Safety Tether

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Ian McColgin

On my boats, I found double legged tethers unnecessary if proper jack lines, one for each side, were rigged bow to stern. With such jacks, a tether that's about long enough that one can just grab the far end will hold the far 'biner off the deck a tad as you work your way foreward or aft and, counting jackline stretch and assuming intelligent placement, will give access to the masts from either side and pretty much all of the foredeck.

Another thought, with a boat rigged much as Ian describes. My jacklines run fore and aft, tight, on both sides outside the shrouds. I usually clip on with the short, 1m leg of my tether when going forward. If I will be working at the mast, I clip the 2m leg on and wrap the 1m leg around the mast. In the cockpit, the 2m leg gives me access to the entire cockpit without having to move my attachment point. It also lets me clip the 1m leg on to a jackline before unclipping the 2m leg from a cockpit hardpoint.

sail fast, dave