Installed tether pad eyes

As part of an ongoing project to make Aeolus more suited for offshore trips, I installed three beefy Scheaefer pad eyes with backing plates in the cockpit. One right at the companionway so you can hook in before leaving the cabin, and one on either side of the wheel. I figure these two by the wheel can be used to secure the wheel from turning as well as people from flying away.

I believe we will have two tethers for the person at the wheel, so by clipping into both eyes on either side, there is no way for the helmsman to get tossed over the lifelines.




I have also installed nice brass pad eyes around the cabin sole as part of my floorboard securing system. After considering many options and methods, I settled on what I think is the strongest and cheapest. With four pad eyes around the sole, I run webbing between them and through the finger holes in the floorboards. When tensioned, there is no real movement of the boards, and with the webbing being woven through them, they can't go anywhere even if they get a bit loose. Way cheaper, and easier, and more certain, than most any other system I researched, including installing flush latches, which wouldn't work well for this boat anyway.