Looking at safety issues ,-planning distance races for next season and accessing equipement through the list .--



Dave- found this great looking loop type trap handle ---- http://www.mak-design.com/



Engineering wise always try to look at things in reverse in an attempt to understand practical function ,

Many catsailors have experienced the trap hook on the harness --[generally mounted on a ridgid spreader bar } -punching a hole through the hull of the capsized cat while trying to slide up to right ,-and much worse getting snagged on a line or wire while capsized ,--some very experienced catsailors have tradgecally drowned in this way .

I've been there myself with my trap hook snagged on a stern safety line tangled around the rudder pulled taught unable to get enough slack on it to get loose . If you panic your done . you either get your knife out or slip out of your harness or life jacket . --not good either way .



The very simple concept I,m currently thinking of is to reverse the set up -



Mount the trap handle on the harness spreader bar with a snap shackle ,---then have the hook mounted--{ eitheradjustable or fixed -per preference } ---on the end of the trap wire .

simple reversal but potentially much safer and no more holes through the hull sides if you slip .

The hook would be up higher in front more easily undone in a capsize situation , key is it is no longer directly attached to the sailor in a ridig position where a downward force is the only means of getting free , the buoyant life jacket often prevents this downward movement .



Seen the ball and socket type trap system but this simple reverse system may be better .

A snap schackle attachment would be the backup if the loop were to get caught up ,-but the loop could be tucked in behind the harness spreader bar when not in use .



Has anyone already tryed this set up ?



thanks

Carl Roberts



Also -I,ve snapped 3 streader bars --m m type which they replaced ,-but at 220 maybe the constant cycles fatigue them in long ocean racing in seas more rapidly than ever antisipated ,---do any have a great spreader bar recommendation .along with a lighter weight type harness -



If any current mfg. made this set up believe it would become very popular . -be happy to help .



Carl

Carl,



I've got a set of the Mak-Design trap handles and they work as good as they look. Highly recommend them (the aluminium handles won't bend and break like the similar plastic design). One suggestion though - tie your boat bound trap line to the single half of the ring so that your harness hook attaches to the doubled over portion of the wire. This way you don't break the clear tubing that spaces the handle up with the pressure from your harness.



Regarding your idea of reversing the current hook and ring configuration - It makes me cringe thinking about four hooks swinging wildly around a boat thrashing through waves or during a capsize... I can't get the image of one of those catching my nostrils out of my mind....

I met a guy once who was involved in one of the old "Little America's Cup campaigns. Instead of hooks, they used a system just like seatbelts from cars/airplanes. It was the old style, with a big lever style unbuckling it - not the pushbutton kind we have today.

What do you think about that kind of idea? Would just be a small stainless square tab thing on the boat, and a buckle on your trapeze harness. Un-hooking would mean just reaching down under the buckle, and pulling up on the small handle mechancism. No hooks or anything.

Are you guys familiar with this solution?



http://www.ps2000.ca/estore/trapeze.htm

Gotta love them key-balls.



3 or four years ago I hooked in, or thought I did, let go of the SS dogbone (original equipment on my H16) and the bungie snapped the unsecured hook up and over, whacking my wife in the eye so hard she had a shiner for a week. (at least that's how we explained it to the police )



A hook might well have engaged her eyebrow ridge from underneath and if she'd flinched back from the pain, she'd've been over the side, trapping from her eyesocket. Rather graphic, I know. Sorry. Just had to get Jake's nostril out of his mind. Hope this helps, Jake.

oh yeah....that did it.

least I didn't offer to get your nostril "out of your head"

OK, maybe it's just me but trapping out by your Foley catheter justs seems too weird! (see photo). I guess you're supposed to push that red ball way up into....hmmmm.



"Good old Mr. Wilson" is really in for a surprise! Yeouch!

Personnally I do not want any hooks on the boat they will catch on more than a ring. I do like the idea of a seat belt but I want an auto release not a manual one.

thanks catsailors ,

happy to know I,m not the only one with a visual thinking process combined with an offbeat sence of humor . It will take a while to get those images out .

Just add some outriggers and troll for the competition in those tight starts and mark roundings ,--

ahhhh -got another one !!



A seperate trophy like bass tournaments for the most crew snagged ,by weight could be added .--just joking



Good stories on the ball and socket type trap web site , the need for a good solution is evident . Some critics of that system say the harness needs work and it popps out too easily . They rightly stated there is no foolproof system .



One of the funniest early catsailing stories experienced was leading a race for the first time ,being very nervous rounding C mark heading for the finish line just 50 yards away I hooked into the trap and prepared to popp out on the wire . Taking that last final look back at the competition with a little wave launched myself with extra vigor off ,---just catching a glimps in mid air of the trap handle being pulled back into its normal position by the shock cord .

--I had basically just thrown myself off the side of the boat .

I surfaced in time to watch the boat sail away near the finish then slowly flip , my dog Sid was crew that day ,-barking back as if to say -what the #@!%%# are you doing .

The rest of the fleet happily sailed by snickering as I swam towards the capsized 18 . Sid {an English bulldog } and I righted and finished the race laughing for about 10 minutes straight afterwards .



--wow ,--good memories ,--fun times







Obviously any hook would ideally be lightweight ,-and rounded ---with an added inward radius to the shape .

Climbing gear ,carabigners are becomming popular , we see these being used frequently on stern safety lines to clip into ,maybe a certain configuration of these is one answer along with an intergral safety line set up .



working on it .



thanks

Carl

i'm not sure i like the idea of using a beaner to hook into. you would definately need a knife to get free if you could not get any slack in the wire. how about putting the dogbone on the harness and using a snap shackle on the wire. it could easily be opened under load and has no hooks to catch on various parts of your anatomy. just leave the shackle open when not on the wire for hooking up.

Really good one Carl.



I guess it's because my wife Mary and I have such vivid imaginations and that she's seen her skipper do some dumb stuff through the years that we laughed for a good long time at poor Sid's dillema.



Just wondering, why didn't you ever go through a man overboard drill with Sid so that he would have known what to do? I'm sure he was smart enough to grab the mainsheet and bark at the skipper at the same time. Mary certainly can.