Trapeze harness

So the opinion of 2 National Champions from the 2 top dinghy clases in the world is "the ramblings of egotistical prats is it"?

...and you're attempting to "teach a keen novice".

Narrow minded, yeah...
 
Bobc said:
So the opinion of 2 National Champions from the 2 top dinghy clases in the world is "the ramblings of egotistical prats is it"?

...and you're attempting to "teach a keen novice".

Narrow minded, yeah...
Click to expand...

What you don't seem able to comprehend is that I'm experienced in fast dinghies and cruisers, - shock, horror - and while not ever having sought sponsorhip for my hobby, might actually manage to sail reasonably fast. :rolleyes:
I have taught a lot of people to sail, and as we seem to be counting ego's here was chief instructor for British Aerospace at 16 before I was even employed by them, and skipper cross -Channel at 17 onwards.

I'd love to sail an 18' skiff, an old Ella Bache did come to our club briefly, but I never got a look in as I'm not a local there !

BobC, you need to open your eyes a bit...
 
I've still got the rubber bit on mine but my spare/crew one has had it removed (for safety reasons taking novices out) I've been thinking of removing mine and this has helped me think about it again. It would give a positive release (unless twisted) if the elastics are tight enough, but I'm also not used to it dropping out and as helm I never seem to have enough arms/hands.

I know my technique needs some work, any one fancy a trip in my I14 to give me some coaching? seeing as there seems to be a lot of hours on the wire out there? Sailing with relative novices doesn't help.

I found the old penny easier as it was deeper so you could swing in and stay hanging, stand up and off it came. The new rules boat is quite low freeboard and you come in onto your knees if you swing in, so you need to get off the trap as you come in to stay on your feet.

Even though this is a dinghy discussion it seems like we have some dinghy sailors who also yacht, I went from rs800 to 40' yacht to I14, F18 in the over 50 bracket. Next boat a Figaro?
 
Seajet, you asked for some advice on a forum and I and a couple of others tried to give you some advice. I supported my advice with a photograph, and as the discussion progressed, further photos and some credentials. For my trouble, its been implied that I have a lack of seamanship that provokes despair, and I am an egotistical prat. There's other stuff I could have mentioned in terms of credentials, but there's no point.

I cannot comment on trapezing techniques and equipment in the 1960s and 1970s as I've never used that equipment, I'm talking about modern kit. I hope you get a trip on an 18, it's a fantastic experience, but please have the inevitable argument about buoyancy aids and trapeze pips with the skipper before you get on the water.

I've never even questioned whether you personally should be using a pip or not, it's completely up to you. What I have done is challenge your comment that the only way you can sail a fast boat in waves is with a pip, in my experience that is simply not true. But there seems to be little point in continuing the conversation, thanks for the insults and enjoy your sailing!

Cheers.

PS Dayglo sunscreen went out in the 80s. The Aussies still go very much for very thick sunscreen to combat very high UV, and the water, wind and sweat washing it off. These are the same guys who worked out on an 18 that BAs are a bad idea as Bob points out, but to prove its not bravado, these are the same guys who wear ladies tights over their kit to keep the jellyfish out.
 
You might want to look at the system where the trapeze ring is lifted a couple of inches by elastic, which makes it stay in the hook. I've seen this on a couple of classes, but I'm afraid I don't remember which.
 
49ers, 14s and Cherubs. You remove the adjuster core and replace it with bungee and it keeps it short, only extending when the weight is on the wire. I'm not keen as it makes it harder to unhook, and also you can't eyeball your new wire and see how long it is before you get onto it, however I know some people really like them. It certainly tidies up the adjuster tail!
 
Iain C,

I asked for advice on where to get a replacement rubber pip - which in my experience is useful, especially for newbies - not advice about your wonderful sailing CV and how you know better than anyone else.

Comments about dayglo sunblock - and others - were deliberately out of date and not entirely serious, but you're welcome to take it any way you like. :)
 
Ianc, bob, definitely with you guys.

Approaching 50 now so the fitness doesn't let me play like I used to, but job number one with a new harness was cut the pip off.

99% of my sailing is in seas, big and otherwise, in 505's and latterly in rs800 and musto skiffs.

Did 505 worlds, rs800 worlds, musto skiffs on Garda and many other major championships mixing with a lot of world class sailors over a good 35 year career, and I am racking my brains to think of one who didn't lose the pip. It's certainly something we all recommended to the novices on day one for safety and simplicity.

Seen far too many people half-way through a wire-to-wire tack realise they were still hooked on the wrong side, and that's only ever going to end one way!

Still, I guess Internet sailing is a little different from the stuff we did.
 
Experience not trendiness...

I'd love to hear how having the trapeze hook likely to fall out any time the crew takes the weight off it is 'safer' than it being secured by the 'pip' and instantly released by hand when required?!

This reminds me very much of the 'red hot' dinghy sailors I've known, who had very expensive top of the marque boats and knew all the racing marks but didn't have a clue about 'cans to port, cones to starboard' and approached downwind slipways with the main up, then wondered why they'd crashed ! :rolleyes:
 
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