I have started to tackle more seriously getting my boat ready for the 2017 LongPac. I have a few questions about the safety equipment requirements - some specific to my boat, some more general. I would appreciate guidance from SSS vets familiar with these rules.

2.4.3
Bow pulpits may be open, but the opening between the vertical portion of stanchion pulpit and any part of the boat shall not exceed 14.2" (360mm).

This is a bit confusing. I am having a hard time envisioning how the "vertical portion of the stanchion pulpit" could be >14" from any part of the boat. That would seem like a dangerous situation indeed. Below is a photo of my boat's pulpit. I assume it satisfies this requirement?

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3.13
A boat shall have a method of receiving weather information in addition to the fixed mount and hand held VHF radio.

How is this usually achieved? Is there a low-tech option? I am planning to buy and install a Sat Phone and grib download / viewing software for the SH Transpac, but I was not planning on doing this before the LongPac. Should I move this up?


3.33.3
A boat shall carry a heavy-weather jib (or heavy-weather sail in a yacht with no forestay) of area not greater than 13.5% height of the
foretriangle squared.

Does a roller-reefing #3 satisfy this requirement? In anything short of truly adverse conditions, I am more likely to reef my headsail than pull it down and replace it with a heavy-weather jib.


3.33.4
A boat shall carry a storm jib not exceeding 5% of the yacht's I dimension squared, an equipped with an alternative means of attachment to the headstay in the event of a failure of the head foil. Storm sails manufactured after 01/01/2014 shall be constructed from a highly visible material.

I assume that "alternative means of attachment to the headstay" refers to soft shackles or other attachment hardware in addition to the storm jib's luff foil, rather than an entirely redundant stay for the storm jib?

Thanks for your help.

Tom