pulpits

[Paul G.]

Can we do without them on a boat with a bowsprit?

I have one that goes to the end, but its such an ugly piece of metal. What about life lines that run from a staunchion placed a metre from the stem and finished at the stem?

A lot of older pleasure craft didnt have lifelines or pulpits, hence the question.

[paladin]

and they called the sprit the "widowmaker"....

[Thad Van Gilder]

the pardeys don't use a pulpit.

[Don Kurylko]

Paul, no need for that rubbish if you fit out your bowsprit in the traditional English manner, with a traveler for the jib and a running jib topsail stay that can be hauled inboard to attach the sails. See John Leather’s book on Gaff Rig for details. With this type of set up there is no need to crawl out on the bowsprit to handle the sails. The “pulpit” is then not necessary for safety. The boat’s sailing ability will be much enhanced by eliminating all that unnecessary weight way out there as well.

As for lifelines, well, they are there primarily for psychological reasons, in my opinion, and can just as easily be dispensed with. There are far better ways of keeping oneself from falling overboard.

Interestingly enough, in recent crew overboard recovery tests conducted in San Francisco, it was found that lifelines and stanchions actually hindered getting people back onboard again. Check out www.oceannavigator.com (http://www.oceannavigator.com) for a complete report on these tests (available sometime this spring). There will also be a DVD of the tests available through U.S. Sailing in the near future.

[kc8pql]

Even the Pardeys rigged a running jib stay on a traveler before their trip around the Horn.

[ 03-12-2006, 11:34 PM: Message edited by: kc8pql ]