Where do you keep your knife?

I used to keep mine in the front pocket of my buoyancy aid.

However, a few months ago I capsized and my crew, somehow, managed to fall between the boom and the sail, hooking himself onto the bottom batten. The cat then inverted. Initially I thought he would easily swim out but as the seconds passed I started going for my knife to cut through the tramp to release him. I got the knife out but my hands were too wet and cold to unclasp the blade. Eventually I dived in and, found him and dragged him out just in time. Not nice.

I realised that having a knife was bugger all use if I couldn't get to it. So now I have a small dive knife mounted on my dolphin-striker that I can easily get to at any time.

Anyone with similar experiences or thoughts?

The 18s have a class rule that we all carry a knife on the port side of our ruder gantries.

That way we ALL know where the knife is.

Yeah that is a good rule but that is one of the classes that is more likely to actualy need a knife than most. you couldnt justify applying that to something like a laser - it is down to the choice of the crew to cary one or not then.

Prob the best thing is diving knife in a secure sheaf attached to your boyancy aid. Hmm should really sort that out for myself as i've got a couple of scuba diving knives.

Also add a pirate flag and a cutless and you could really get into the sailing spirit.

Diving knives are essential, you can get small ones that don't get in the way.

Best to go to a proper diving shop for a good selection.

I think the guy at the shop thought I was mad when I said I might have to stab with it so I need a sharp point (talking about cutting the trampoline).