Lifesling

[HeaveToo]

I have the Lifesling off of my old boat.  On my last trip I put it out on the stern rail and used a bungee cord to attach the bottom of the sling.  It worked okay but I need to eventually re-do the canvas.

I began to think of the need for such a thing.  I spend the majority of my time single handed.  I couldn't self deploy it.  The regulations in my area call for a throwable PFD and they don't even require it to have a rope attached to it.  Is having the Lifesling overkill?

Does anyone else use one of these aboard?

The other thing is that mine may get in the way of the sheets for my spinnaker.  I am still debating if I want to keep this aboard or just go with the boat cushion that I already have on there.

What are your thoughts?

Here are some pictures of it on the boat (I need to change the canvas cover eventually):  http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm199/HeaveToo/2014%20Solomons%20Island%20Trip/DSCN0291_zpsbb90dac0.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm199/HeaveToo/2014%20Solomons%20Island%20Trip/023_zpsf9b08f8a.jpg

[Bob23]

Good point, Heave. Maybe you could deploy it before you fall off? Of use a jackline and harness. I also single hand and in the summer, I use no life vest. In the colder weather, I have an inflatable that I wear while sailing and also while rowing. Helps the coast guard find the body.
I have a yellow horseshoe bouy that I have not put on the boat yet but I may in the rare instance I have a companion aboard who decides to fall overboard.
Bob23

[HeaveToo]

Good Point about Jacklines and a Harness....  If you sail big water you should have them.
I have jacklines and a harness.  They are must haves.

The bad thing is that I have yet to deploy the harness.  For some reason I let the weather get too snotty before I put them up and on.  I always figured that I should rig them if I know it is bad but I usually hold fast when it is that bad.

The wind builds on me and I end up on snotty weather with big waves and wind.  I think "I would really love to have the jacklines rigged before I go forward to reef the sail" but it is too late once that happens.  I end up at the mast reefing the sail without a harness on.  I should probably at least put the harness on and strap in to the rigging, or something like that.  I definitely don't what that Robert Redford movie "All Is Lost" to be my life story!!!

Interesting add to my jacklines.  They are longer than the boat.  On the end that extends past the transom I sewed loops into the jacklines.  It could be a makeshift ladder to lift myself onto the boat in a bad case scenario. 

In the end, I am still debating the need for the lifesling since it takes up valuable stern rail real estate.  I also don't want to invest $50 to re-do the cover if I am not going to put it on.
I thought about re-doing the cover and having it sit sideways instead of up and down.  It would give me a little space for the spinnaker sheets to run underneath of it.

I guess I put too much thought into things!