Today when I capsized my Hobie 20, my hook got caught on a hiking strap as I was sliding into the water. My weight started to pull the boat turtle, and luckily the mast stuck into the bottom so it couldn't come down any further. With all my weight hanging from the hook, the harness was very difficult to get out of. I finally was able to get out of the harness, and left it hanging there, but thought I was going to be stuck big time. The whole time I was thinking, don't panic, and I sure wish I had a knife! My crew was my 13 year old neighboor, and it was his first time on a cat, so in addition to being worried about myself, I was worried about him, and his safety.
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<br>I've been thinking about getting a knife I could attach to my lifejacket for quite a while. I see Murrays has one for sale. Is it any good? Are there other knives out there that would be better?
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<br>I'd like to have one in time for next weekend's regatta, so if anyone has any suggestions, they'd be appreciated!
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<br>Glad to have not drowned,
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<br>Tim Johnson<br><br>Hobie 20 #541
<br>Bald Eagle Yacht Club, Fleet 52
<br>White Bear Lake, MN

I carry a small Cold Steel Ready Edge, but have neve had to use it in anger. I feel like a somwhat larger dive or lockback knife would make problems go away a lot more effectively, even if it was a bit more awkward to carry. I was shore crew for Team Spitfire in the Worrell this year, and they carried large lockbacks (one was Gerber, I don't remember the other, but I know one of them had a shackle key built into the blade.) They used the belt clip built into the knife clipped to the compass? strobe? whatever clip system was on the front left side of their life jackets. Usually we threw a strip of electric or rigging tape across it to make it a bit more secure.
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<br>good luck
<br>AT
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<br><a href="http://www.geocities.com/fasttango/007_4.JPG">Jamie Gaines and John Tomko, post-Jensen</a><br><br>Andrew Tatton
<br>Nacra 5.5u #417 +chute

I've always carried Gerber E-Z Out knives when kayaking. No complaints. For sailing, however, I've found the Myerchin Lightknife lockbacks to be more versatile because of the shackle wrench built into the blade and the marlin spike that folds into the backside. I carry the smaller model, the Crew Pro. $55 from West Marine.
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<br>(As with anything in salt water - no matter how stainless it claims to be - be sure to flush it out after each outing.)<br><br> Kevin Rose
<br>N6.0na #215
<br>kevin@paddleways.com
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The other little goodie that the Myerchin Lightknives have is a red LED light built into the handle to read charts at night. I was skeptical about how long it would last, but it's still working after a year .<br><br> Kevin Rose
<br>N6.0na #215
<br>kevin@paddleways.com
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Hi Tim, I strongly recommend getting a stainless steel knife with a serrated blade so that you can always take it with you and know that it will be able to cut through lines and straps quickly. The serrations make a big difference. The other thing I strongly recommend is getting a relatively cheap knife so that you feel fine about taking it with you and do not worry about possibly losing it. I have found very good knives like these at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. I wish I had known about them before I spent so much more on the Gerber knife I bought. Go to your local big box home improvement center and look for a knife there. Because the price is right, buy one for your crew, too! Take care, Mike<br><br>

Tractor Supply Company (TSC) carries some very inexpensive knives with both round point serrated and pointed point serrated stainless locking blades. These clip nicely into your lifejacket and have holes for a lanyard. They are around $10 per knife... I keep 3-4 spares in my toolbox. At the price, you are not worried if you loose them. While I thought the quality would be a problem, I am now on my third year... they have been in salt water without a rinse many times. They show a little rust but remain very sharp.
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<br>My wife carries the round tip... a little afraid of it... and I carry the pointed. At least one of you should have a pointed tip so that you can easily poke through the tramp if caught underneath in lines during a turtle. I also carry one in the tramp parts bag. I remain a little paranoid with the added lines for the chute.
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<br>Check the bottom of the page under "dual edge knife"
<br>http://bluebook.tractorsupplyco.com/_pages/400_401.pdf
<br><br><br>Mike Teets
<br>Dublin, Ohio
<br>I20 #246
<br>M4.3 #59

I recommend the Gerber kayaking knife, with the blunt tip. I use it for diving and normally carry one on my life jacket when sailing.
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<br>An option is scissors, these cut ropes without cutting you. You can find good ones at a dive shop
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Having just recently looked into this, just a couple of things. First, I wanted to be able to get the knife in action with just one hand, this meant no folding knives. It also needed to release from its sheath easily with either hand from a position it would most likely be mounted on my vest. By the same reasoning, I wanted one that was double-edged, so that I wouldn't have to think or flip the knife in my hand to bring a sharp edge in action (although serations might only be on one side). I had heard about sharp end versus rounded end, and I figured on that one what was important either way was that the knife be able to poke/cut through sail or tramp material if trapped under it. Lastly, in its sheath on my vest I didn't want something that would present a tangle hazard itself.
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<br>The Murrays knife looked real good, but they were out of stock at the time and I needed something fairly quick (requirements for a race...). West Marine, Boat U.S., Boater's World, Fawcetts, etc. all had either folding knives or really heavy stuff in leather or velcro closed sheaths for offshore, foredeck, and rigger use. The only things that looked close to applicable in their catalogs were not stocked items. Off to the dive shop!
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<br>The dive shop had lots to try - smallish affordable knives that mostly fit the bill, but as most were meant to strapped to your calf, the hand motion for getting some of them out would be awkward if the sheath were mounted on a vest. Also found that sheaths that continue underneath the knife handle make it hard to get the knife in awkward positions (other than leg mount) and made for a potential of dropping the knife when released. But it was a very helpful exercise in that it was now obvious that some things that look right don't work as you would hope, and emphasized the importance of trying things out. I found a nice model that locked in a hard sheath and releases when you grab and squeeze both side of the handle together, which I bought (I don't remember the make off-hand).
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<br>I had ordered the Murrays knife anyway, and it just came in the mail. Like it a lot, it also meets all my collection of dreamed up standards, and it looks to have a more sturdy blade. I'll keep that as well, so now I have something to lend to crew.
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<br>The reason I emphasize the one-hand operation came from a pitch pole in which I got a line wrapped around my ankle. I was able to free it without much drama, but it made me think about what might happen if a line wrapped a wrist and was not so easy to get free. <br><br>Keith Chapman, Annapolis, Md.
<br>H-18
<br>Northstar 500 (monoslug)
<br>WRCRA - www.wrcra.org

I have used a couple of Knives for sailing and two stand out. One is the Mariners knife (can't remember the manufacturer)--its blue and has a folding, locking serrated blade that's VERY sharp--even after 2 years. Also has a marlin spike, cat key, screwdriver and bottle opener to name a few--great multi-function knife. Only drawback is that you have to pull the blade out and it does not have a pair of plyers...The quality is great and only with occasional maintenance (spaying WD 40 on it) I have yet to have any rust show up. Available at West Marine--probably other places too).
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<br>The other is the the SOG Clip knife---cant remember the model exactly but it comes in various sizes, is easy to open, and has an adjustable clip that allows you to clip it to almost anything or simply put it in a sheath or pocket on your PFD. Only has a VERY sharp, folding, serrated blade and locks in the open position. Has a open groove in the top for pulling the blade but and works great for loosening Bell Shackles.
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<br>I Tried one of the murray's dive style knives that have a plastic sheath--yellow handle....(no ill will meant towards murrays) but I found that the knife rusts too quickly and the serrated blade is far too dull or short to cut anything. In fact I cut myself twice trying to go through a 5/16" piece of Marlow braid--its also difficult to connect to your harness or PFD without it getting in the way of anything.
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<br>Don S.<br><br>

I have this one on my PFD, where I can get it one-handed: <br><br> <br><br>I prefer the pointy style knife so I can cut through a sail or tramp if need be. Also, scuba knives are designed for salt water and easy access, so I think these are much preferable to most folding knives or sail rigging-style knives which are not meant for emergency use.<br><br>Note that, even in the America's Cup, each boat normally has a large scuba knife taped to the boom vang (check it out during the on-board TV shots), where it is easily and quickly accessible for use in emergencies.<br><br>I used to keep a knife on the boom, but have switched to keeping it on my PFD for faster access, esp. in the event of a tangle. My crew was entangled in a sheet during a capsize and trapped on top of the mainsail once, and required several minutes to de-tangle himself. If he had been trapped underwater, this could have been much worse. Also, 2 years ago a sailor received a well-deserved award from US Sailing when he saved the life of a small-boat sailor who became entangled in the sheets of a sinking dingy. Only by repeatedly diving to the sunken boat was he able to free the victem and same him from certain drowning.<br><br>I think everyone should have a simple, one-hand accessible knife on their PFD.<br><br>Alan Thompson<br>I20 - San Diego<br><br>

The knife I use is a Gerber River Shorty.
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<br>Keep in mind that in many States a double edged pointed knife is considered a weapon. (California has especially strange laws concerning this). I decided to switch to a blunt tipped knife after watching a paddler get hassled by the police one afternoon.
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<br>You probably will not get picked up just for having a knife, unless the cops have nothing else to do. However if you have the knife and have some other problem, things can get out of hand in a hurry. For, example landing in a restricted park because you were having boat problems.
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<br>Years ago I listened to a coworker explain how he spent the night in jail. He was shore diving in California. He screwed up and to walk back on a public street through a residential neighborhood. Somebody apparently did not like him doing that and called the police. The only thing the police could charge him with was carrying a dangerous weapon under the dirks and daggers law, his dive knife. It was thrown out but it cost him some time and money
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<br>A blunt tipped knife can be used to cut through sails or a tramp if the edge is sharpened all the tip. The intersection of the tip and the edge will act like the point on a conventional single edged knife.<br><br>

I've officially wasted an entire evening trying to find a store that had the knife I wanted in stock. I decided to go with the Gerber River Guide 1 with a chisel tip. It looks like it should be great for getting out of the sheath quickly, and being able to hang on to it in an emergency.
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<br>If I did this right, here's a picture of it:
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<br>I'm just annoyed that I can't go into my local REI, Gallyans, or any number of knife shops I called and buy the darn thing, so I will relent and order online once again! I seem to have an uncanny talent for getting in my head to want something that no one has in stock! Argh!
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<br>Here's to hoping I'll neve have to use it!
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<br>Thanks for all the advice, by the way has anyone used the River Guide knife? The other knife pictured in the thread looked great, by the way, I just don't trust myself with something that could cut your ---- off so easily! Youch!
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<br>Fair winds,
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<br>Tim Johnson<br><br>Hobie 20 #541
<br>Bald Eagle Yacht Club, Fleet 52
<br>White Bear Lake, MN