Could this be sailing's top safety gear?

by Captain John Jamieson on 19 Nov 2015 Look over most production sailboats or powerboats today, and you can bet you will see a lack of grab rails. We are often told that we shouldn't sail without loading up on safety equipment like personal flotation devices, safety harnesses, EPIRBs, survival flares, or liferafts. But for some reason, grab rails seem to end up near the bottom of the heap.

And yet, I believe they may be the single most vital sailing safety gear aboard. Sure, you might have small slivers of grab rails here and there. But, have they been installed to provide continuous, unbroken support in those spaces that your crew uses day in and day out while sailing or cruising?

Consider this...

Your body was built for survival. What do you do any time you feel you are about to slip and fall? You reach out to grab something, brace yourself, or break the fall. Same thing happens on a boat. And small sail or powerboats can heel, roll, pitch, or yaw in a seaway.

Many a time I've reached out and grabbed 'air' below decks in the cabin of a sailboat. Dinky segments of grab rail here and there don't cut it. You need long, continuous lengths of rail all around in every compartment--galley, cabin, head, shower and berthing spaces.

Inspect your own small sailboat above and below deck. You and your sailing crew or partner should have 'grabbable' overhead rails that run in a continuous, unbroken path from the companionway ladder to the forward cabin (or V-berth area).

Include vertical grab rails in areas like the galley, head, and shower. Install verticals on each side of the commode and shower stall. A person should be able to brace themselves at all times.

Topside, you might have lifelines, but what about 'grabbables' atop your cabin trunk or near the mast? Reef a mainsail and you will want to brace yourself to keep your hands free. Think of different ways to make this tough task easier.

Install handrails on the bottom of any hard dinghy that may be carried on deck for cruising. This may sound strange, but your 'dink' will be turtled with her bottom up and lashed onto the deck. Bottom mounted handholds provide one more place for safety. And, if you are underway in the dink and she capsizes, bottom mounted handholds will provide a place to hang on and will help you right the dink.

Double-ended lifeboats on many ships come standard with handholds on the bottom just in case they capsize. In an abandon ship scenario, some lifeboats may capsize when being lowered. Hand holds provide crew and passengers a way to hold on until they can be rescued.

Avoid the temptation to use hand hold areas as a storage area. You sometimes see cruising boat grab-rails used as mountings for boat hooks, fish-net bags, or fishing poles. Keep grab-rails 'free and clear' of gear for their number one single, intended purpose--to provide you and your sailing crew or partner with a hand hold you can bet your life on day or night, in docile or dicey weather!

Worried about the cost of expensive teak rails? Save a ton of money when you install handicap grab rails below. These robust rails can often be purchased for a fraction of the cost of teak. Once installed, cover them with rope fancy-work (like coachwhipping) for beauty, protection, and to provide a better non-slip grip for you and your sailing crew or partner.

Inspect your small sailboat to see if she could use more hand holds above or below deck. Keep your sailing crew or partner safe and sound this sailing season--wherever in the world you choose to sail or cruise!

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