On November 18, 2017, during the Clipper Round the World, there was an incident where Simon Speris lost his life. Simon was swept away by a wave while helping two other crew members replace the yankee. He was tethered, but something went wrong with the safety line…
What Happened to the Safety Line in that Tragic Incident?
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) immediately opened an investigation into this incident that caused the death of the man, a member of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race crew. During this investigation, one of the possible contributing factors to this tragic incident was revealed.
According to the collected testimonies, during the attempt to recover the man on board, the carabiner opened under load. Simon was recovered lifeless 36 minutes after detaching from the safety line.
Simon was secured to the jackline that ended on a mooring cleat. When he fell overboard, the carabiner of his safety line moved to the end of the jackline, ending up on the cleat and malfunctioning. The off-axis load on the carabiner caused it to open, resulting in the man being lost at sea.
Here is a very simplified example of how the carabiner of the safety line worked.
After this incident:
- The MAIB, through its safety bulletin, advises never to end the jackline on a mooring cleat, but rather to use dedicated eyebolts for this purpose, possibly reinforced with a steel backing plate.
- Some manufacturers, including Spinlock, have changed the carabiners of their safety lines. Models with 3 attachment points, such as the DW-STR/03/C or DW-STR/3L, are recommended.
If you want personalized advice on choosing and installing a suitable safety line or jackline for your boat, freetimeactivities.com is at your service. We can help you select certified materials, propose tailored solutions, and provide complete equipment. Contact us for targeted consultation: info@free-time-activities.com and get ready to sail safely.
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