Cockpit Tether Padeye Location

[britinusa]

Just spent (too long) a while reading posts about Tether Padeye locations prior to installing them on Eximius.

Not wanting to restart the well worn argument (sorry ' Chat ' ) about whether to install / use Tether Padeyes, I'm just looking at where makes best sense.

Earlier this year we encountered a brief storm during which we donned our Foulies and both of us, in the cockpit, hooked our tethers to the boat, it was a nasty storm with winds excess of 50kts, but we did not have an easy to use Padeye to hook too.

As skipper, I set the rules on my boat and one of them is "If we are not tied to something; Anchor, Mooring, Another Boat, or Dock, then everyone must be wearing their PFD in the cockpit" and "If we are on the Ocean (our normal sailing area) anyone going on deck must be attached to the Jacklines" - I read my rules which are on a laminated card to any new crew before we untie (and email them ever since someone came onboard ill prepared by my standards).

So, having gotten past that, I'm considering installing two Padeyes on the side of the Port Side Cockpit Seat one aft and the other forward, ie. the backing plates will be inside the port cockpit locker.

Any Gotcha's you can think of regarding the location choice?

Thanks.

Paul

[Noah]

Where do your jacklines connect to and why not just tether to them?

[britinusa]

I run a jackline on each side, inside the lifelines but outside the shrouds. Up front they are through looped to the bow cleats, aft they are secure with a strop that takes several tensioning turns through the jackline loop and aft cleats. The strop has a eye splice on one end and that is fed through the jackline loop (think square knot), this makes it easy to tension the jackline.

However, my intent is to use the padeyes to keep crew in the cockpit.

Paul

[Stu Jackson]

The bulkhead for the port locker is rather thin.  I sugest you find a thicker portion of fiberglass, like right below the companionway opening and the vertical on the starboard side of the cockpit.  I suggest through bolted U bolts, too, instead of padeyes.

[britinusa]

I like the idea of the companionway location and the U bolts.

That will work for the crew in front of the pedestal, but not sure our tethers will reach from the companionway around the pedestal for the helms person.

Paul

[Stu Jackson]

I like the idea of the companionway location and the U bolts.

That will work for the crew in front of the pedestal, but not sure our tethers will reach from the companionway around the pedestal for the helms person.

Paul

That's why I suggested the starboard side.  You could use the angled part at the aft end.

[KWKloeber]

I run a jackline on each side, inside the lifelines but outside the shrouds. Up front they are through looped to the bow cleats, aft they are secure with a strop that takes several tensioning turns through the jackline loop and aft cleats. The strop has a eye splice on one end and that is fed through the jackline loop (think square knot), this makes it easy to tension the jackline.

However, my intent is to use the padeyes to keep crew in the cockpit.

Paul

JTSO the best location for one or two jacklines is as close to the deck centerline as possible -- to keep you OUT of the water -- instead of connected to the boat AFTER you go in the water.  The closer to either lifeline, generally the lower the chance you'll stay aboard.

-kk

[KWKloeber]

ie. the backing plates will be inside the port cockpit locker.

Paul

regardless of the location, I would consider not just a backing plate, but assess whether the section needs to be "beefed up,"  say with a plywood panel epoxy laminated to the backside to stiffen/strengthen against a major blow out.

-ken

[Noah]

I use this for hooking safety harness to when behind the wheel.  It is is also dual purpose--i attach my snatch block for my spinnaker sheet there as well.

[waterdog]

I mounted eye nuts on the back of the bolts for the companionway stairs and ran web straps back to separate eye nuts mounted under the engine panel and similar location on stbd side.   Essentially cockpit jack lines.  Clip on before entering cockpit and you have a free run around the wheel.  Anybody alone at night was clipped in.  Forward work required waking up the off watch. 

[Mark Sutherland]

My forward cockpit pad eye is as described by Stu.  The aft cockpit end: I have - 1/2" line wound tight 3 times around the base of the base of my wheel pedestal with a loop to connect the aft end of my cockpit jack line.  Regarding my forward jack line, from the dodger forward, it is in the middle of my deck, all the way to my bow cleat.  A photo would best convey how I rigged it but I don't have one at the moment. It is attached aft at the starboard snap shackle pad eye.  The webbing then runs along the starboard side deck then thru the starboard traveler triple block hub, then thru the port traveler triple block hub, back to the centerline of the cabin top, then forward to the bow cleat.  It's hard to explain the arrangement at the traveler, but it looks like a "Y" when looking back at it from the mast.  I have a short(3ft?) teather option on my harness, and a long(5ft?) option.  I use the short when moving from the cockpit to just in front of the dodger, and the long while forward of the dodger.  The long teather is just long enough to stand up at the centerline, but short enough that I cannot go over the side.  When reefing, with the boom eased out over the side deck, I actually lean against the jack line while tying the aft reef line.  I'll get some photos if anyone is interested.

[Noah]

How about post a sketch?

[britinusa]

Just to show an option

Here's an image I sketched out using Sketchpad online at https://sketch.io/sketchpad/

[Jon W]

Not sure I understand the traveler setup. Photos would be appreciated, thanks.

[Noah]

Sorry Paul. I was asking Mike Sutherland for a sketch of his set-up.