Respecting lifelines and stanchions ... a rant

[Sven]

You come in to the dock, under control, with no problems ...

Some helpful person on the dock decides to help and grabs the boat by one of the boat handles, known as stanchions, and puts their full weight into pushing it, or almost as bad, starts pulling a lifeline as hard as he can.

Likewise, a shore boat pulls up next to your lifeline gate and uses the "boat handle" to stop the motion of the 2,000 lb shore boat.

What do you do ? You can't tell the idiot that they are not "boat handles" and to only grab the boat by the gunnel or the base of the stanchion ... that would be rude.

Put 50 pounds of lateral load on the top of a 20" stanchion, that's 1000 pounds of load on the bolts 1" from the base, 500 pulling up and 500 pushing down.

Lifelines are supposed to save your life when you might otherwise fall overboard. They are not boat handles or fender hangers or back rests or hand rails.

I'll feel better when I know how to make people stop abusing the life support equipment without me seeming awfully rude in the process.



-Sven

 

[tripper_dave]

To the "helpful" (if clueless) person on the dock:
"Thanks for the offer, but we are in control, please step away from the boat."

To the idot driving the shore boat:
"Please toss me a line and I'll snub your boat, do not touch my boat."

Once he's secured along side
"If you ever approach my boat in an un-seamanlike manner again, I'll report you to the Harbour Police/Coast Guard/You Insurance Company."

If they persist, you might try a tastefully lettered sign "You break it, you bought it!"

Seriously, I have found that having my crew abaord at athe ready with lines and a gentle, polite, but firm refusal of assistance is the best policy after visiting hundreds of different marinas, clubs and ports......

 

[Vagabond39]

SVEN:
WELL SAID.
Makes you want to carry an taser.
But, they wouldn't understand that hint.

 

[Loren Beach]

Well ranted, indeed!
One of the best upgrades we've done in all the years we have owned our boat was bracing all the mid-ship stanchions. (Pics in an earlier thread here).

Loren

 

[Vagabond39]

Those Old Wooden handled boat hooks were a polite option. When extended they clearly stated "Grab this, or wear this".

 

[AleksT]

First I must say that I agree with the rant, stanchoins should not be used as "boat handles".

But here is a mini rant:

I have to say that if the stanchions are supposed to stop my 185 lbs moving at them at some sort decent velocity imparting thousands of pounds of load on the bolts, I would hope that they could handle 50-100 lbs of force every once in a while.
perhaps the accepted design of lifelins and stanchios needs to be looked at and improved.

 

[toddster]

I'm afraid I just resort to being rude. I'm not sure what it is, but people just seem compelled to "help" even if they have no clue what they're doing. This happens all the time when I'm launching my beach cat. The nearest launch site is in the lee of a big cliff that creates confused and swirling puffs of air. You have to raise the sails at the dock and let them luff while waiting for just the right gust to launch. People always want to come push me away at the wrong time. (Of course, they're probably just trying to get rid of me...)

Though I have to agree that most lifeline stanchions seem to be poorly-designed after-thoughts bolted onto the boats.

 

[Vagabond39]

First I must say that I agree with the rant, stanchoins should not be used as "boat handles".

But here is a mini rant:

I have to say that if the stanchions are supposed to stop my 185 lbs moving at them at some sort decent velocity imparting thousands of pounds of load on the bolts, I would hope that they could handle 50-100 lbs of force every once in a while.
perhaps the accepted design of lifelins and stanchios needs to be looked at and improved.

,.,.,.,.,..,.,
Well do you want to test them before the Fiberglass and coring are stressed and deformed, and allower water to seep int the core, and the bolts subjected to metal fatigue?
Or after!
P. S. consider the height of your lifelines, and compare it with YOUR center of geavity.
They were options, more decorative than life support.

 

[AleksT]

,.,.,.,.,..,.,

P. S. consider the height of your lifelines, and compare it with YOUR center of geavity.
They were options, more decorative than life support.

Oh yes being 6 feet tall most upper lifelines are about knee level to me. Just about the right height to flip me over and have my head smack against the hull before I fall into the water

 

[Sven]

Oh yes being 6 feet tall most upper lifelines are about knee level to me. Just about the right height to flip me over and have my head smack against the hull before I fall into the water

If you are walking around upright in conditions where lifelines might be needed as a safety device you are doing it wrong.



-Sven

 

[Vagabond39]

AlesT:
I agree. On the 23 they are the perfect hight, to hit the back of the knee. However considering the freeboard, I would hit the water without ever touching the hull.
They are a Decoration. Someplace for Tinsel and Xmas lights.
Like nipples on a man, neither decorative nor useful.

 

[Afrakes]

Lighten Up

With the proper nets my stanchions and lifelines have kept quite a few favorite grand children out of harms way. They are not just for deck apes Change of perspective is in order. Damn those "Helpful Henrys", such a nuisance. Desperate to go sailing, 27 not quite ready. Marinas open in three days. 28 project completion a very distant horizon. Al Frakes, Port Kent, NY

 

[rwthomas1]

Lifelines stop you from sliding off the deck of a heeling sailboat in rough conditions. They are not intended to stop a person that is standing from going overboard.

Regarding the "help" on the dock. I have no issue whatsoever an being rude if it keeps my boat from being damaged. I don't give a tinkers damn about anyones feelings at the expense of my boat. If thats the way some dimbulb has to learn about the correct way to "help" so be it. Thankfully my club is full of folks that have a clue. They know enough to push/pull on the toerail or use docklines.

RT

 

[CaptDan]

Lifelines stop you from sliding off the deck of a heeling sailboat in rough conditions. They are not intended to stop a person that is standing from going overboard.

Yes.

And for the nautically lazy, lifelines provide handy horizontal surfaces for purposes of hanging fenders. Moreover, this technique helps provide more work for boatyards, as the abrupt hull motion against the pier is absorbed by the lifelines, and by extension - the stanchions, which in turn, torque mightily against their bases and fasteners - ultimately disemboweling the deck itself.

A win-win for everyone except the yacht's owner.

Capt Dan G> E35II "Kunu"

 

[steven]

A helpful person on a dock once tried to (unnecessarily) fend me off, despite my frantic shouts to leave it alone. He almost wrecked my boat and another one already parked at the dock. More importantly, he put his hand between my bow pulpit and a piling and with a loud snap broke his wrist. I then adopted a belief that it is proper to be not just rude but loudly, aggressively, colorfully rude when telling someone to keep their hands off your boat.

re the lifelines - it irks me is to have to tell guests and others that treating a boat structure in the obvious way is dangerous and can damage the boat. Functional parts of boat should not be fragile. Unfortunately I see no obvious solution.

 

[Emerald]

Many many years ago as a teen, lifelines on my Dad's Tartan 34 saved my ass big time. I can't remember exactly what happened other than a series of instant oh'shits, but bottom line is as I went tumbling across deck, they were there and kept me on board. So, I think they deserve a bit more credit than deck jewelery, but would agree they shouldn't be used as hand holds for docking. That's what shrouds are for....

 

[Vagabond39]

A mooring line tossed at the "HELPFUL" bystanders head will also keep thir hands employed.

 

[Loren Beach]

A mooring line tossed at the "HELPFUL" bystanders head will also keep thir hands employed.

Good idea, and make sure it's a midship mooring line!


Otherwise that 'helpful' person will pull hard on the end of the boat the line is attached to.... :0
once in a while that's helpful, 97% of the time it's not.

Loren

 

[Sven]

Good idea, and make sure it's a midship mooring line!


Otherwise that 'helpful' person will pull hard on the end of the boat the line is attached to.... :0
once in a while that's helpful, 97% of the time it's not.

Yes, that too !

We've come in to a few fuel docks where the attendant thought the bow line was being tossed so the bow could be pulled into the dock while we were trying to come in alongside. :rolleyes_d:



-Sven

 

[Vagabond39]

Good idea, and make sure it's a midship mooring line!


Otherwise that 'helpful' person will pull hard on the end of the boat the line is attached to.... :0
once in a while that's helpful, 97% of the time it's not.

Loren

rIGHT.
A FEW YEARS AGO i WAS GOING UP RIVER TO HAVE MY MAST STEPPED. I STOPPED AT THE FULE DOCK, AND TOSED A STERN LINE TO THE OLDER ATTENDANT. HE DECIDED TO TURN ME ATOUND SO THE POINTY END WAS DOWNSTRAM, AND THE SQUARE END COULD CATCH THE FULL CURRENT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE MAST CAUGHT THE PILINGS, AND THE5 FOOT SHAKESPHERE ANTENNA DID NOT TAKE THE U TURN AT ALL.
THAT WAS WHEN I WANTED THE 8 FOOT WOODEN HANDLED BOAT HOOK.