Light Jackstay Demonstration
In the image, the individual in the vivid orange survival suit, with fully-inflated lifejacket, dangles from a strop between two warships travelling on a parallel course about 100 feet apart. He is part of a demonstration, showing the large array of spectators aboard HMS Nottingham (and similar numbers aboard us - HMS Boxer) how to transfer personnel quickly between ships whilst remaining underway.
The light jackstay is the rope upon which he and everything around him is suspended. This is normally a four-inch manila rope, which has been passed across from us to Nottingham and tensioned before he is suspended from the traveller block, which is the metal feature that is running along the manila rope.
Of the two lower ropes attached to the traveller, the one on the left is the inhaul, which is used by us to pull the traveller back to us after the transfer is completed, either to stow the rig or to commence another transfer. The lower rope on the right is the outhaul. It is the means by which the individual is being pulled across to Nottingham. On Nottingham's main deck (below and to the right of the man's feet) can be seen a row of seamen hauling hard on the outhaul to pull the individual across the gap between the ships. They are the entire motive power in this evolution.
A key skill in this activity is ensuring the gap between the ships remains as steady as possible during the transfer. If they get too close, the jackstay sags and the individual may get his feet (or more!) wet. There is also the risk of the ships being affected by fluid dynamics which can result in them being sucked together, resulting in their sides colliding.
If one of the ships loses power or steering during an evolution like this, both ships have practiced emergency procedures for cutting away the ropes and the one still with power/steering turning away to avoid the uncontrollable vessel. This might result in the individual being transferred ending up in the water on his own, leading to a man-overboard situation...
This demonstration was conducted during the 1986 Staff College Sea Days in the English Channel, where the students at the Army, Navy and Air Force Staff Colleges got a day at sea to see all sorts of evolutions and activities aboard warships. Nottingham appears to have taken advantage of the commitment to also have a families day (note the children on the 02 deck at the far right of the image above the three containers for liferafts).
Light Jackstay Demonstration
In the image, the individual in the vivid orange survival suit, with fully-inflated lifejacket, dangles from a strop between two warships travelling on a parallel course about 100 feet apart. He is part of a demonstration, showing the large array of spectators aboard HMS Nottingham (and similar numbers aboard us - HMS Boxer) how to transfer personnel quickly between ships whilst remaining underway.
The light jackstay is the rope upon which he and everything around him is suspended. This is normally a four-inch manila rope, which has been passed across from us to Nottingham and tensioned before he is suspended from the traveller block, which is the metal feature that is running along the manila rope.
Of the two lower ropes attached to the traveller, the one on the left is the inhaul, which is used by us to pull the traveller back to us after the transfer is completed, either to stow the rig or to commence another transfer. The lower rope on the right is the outhaul. It is the means by which the individual is being pulled across to Nottingham. On Nottingham's main deck (below and to the right of the man's feet) can be seen a row of seamen hauling hard on the outhaul to pull the individual across the gap between the ships. They are the entire motive power in this evolution.
A key skill in this activity is ensuring the gap between the ships remains as steady as possible during the transfer. If they get too close, the jackstay sags and the individual may get his feet (or more!) wet. There is also the risk of the ships being affected by fluid dynamics which can result in them being sucked together, resulting in their sides colliding.
If one of the ships loses power or steering during an evolution like this, both ships have practiced emergency procedures for cutting away the ropes and the one still with power/steering turning away to avoid the uncontrollable vessel. This might result in the individual being transferred ending up in the water on his own, leading to a man-overboard situation...
This demonstration was conducted during the 1986 Staff College Sea Days in the English Channel, where the students at the Army, Navy and Air Force Staff Colleges got a day at sea to see all sorts of evolutions and activities aboard warships. Nottingham appears to have taken advantage of the commitment to also have a families day (note the children on the 02 deck at the far right of the image above the three containers for liferafts).