A lot of boats use a rope doughnut festooned with multiple snaps at the bottom of the fighting chair pedestal to secure flying gaff ropes or safety lines. Unfortunately, you have to remove the chair seat from the pedestal, and drop the doughnut down onto the stanchion, where it stays unless you remove the chair seat again. Instead of having to mess with the chair all the time, make a removable collar.
To make the removable rope collar, all you need is a large snap hook and some ¾-inch nylon rope. Splice one end of the rope to the carbine hook and splice in an eye at the other end, making sure the whole thing is long enough to go around the pedestal.
When you need to use the gaff rope collar, simply pass it through the eye in the end of your flying gaff ropes, wrap it around the chair pedestal and clip the carbine hook to the eye on the other end. You can also use the collar to attach rod safety lines to the pedestal.
Capt. Randy Baker
Destin, Florida
