6 Comments

Nice write up for a safety project. I would encourage more thought about the safety element of your tether. Evidence of what happens when the sailor falls over the lifeline/edge of boat on a long tether, using jack-lines running along the port and or starboard sides bow to stern, indicates survival is very low. If safety is the reason for your tether, it should be attached to a jack-line run down the boat’s center line. The tether should be of a size that will not allow the user to fall beyond the edge of the boats deck. Practical Boat Owners magazine posted the results of tether sea trials. The results are eye opening.

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Thanks for the great article. Just passed it on to the www.CruisingScots.club

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FYI, the popular collapsing garden hoses are surgical tubing in a fabric sleeve and could be used as the base for a tether.

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Good Project...But I’m lazy...I’ll continue to use my old one...or buy a new one if needed.

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Charles,

The pull cord on the snap shackle can be a blessing and a curse. It will allow quick release ( tether gets caught/ snagged) but also allows an easier accidental release ( too easy when falling and grabbing / groping for the lanyard it’s easy to grab a long release too). Thanks for a great and useful article.

Curtis

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I am confused by step one, where you "Fold each in the middle and put them together." Does one fold it lengthwise, or cross ways, which would make them half as long. The whole folding thing baffles my little brain (easy to do) as we then sew one side to start the tube and then the other side to complete it.

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