheld radio tethered to your harness, some line rigged
> > > up to disengage the autopilot if the jacklines are placed under enough
> > > tension, some trailing object that you can grab to kill the autopilot,
> > > or (ideally) some combination of the above, if you don't have a plan to
> > > stop the boat so you can climb back on, you're probably better off not
> > > even being tied to it in the first place.
> > > 
> > > Cheers,
> > > Kris
> > > 
> > > -- 
> > > Kris Coward                    http://unripe.melon.org/
> > > GPG Fingerprint: 2BF3 957D 310A FEEC 4733  830E 21A4 05C7 1FEB 12B3
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > These businesses support your Association:
> > > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> > > Please support them.
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Public-List mailing list
> > > Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
> > > http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
> > _______________________________________________
> > These businesses support your Association:
> > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> > Please support them.
> > _______________________________________________
> > Public-List mailing list
> > Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
> > http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
> 
> -- 
> Kris Coward                    http://unripe.melon.org/
> GPG Fingerprint: 2BF3 957D 310A FEEC 4733  830E 21A4 05C7 1FEB 12B3
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-List mailing list
> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-List mailing list
> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org

-- 
Kris Coward					http://unripe.melon.org/
GPG Fingerprint: 2BF3 957D 310A FEEC 4733  830E 21A4 05C7 1FEB 12B3

 1338919889.0

More information about the Public-List mailing list