Cockpit Tether Padeye Location

[Mark Sutherland]

Here's the sketch of my forward jack line setup.

[Noah]

Interesting. Is your boat a pre 1990 with a single center bow cleat? Do you always traverse forward using the starboard side? No problems fouling the traveller? I kind of like idea of a single centerline path as opposed to my dual port and starboard lines running full bow to stern. Less likely to fall overboard and be dragged your way. Not sure I could pull my old self back aboard if I took the plunge while hooked in.

[Stu Jackson]

WADR to those of you who have thought this stuff through, the most interesting advice I have seen....treat the edge of the boat like a 500 foot  cliff.  I did lines and finally realized that it is too complicated.  Just bloody hold on.😂

[Mark Sutherland]

Hey Noah, My boat is an '86 with an upgraded Garhauer traveler.  I replaced my single bow cleat with two side cleats.  I always traverse forward on the starboard side because I always reef while on a starboard tack (boom to port and out of my path forward).  Reefing on starboard tack technically affords me broader right of way while executing the reef.  No problems with the jack line fowling the traveler.  The webbing line does not touch any moving parts or the traveler line itself.  It only touches the stationary inner hub and side plates of the triple blocks.  While traversing forward, I have to sit down on the cabin top and unclip when I arrive at the traveler, then re-clip to the remaining centerline webbing, but it's no big deal.  Been doing it for years.  It's so much less stressful (especially for my wife who's nervous about the prospect of having to execute MOB recovery) being able to safely stand on deck in challenging conditions.
Stu, it's BECAUSE I treat the toe rail like a 500 ft cliff that I tether to my centerline jack line, lol.  (Loved your NW trip diary BTW.  Thanks for that).

[britinusa]

I'm curious...
Why does the line go over the port side of the traveler and not just wrap around the mast?

Paul

[Mark Sutherland]

If I run the line from the starboard side deck directly to the mast it restricts my range to the port side deck.  Imagine I'm reefing in heavy wind.  I'm on starboard tack and the end of the boom is over the port side deck. I need be positioned at the port forward corner of my dodger in order to reach th aft most reef tie.  At that point, I'm not tethered to the centerline section of the jack line, I'm clipped to the port "Y" section of the jack line.  Note that while STANDING in this position, on the side deck, in heavy weather, reaching to tie the reef tie using both hands, I'm in an otherwise pretty vulnerable position for going overboard.  There's not much to "hold on" to during that task, as Stu suggested.  But with the tether I can actually lean away from my jack line with no fear of falling overboard (barring a failure of course).

[britinusa]

Thanks.
Does that mean that your 1st & 2nd Reefing lines are not run back to the cockpit?

I have run them back on Eximius, so I don't need to go forward to reef the main, I'm just anticipating that things crop up that demand forward passage (lines jambed etc)

Paul

[Stu Jackson]

..........There's not much to "hold on" to during that task, as Stu suggested.  But with the tether I can actually lean away from my jack line with no fear of falling overboard (barring a failure of course).

Sure, but why leave the cockpit at all?

http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Reefing

[Mark Sutherland]

Correct Paul, I do not have my reefing lines run aft to the cockpit.  I also like to be tethered in when I'm deploying and dousing the spinnaker.  Some wild things can happen from time to time with the spinnaker flying, especially with a less seasoned, backup helmsman at the wheel. 

[Mark Sutherland]

Here are photos of my jack line setup.