Lifelines Elevated

[jmaue]

Any cruisers elevate their lifelines to 30"?

[Cathy Monaghan]

…bump.

[John Stone]

Any cruisers elevate their lifelines to 30"?

Yes. https://farreachvoyages.net/2018/11/13/ ... tanchions/


What do you want to know?

[Steve Laume]

In preparation for my first trip offshore I did rig some temporary life lines. They ran from the bow and stern pulpits to about shoulder hight on the upper shrouds. For this to be effective, you would want a line that does not stretch too much and they should be tight. Since that first trip, I have never bothered with those lines. I view the life lines as a very last resort.

I rely more on the webbing jack lines and my harness and tether as well as a very keen sense that if I go over the edge, I am dead.

I'm not sure how many people go over the top, or if a few extra inches would make any difference, Steve.

[JD-MDR]

Any cruisers elevate their lifelines to 30"?

A few of my neighbors have 30 " stanchions. I don't like the looks. At least on a 30' boat. They look too high. I am only 5'7" I think the 24' lifelines give me the same security of a guy 6'1" with 30" lifelines

[Steve Laume]

If you were to stand and brace against the life lines then the 30" height would help. The fact of the matter is that you should never put yourself in that position. If I am crab crawling up the deck, while using all the hand holds, then 24" lifelines would work pretty well. I would be more concerned with going through them than over the top.

I would think you would be grabbing for the lines if you were to be thrown overboard.

For all the trouble, expense and questionable gain I have left them alone. What I did do it have new wire made up so at least I can trust what is there, Steve.

[jbenagh]

I agree with Steve. If I'm going forward, offshore where the lifelines might come into play, my torso is way lower than the existing lifelines. And I'm clipped in.
Been in that situation pretty far offshore a couple times but never had to test the lifelines or tether!
Jeff

[John Stone]

I'm clearly in the minority. I have had both on my boat on the same offshore passage--NC to the USVI. All I can say is the taller lifelines feel much more secure to me. Many successful voyages under terrible conditions have been made with 24" tall life lines...and occasionally no lifelines. No doubt about that.

We also have 6.75" tall bulwarks and they do disguise the 30" tall stanchions.

But, once you have used 30 tall life lines you might feel different.

[JD-MDR]

I love he bulwarks. I plan to copy someday

[wikakaru]

Lifeline height should take into account boat length and freeboard. 30-inch lifelines would look out of place on the smaller boats in the Cape Dory line, but less so on the larger ones. For example, on John's Far Reach, the 30-inch lifelines look just fine. The Dashews use 30-32" lifelines on their (70+ foot) boats, and Nordhavn trawlers with their super-high freeboard use 33-inch-high lifelines.

If I remember correctly, the original poster is looking to buy a Cape Dory in the 25-28 foot range. 30-inch lifelines might be visually overpowering on a boat that size.

As John said, plenty of safe passages have been made with 24-inch lifelines; I certainly don't think of this as one of those "must have" upgrades.

Smooth sailing,

Jim

[fmueller]

I think it’s ( just as ?)important to have the lower life lines … I’ve seen plenty of boats with just the single high wire. Working on the foredeck or at the mast I try to stay low in a seaway. I can sit at the mast while reefing on my small boat. I’m more worried about sliding off my heeling boat than flipping over the high wire. Since I just have toe rails that lower wire is important to me and I would think especially true if you had 30” stancheons.

This year I added grab bars to my dodger. Big safety improvement especially because my dodger is pretty big for such a small boat.

[John Stone]

I think it’s ( just as ?)important to have the lower life lines … I’ve seen plenty of boats with just the single high wire. Working on the foredeck or at the mast I try to stay low in a seaway. I can sit at the mast while reefing on my small boat. I’m more worried about sliding off my heeling boat than flipping over the high wire. Since I just have toe rails that lower wire is important to me and I would think especially true if you had 30” stancheons.

This year I added grab bars to my dodger. Big safety improvement especially because my dodger is pretty big for such a small boat.

Guilty as charged. I don't have the lower life line. But I have the bulwarks. I could rig the lower line but I don't feel the need on my boat. Plus I don't have the bow or stern pulpit so the lower line would be pulling on the stanchions. Another sailor on this boat might feel different.

The bulwarks have to be experienced to really be appreciated. Yes, its possible to be washed under the top line. But people somehow get washed through even with the second life line. Choices.

[John Stone]

Another consideration for me is we don't have any gates. So with taller life lines it's often easier to board the boat from the dinghy by coming aboard under the lifeline. If we had the lower line that would not be possible. However, we often come over the stern from the dinghy which is vastly more easy without the pulpit.

Not disagreeing with a thing that has been voiced. Just explaining how it works best for us.

[Jim Walsh]

I have the factory original stanchions. I replaced the coated wire lifelines shortly after I bought the boat with uncoated 1X19 rigging wire. The CD31 has toerails which are about 2 3/8” high. They have come in very handy on many occasions. I try to conduct myself as though I had no lifelines to keep them in the “port of last resort” status. I use jack lines and a harness religiously offshore or if coastal cruising. I am remiss when daysailing and rely on my wits….what’s left of them…..

[Paul D.]

Before he passed away of COVID in SA, I had a conversation with Patrick Childress about lifelines and offshore tether practices. He had gotten some criticism on his not wearing tethers consistently. We both agreed that one needs to find what works best for them as there is still room in this world for that, just.

A big factor though is that the Captain put some thought into their practice and create a system that ensures the equipment they rely on, like lifeline wire and stantion condition, harness/ tether etc. are up to specs and the system used is consistent.

I like that approach; it gives room for many of us to create both the safety gear selection and safety practices that ensure the risk is minimized for the type of sailing we do. As an old wilderness risk manager, it is all about identifying the risk you’re likely to meet and then setting up the plan for avoiding specific risk areas you can and minimizing those risks you can’t.