surfboard leash or sailing tether

Marc, the furling idea might work, but would rely on more skill and luck than I possess, compared with simpler recovery techniques.

The main difficulty would be trying to uncleat BOTH the lines from your lower position in the water. The cleats are going to want to lock from all the down pressure. Being dragged through the water, it would be especially difficult to release them. If you dismounted between the Akas on an AI or TI, matters would be worse.

But suppose you managed to get both lines to stay uncleated, would you have enough leverage and control in the water to furl a powered sail? Uncleating the furling line in heavy wind is likely to release MORE sail.

And there's a chance that a cleat would break or dislodge from the crossbar. Not likely to happen to both cleats though.

I believe what you really want to do is get the sail to luff, rather than furl. That will slow the boat and buy you time to hop on board. Try this first -if you can get it to work, then you are on the right path.

Attaching a short quickrelease harness or surf leash to the sheet seems like a good idea. Not as reliable as an Aka member, but it would provide extra freedom of movement and tend to turn the boat, should you be pitched. Hopefully, you can keep all the lines from fouling during normal sailing. (Note: I keep a death grip on sheet anyway so I rely on that and my leash for safety).

My brain can't handle complex tasks even when I'm dry, so in a MOB situation I need to focus on as few priorities as possible. I have concluded that those are:

1. Making contact with the boat.
2. Getting control of the rudder (by hand)
3. Depowering the sail. (luffing or any means possible)

Furling the sail is worthy goal, if you can manage this while wet. Anxious to hear how it goes with your test.

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The Wind Is Your Friend...

Just out of curiosity, has anyone actually fallen / been swept overboard while they were sitting in the seat?
Even in those turbulent seas off Port Stephens (so memorably captured by Stringy), I never felt at risk of going overboard.
Sitting out on the tramps or on the akas is a different matter .

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My friend Scott fell out of an AI when it was up 60 degrees on a wave, but he's part fish and was back in the boat before I could let the others know he had slipped out. Since then we all wear surfboard leashes when conditions get bad.

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

As stated before, I've been flipped over twice in my AI. Once from the side, falling down the face of a breaking wave. And once head on, having a large wave stand the AI up and flip it over backwards. In both instances I was very happy to NOT be tethered to the boat.

I can tell you the boat doesn't go very far when it's upside down and the amas are collapsed.

I understand everyone's point of view here, and they are all valid. I think the question is what is your biggest concern on any given day, getting separated from your boat and having it sail off without you? Or, having it on top of you while your wrapped in a line? And your answer could be different on different days.

Based a lot on what happened to me, I still do not use a tether. I think my feeling is, I'll take my chances in the water with my PFD and probably injury free. Don't know if that's the best thing, but it's the most comfortable thing for me.

I completely agree. I have a leash for every seat on each boat, but I don't "make" anyone wear one, but will let them know when I am wearing mine. I would never wear one near launch or landing, or even when running close to shore.

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

Keith,

I agree with you totally. I am not trying to say no one should tie themselves to their boats but I cringe when I read entries that say everyone should use a tether. I think it is important that a person looks at both sides of the issue before making what could be a life or death decision. Personally I own two sailing tethers and wear an auto-inflating life vest with a built in harness designed for wearing a sailing tether but choose not to wear one. I would suggest that the people who feel they need to wear one go to their local chandlery and buy the right equipment instead of trying to come up with a Rube Goldberg solution to save a couple of bucks. If you really feel a tether is necessary for your safety buy a good one.

On the lighter side, my wife told me that what people should wear is a seat belt. Then they wouldn't fall overboard to start with. Please understand that this is a joke. I am not advocating installing seatbelts in your boats.

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Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Other than losing the ability to hike out on the tramps some may agree with the seat belt.
That would be one interesting eskimo roll with the akas and amas deployed.

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Thanks for that clarification Jerry.

And I'm not advocating a seatbelt law, either. Far from it. I don't want to see anyone frightened out of using an easily removable tether that is more likely save their life than take it. (The right one for the job, of course).

The decision and the responsibility rests with the individual.

Good debate - Nuff said.

No Huhu's

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The Wind Is Your Friend...

Thanks everyone for all the valuble inputs.

Aloha,

c2y

Reading all this and thinking about hobie sailing days my suggestion would be to use a retractable tether like a dog leash attached to the bow of the boat. I can assure you that if I did this and fell in the sea anchor that I am would quickly drag the boat around and kill any forward momentum. I will do a test when I can get out with a crew mate on board. if not the bow maybe the bow of one of the amas.

Reading all this and thinking about hobie sailing days my suggestion would be to use a retractable tether like a dog leash attached to the bow of the boat. I can assure you that if I did this and fell in the sea anchor that I am would quickly drag the boat around and kill any forward momentum. I will do a test when I can get out with a crew mate on board. if not the bow maybe the bow of one of the amas.

Last weekend I went out sailing with my Nephew and his mate on the TI. It was blowing at around 10kts so we were having some good runs. Anyway, my Nephew wanted to jump over board while we were sailing so I thought I should take advantage of this and use him as a guinea pig

So, I attached him to the rear aka via a surfboard leash to his PFD. The leash was just the right length so that from where I was in the rear seat of the TI I could easily unleash him if things went bad...

Once we were at cruising speed he dropped off the tramp. and ... our momentum came to a grinding halt. When he was in the water, we were moving forward, but only very slowly. He was comfortable getting slowly dragged and there was no real danger. Admittedly, he did struggle to get back in the boat but then again, he's only a little fella so not much strength in the arms.

My newphew is only 12 years old (maybe 40kgs) and his mass pretty much stopped the kayak. I think if I went overboard, it would stop and I could easily pull myself up the leash and back into the kayak. I will get out for a sail in the ocean with my Brother soon and test the theory

Anyway, I am not necessarily in favour of being leashed in - I don't currently do it. However, when I am out at sea, trolling for pelargics in a bit of a blow, I do have some concerns about going overboard and my beautiful TI sailing off without me. Not too worried about being left out there (I have a phone in a waterproof case on my PFD and a VHF radio), but I would hate to loose my TI

I'll let you know the results once I throw myself overboard in the next week or so.

Good on you Riddo, look forward to hearing about the results!

That's more like it TI guyz. Go get it wet!

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The Wind Is Your Friend...