Safety line usage on a sib

C-NUMB · 07 March 2010, 15:36

Think there was a thread here about this issue, but was not able to locate it. Anyway, will from time to time be operating the SIB alone, also in choppy conditions. In case of a "unwanted separation" from the boat, the kill chord will shut the engine. But with a inflated gas lifejacket, dont think there is much chance to catch to boat in windy conditions.

Have anyone found a workable sollution to use a Safety line atached to the harness and the boat. Think a short Safety line might be dangerous? Or how would it be to have a line only launching a sea anchor in such case?

m chappelow · 07 March 2010, 17:55

Hard to say but how about using a LONG line stowed in a small bag ,its got to be long enough for the boat to come to a stop from speed though,, ,bit like a throwable rescue line fastened to your leg ,though the line will have to be thick enough for you to get a grip on and pull yourself back to the boat with perhaps cold wet hands ,,,,,just hoping that the kill cord works first ,,LoL,.Think just using a drouge or sea anchor might not be good enough ,,it could take you a few moments to orientate yourself after an ejection ,by that time even with a sea anchor deployed the boat could have drifted out of swimming reach ,,,,Belive me, i fell from a fast moving boat many years ago ,,,someone had silicone polished a new boat including the grab rails , even wearing a lifejacket it took me a couple of minutes or so to work out what had happened .,,you might need to carry a knife on you just incase you get a tangle . mart

chewy · 07 March 2010, 17:58

As long as the harness/strop was longer than your kill cord fully extended it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I'd try focus on staying in the SIB rather than what to do if you do fall out?

willk · 07 March 2010, 19:12

I had been considering the longer rope approach but was a bit phased by the idea of what would happen if you forgot to fit your killcord...

But I think it would work - flake a floating rope into a bucket, make one end fast to the SIB and fit the other end with a weak link (light line) and a carabiner. If you fell in and the killswitch didn't work for whatever reason, the link would release you, if it worked and the SIB popped the link anyway, the rope (with a small net float on it) would be closer to grab.

m chappelow · 07 March 2010, 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

I had been considering the longer rope approach but was a bit phased by the idea of what would happen if you forgot to fit your killcord...

Then you would be water ski champion of the year ,,lol

C-NUMB · 07 March 2010, 21:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

But I think it would work - flake a floating rope into a bucket, make one end fast to the SIB and fit the other end with a weak link (light line) and a carabiner.

I think this is a good idea and easy to make. Good point also regarding possibility of forgetting the kill chord, the water ski champion thing might be a painfull experience.....

Would not use it in all coditions but in choppy conditions boating alone extra safety is not a bad thing. Main idea is to stay inside but as the boat is wery light, a longitudinal flip is maybe something that can happen. So far always managed to stay inside the boat, no objections to keep that track record.

m chappelow · 08 March 2010, 08:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by C-NUMB

I think this is a good idea and easy to make. Good point also regarding possibility of forgetting the kill chord, the water ski champion thing might be a painfull experience.....

Would not use it in all coditions but in choppy conditions boating alone extra safety is not a bad thing. Main idea is to stay inside but as the boat is wery light, a longitudinal flip is maybe something that can happen. So far always managed to stay inside the boat, no objections to keep that track record.

i know your on about using something when single handed, but its more likely that another crewmember would be perhaps ejected out sitting in the bow end rather than yourself at the helm,,,must be a frightening experience though to be in open water hanging from a lifejacket the boats drifting away and its just out of reach,,

long1jon · 08 March 2010, 13:27

Good day to all, this thread has got me thinking "safety", about time. As a budget boater im most likely to use a seagull engine. I won't be going fast i know but if i did fall in, or is that out?, is there a way of fixing a kill cord to a seagull? I might just have to invent something myself. Thank you for the wake up call, regards Jon...

"I was born under a wondering star"

m chappelow · 08 March 2010, 16:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by long1jon

Good day to all, this thread has got me thinking "safety", about time. As a budget boater im most likely to use a seagull engine. I won't be going fast i know but if i did fall in, or is that out?, is there a way of fixing a kill cord to a seagull? I might just have to invent something myself. Thank you for the wake up call, regards Jon...

"I was born under a wondering star"

Dont worry about being a budget boater ,i am too nowadays ,,but with some of the old seagulls when you let go of the tiller or moved it lower ,,it stopped the engine. suppose you could tie a line to the spark plug lead and pull it off the plug or better still putting switch or a pull apart plug on the h/t lead ,,other than that its a case of a strong retun spring on the throttle lever .i cannot fault my old seagulls ,,not many engines that can be left for years without any form of service including impeller and still start and run on the 3rd pull ,even if it runs on 10/1 mix ,i have even seen one with a pot haule/ capstan winch running from a cable worked from a small wheel running off the exposed flywheel.,,but there again your not going to ski with one .mart

chewy · 08 March 2010, 23:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by m chappelow

Dont worry about being a budget boater ,i am too nowadays ,,but with some of the old seagulls when you let go of the tiller or moved it lower ,,it stopped the engine. suppose you could tie a line to the spark plug lead and pull it off the plug or better still putting switch or a pull apart plug on the h/t lead ,,other than that its a case of a strong retun spring on the throttle lever .i cannot fault my old seagulls ,,not many engines that can be left for years without any form of service including impeller and still start and run on the 3rd pull ,even if it runs on 10/1 mix ,i have even seen one with a pot haule/ capstan winch running from a cable worked from a small wheel running off the exposed flywheel.,,but there again your not going to ski with one .mart

If you can't keep up with it just keep following the smoke till it runs out of fuel.