Tethers can drown you

[BobJ]

Good stuff (but scary). Be sure to check out the "Team O back-pull harness" video all the way at the bottom in the Comments section. It never made it to market but we should figure out how to duplicate it. Thanks to BAMA for the link.

http://www.pbo.co.uk/seamanship/is-it-safe-to-use-a-tether-25125#u8eHG3ICTqsyAp6K.01

 

[solosailor]

They can and have. Harvey was talking after the J/29 pitchpoled and was tethered to the boat. In rough seas I imagine he was dragged or hit in the head unconscious, then drown. I'm not suggesting that we don't tether, but we learned some lessons from it like shortening the tether or jackline placement to prevent you getting to far from the boat hull and drag underwater. Do yourself a favor and drag yourself in your harness or behind a ski boat or such at 3 knots, 5 knots, 7 knots and you'll become a submarine in short order.

 

[hodgmo]

An in-depth tether/jack line discussion ongoing at the 'Attainable Adventure' site:
https://www.morganscloud.com/2015/12/05/person-overboard-better-jackline-systems/