Fixed blade for a small sailboat?

D

ddc

Joined
May 13, 2004
Messages
9
Hi,

I'm looking for a fixed blade to take sailing.

I've searched around and the knife that seems to get mentioned the most when water activities are discussed is the Benchmade 100SH2O and that looks like it would do the job just fine.

The only reason I'm asking for feedback is that most of the references are with respect to white water rafting or canoeing or kayaking and not with respect to sailing. It may seem like that wouldn't make a difference but there are some things to consider that may not be issues when in a canoe/kayak/rafting.

First of all it is a "high performance" sailing dinghy. (Vanguard V15 if you are interested). When sailing these things at the limits you are pretty active in the cockpit. Changing sides quickly. Changing line lengths quickly. And there are a lot of loose lines laying around to tangle you up. That's one of the reasons a knife could come in handy. These things can capsize so quickly that it can really take you by surprise. Being under water and tangled up in a line is a possibility.

So that is why I want to carry; the other issue is exactly how I want to carry it. I'll have a PFD on and I'm considering connecting it to my PFD under my weakside arm. Handle down carry? Attachment considerations or advice?

Thanks for your feedback,
Don.
 
First of all, why do you feel the need to have a knife ready?
I am a small boat sailor and feel very comfortable with my
usual folder in my back pocket. Are you sailing in fresh or
salt water? If you are concerned with the need for a knife
in the event of a capsize, I would think that a folder with
a lanyard (so you don't drop it) would be the solution.
 
Call me crazy, but as a former small sailboat instructor (years ago), based on my out dated knowledge I would prefer an automatic or a gravity knife. The German paratroopers had some great basic gravity knives with that also had folding pikes, that would be good for getting knots out. Someone started recreating them about five years ago, and I had one and lent it to a friend and, well, I no longer have it.
 
Bindlestiff said:
First of all, why do you feel the need to have a knife ready?
I am a small boat sailor and feel very comfortable with my
usual folder in my back pocket. Are you sailing in fresh or
salt water? If you are concerned with the need for a knife
in the event of a capsize, I would think that a folder with
a lanyard (so you don't drop it) would be the solution.
Click to expand...
Q:Why do I feel the need to have a knife ready?
A: Why do any of us feel the need to have a knife ready? Because we think we might need it! Other than that I think I explained why I might need it. Maybe you should read my question again.
Q: Fresh or salt water?
A: Fresh water. What difference does it make?
Q: If you are concerned with the need for a knife
in the event of a capsize, I would think that a folder with
a lanyard (so you don't drop it) would be the solution.
A: Read my question again.

As far as the desire for a fixed blade over a folder: I don't want to have to mess with opening a knife in a challenging situation.

Why do divers carry fixed blades and not folders?

Thanks for the feedback Bindlestiff.
 
Chuck289 said:
I think the reason he asks fresh or salt water is because salt water will corode steel much quicker.
How about a benchmade diveknive. With the H1 Steel you wont have to worry about rust. You wont have to worry about the knive falling out of the sheeth for handle down carry

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=BM100SH2O
Click to expand...

Thank you for your feedback. That makes a lot of sense and I wish I would have thought of that myself. However the devil inside me insists that I point out that in my original posting I referred to the benchmade dive knife explicitly.

I quote from my original posting: "I've searched around and the knife that seems to get mentioned the most when water activities are discussed is the Benchmade 100SH2O and that looks like it would do the job just fine."

The sheeth does look like it might work for handle down carry but I'm just guessing from the pictures. If anyone has carried this knife in that fashion with either good or bad results I'd be interested in hearing from you.
 
You seem to have an attitude but I'll give my advice anyway. And no offense to anyone else's advice. This is just what I recommend. I've been sailing for 25 years and currently own a Gulf 32 berthed in Washington state.

Forget the fixed blade unless it also has a marlinspike in the sheath. I also like at least a half serrated blade. Just in case you don't know, a marlinspike is used for opening those tough knots and also to open certain kinds of shackles. If you get a folder and don't like to carry it in your your pocket, keep it on your belt in a nylon pouch-sheath. ALWAYS have the knive attached to you somewhere with a lanyard. I attach mine to my belt loop. The lanyard is about 2ft long and I just stuff it in my pocket. You never know when you may need both hands but not have time to put the knife away.

There are others but try this web site for real rigging knives. You are sailing, not diving.
http://www.myerchin.com/rigfoldfix.html

Regards and good luck
 
For a really fine fixed blade with an excellent sheath, you could go for Bud Nealy's Newport.

If you are willing to consider a folder, David Boye specializes in boat knives, which he makes with totally rustproof dendritic cobalt blades.
 
last year the bluenose 2 from nova scotia was in gloucester. the young crew of the schooner all had d.h russel/grohmann sheath knives.

I am a commercial lobsterman and currently carry an atlantic salt at work. I prefer a folding knife because I want the knife ON me at all times, clipped to my oilskins (foul weather gear) not inside them. I am always moving in close quarters and there is plenty to hang up on the knife and pull it off, perhaps even tearing my oilskins in the process! I carried a byrd raven for about six months with a zip tie in the hole, and it deployed as fast as a fixed blade, and locked up solid 99% of the time. get a folding knife, an atlantic salt or a rescue, a 440C griptillian with an opening hole, or a waved endura. put a zip-tie in the hole (except for the endura :) it already has a wave) and clip it somewhere where you can access it with BOTH hands easily. I would go with one of the H-1 salt series if you don't plan on using the knife every day and are sailing in salt water. otherwise, if you plan on using the knife for other cutting chores besides in an emergency situation any will do. vg-10 and 440C are fine for use around salt water in my experience. Plain edge or serrated is another debate. I carry a plain knife (atlantic salt) for most cutting I encounter at work, and a SE (endura) for the emergency situations I may run into. if the knife is just for a safety purpose a blunt tipped serrated knife should do the trick. if you are using it for cutting chores, get a sharpmaker. it is a no-brainer to get most knives using sharp in no time.

pete
 
Sal has said that Spyderco RD is working on an FB Salt, but until that comes out, I would go with a couple of Moras from Sweden. I have two, and they are some of the best knives I've ever used.
 
attitude: now that I re-read my thread in the calm light of today after a rather bad yesterday I see that I indeed had an attitude yesterday. My apologies; I'm usually a little bit easier to get along with. I don't know how many times I've learned the lesson over the past 10 years or so: "Don't send out electronic correspondence when you are not in a good mood!"
I am sure that in another 10 years or so I will have learned that lesson for good.

So moving on...

I think I should have done a better job of clarifying exactly what my concerns are and what I envisioned using the knife for.

My concern is purely emergency. Being entangled in the lines while underwater. This is not meant to be a working knife that is in and out of my sheeth or belt clip or pocket or where ever it ends up living.

This is not a large sailboat. This is a sailboat that we will be capsizing for the fun of it on a hot day and a sailboat that may capsize even if we don't want it to if we have enough wind and me and my trusty crew don't watch our weight distribution during maneuvering.

I assumed (I know, I know...) that in an emergency situation a fixed blade would be one less thing to worry about as opposed to having to open a folder.

Seeing as how this is an emergency knife that will hopefully never leave the sheath I don't really see the need for a marlinspike but I really will consider that if you still think it necessary.

I realize I am concerned about a one in a million situation but one of the reasons many of us are interested in knives is to be ready for the worse case scenario isn't it?

Again, my apologies for the attitude of yesterday.

Thanks for hanging in there with this thread. :)
 
ddc, if what you need is strictly for emergencies and cutting lines -- how thick are the lines you need to cut? Perhaps the Benchmade Rescue Hook (this one in rustproof H1) would do the job better than a knife.
 
A small sailboat? Anything that is cheap, unless you don't expect it to go overboat, which is where mine would go.
 
Have you thought about an auto rescue knife, or an AO rescue knife? Rescue knives usually have a rounded off tip, for emergency situations.
 
I'd recommend the BenchMade Nimravus or the BenchMade 100SH20.

STR
 
Thanks for reading my post. And we all have bad days...no big deal.

Skip the marlinspike if you like, but it might come in handy and there is no reason not to have it. If you are afraid of being trapped under water, then go with the fixed blade. Stay away from the rescue hooks, not appropriate (no offense guys). Get a serrated knife, one designed to cut nylon rope, such as one on the link I posted (here it is again)...

http://www.myerchin.com/rigfoldfix.html

Different style serrations work better than others and these knives are especially designed for cutting line (as all good sailers know, there is no "rope" on a boat...:D ). Some of the other knives mention would work also, I'm sure, but I don't know what their serrations are like. Also, they come with the spike so you can have your cake and eat it too. MOST important of all, make sure it is attached to you via a lanyard. I know I keep pressing that point but see how you feel if you really need it sometime and you drop it. You or someone else may be injured or worse.

Regards and good luck
 
I have a boat. Northern 29, sailing cruiser. I leave a SS harpy in a drawer, and multiple EDC's on me.

But for your needs, I would highly suggest finding a CRKT Bearclaw with a partially serrated blade and the blunt tip.

-It comes with a sheath you can hang from your PFD.
-It has a serrated hawkbill blade, which is ideal for cutting line (despite my hate for serrations, this is one situation where they are valuable.)
-It's designed for easy retention. The finger hole will make it harder to drop when your bouncing around.
-The blunt tip is ideal for trying not to stab yourself while bouncing around.
-It's dirt cheap. If it rusts or sinks, no worries.
 
The Bearclaw IS a good idea. They make it with one of their cheaper steels now, but with the serrations, that's no problem, and it is less subject to rust.
 
Call me crazy, but do they make quality floating knives? I'd assume they would have to have a hollow handle to make them float, but I guess it's possible. That would be cool in a boat, though on a sailboat by the time you tacked back it would be tough to find. Plus you can't exactly stop.

Someone is going to make a million dollars on that idea, a floating knife.
 
The Bearclaw with the teardrop point is interesting.

At this point due to cost constraints as much as anything (if I'm going to experiment I'd rather start off cheap and work my way up instead of the opposite...) I'm considering the Benchmade BM100SH2O and the Bearclaw.

With respect to the sheeths that are supplied with those two: Any comments on the ability of either to retain the knife while the user is getting tossed around?

When respect to a lanyard: Are you guys suggesting something high tech like a Gemtech "tactical retention" lanyard or something simple like a length of paracord?

Thanks again....
 
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