Hi guys, just wanting some advice about trapezing from the helm of a mossie. I havent had much experience trapezing coming from sailing a windrush 14 sloop, where even in 20 knotts i could manage by hiking. Have been trying to get out onto the trapeze all weekend, but am having trouble managing the tiller, mainsheet and getting out on the wire all at the same time, if any one could give some advice, tips or explain their method for getting in and out on the trapezing while helming that would be great.

Cheers.
Michael.

G,day Michael
While you’re learning to get out have your trap set high [About 10cm off your deck]. Practice while your boat is on land. Have it fully rigged [NO wind] then get some one to sit on the opposite hull while you practice getting out. Once you feel comfortable try it in the water. It's like ridding a bike once you get over the fear of it.

Michael,

We've all gone through the learning curve before and yes it is a bit weird for the first few attempts. It may help trying in flat water with a freshening breeze. Get out sailing early before you need to use trapeze, get comfortable with hooking/unhooking then as the breeze starts to come in have a few attempts. This will be a big confidence booster.

Remember to have a light grasp of the tiller extension; just enough to keep control and in a straight line but still enough to let your hand slide along the tube. Whatever happens don't luff into the wind. All your efforts will be wasted and you may end up with the Mozzie on top of you.

A firmer grip is needed on the mainsheet so that you can haul in the mainsheet as you get out on the wire. You can re-adjust the mainsheet when you are out there and settled.

If the water is flat you just need to apply slightly more pressure on the front leg to stop yourself losing your footing and swinging around the front. In waves and higher winds you will need to compensate a bit more with the front leg.

Remember that it's not about effort; it's about finesse. Your trapeze wire and harness will easily take double your weight so don't even think about it.

Just make sure you are hooked up before you launch out over the side.

Regards,

Peter

Oh and by the way make sure you trapeze harness is a snug fit and comfortable. Nothing worse that doing everything perfectly then feeling uncomfortable once you are out.

Thanks for the advice guys, looking forward to getting out there and having another go at it.
Also another question, when going out onto the trapeze, what are your hands doing/holding onto, do u have 1 on traveler and 1 on main sheet, or one holding both main and traveler and the other on trapeze handle?

The handle is really only needed for getting in, if you have the trapeze loops set so low you have to lift your bum onto the deck.

Getting out, it's useful to have toe-straps so you can get out far enough to put some weight on the trapeze harness while still feeling secure with your feet under the straps. Then you bring your front foot out to the gunwale and push.

Like Karl said, practise on land is a great idea to get started.

Hi All,

There must be as many ways as there are skippers to get out...
I dont have hiking straps, so I tend to sit on my heels with my feet over the side, when needed I simply straighten my legs while pushing my bum out. Slide one hand down the tiller extension and the other hangs onto the main sheet - It comes in as I go out, so there is only one movement. Easy does it - And a mass of practice.

Always remember that getting out and in is sometimes the easy part - staying out in waves and on a reach can be harder!

But its the best and driest way to sail...

Best of luck

Trevor

Hi Trevor,

I never ever thought about getting out like that.
Don't know if my ankles could take too much torture.

I must give it a try.

Regards,

Peter

Had a race on sunday, had a shocking start and ended up at the back of the fleet after the first mark (tacked 2 early, so had to make another 2 takes to make the mark, sheets and sail settings werent quite right either at that time, spent most of the race fiddling with them as the boat is still new and im still tuning it to my sailing etc), first half of the race was nothing special, managed to keep up with the back of the fleet. After practicing on the beach before the race, i finally got the courage to get right out on the wire and it felt like a totally different boat, i could sheet harder and point higher, the boat really took off and i steamed my way to 3rd spot out of the multis behind the clubs 2 nacra 5.8s (which by then were well in front), finished 3rd over the line well in front of any other multi and just infront of the monos (trailer sailers with kites etc) who started 10-15 minutes earlier than us.
Even managed to give the start boat a show as i crossed the finish line out on the trapeze bearing away and going almost vertical, the guys in the start boat were too busy watching me and almost missed another boat crossing the line

I cant thank you guys enough for all the advice, as said, once i had the confidence to get out there on the wire, and trust the wire, it became almost 2nd nature during the race, each time got faster and more efficient, and it opened up a whole nother dimension for me having never been out on a trapeze before, was the best fun ive had racing yet, and i love racing.
So thanks again guys.

Also wanting some advice about operating the rudder lock down while out on trapeze, during the race there was a large pack of jelly fish (hundreds of them) that i would encounter almost every upwind leg and my rudders would bounce up when i hit one at speed, im wondering if anyone has a system that will re-lock a rudder back down from out on the trapeze, ive got a few ideas, my current rudder lock down system uses a small line that goes from the top of the leading edge of the rudder through a pulley and then through a cleat on a hinge with a ball bearing-spring lock system that holds the cleat down untill enough force is applied to the rudders to cause the hinge to pop up/back releasing the lockdown line from the cleat. I was considering making the lock down rope much longer and running it along to the opposite deck with a pulley or 2 in there enabling me to pull on the line and lock the rudder down from the opposite side of the boat, maybe even make the line long enough to reached from the trapeze. As everytime the rudder kicked up (was usually the leeward rudder as the windward rudder was out of the water) i would loose steering control as one rudder was in the air while i was trapping and so would have to sheet off come in and put the rudder down before going back out on trap, quite time consuming and given the number of jelly fish happened enough times during the race for me to consider it a must fix problem.

Cheers.
Michael.

Michael,

Glad you love trapezing as much as the rest of us.
It really does provide a new dimension to racing.
Great to have a result like that with your first outing. Now you just have to get the Nacra 5.8m's on yardstick.

As for kick up systems, there always has to be a fine line between keeping the rudders down and damaging the transom. The problem is finding that point. Can you increase load on the spring lock release system and still maintain the function ? Either modify the release system or avoid jellyfish at all costs.

You may see other catamarans with a rod type lockdown system that uses a locking pin that goes into the tiller. The rod bends upward under sufficient loading and lets the locking pin disengage from the tiller bar. If the load is too great or massively instantaneous the pin will bend instead and let the rudder free (a double safety element). Check out the AHPC website for details. The problem is that it would mean a major tear up of your existing system or a new set of rudders.

Regards,

Peter

Hey Michel,
Gr8 to hear that you are enjoying the mozzie. Darren set up the rudders on top gun with heavy shock chord so they come up when you hit weed or jelly fish then go back down. He said it takes a time to get the tension correct. The rudders should not be to tight in the rudder stocks.
Cheers

On the subject of trapezing, I'm having some problems with my technique (or lack there of) when tacking from out on the wire in more heavy conditions. (e.g. Sat we had 18-25 gusts to 30 with 1.5mt chop). I always seem to end up in a mess, invariably blow the tack, and I managed to bugger yet another tiller extension. My guess is that I'm doing something wrong!

Any pointers woud be appreciated.

Cheers

Simon,

You are not the only one to have trouble in high winds and choppy seas. (30 knots and 1.5 m chop would be difficult for many experienced sailors). You have allot more to contend with and timing is much more important. Don't tack in the trough of a wave because the oncoming wave will just throw the bows back and you will either end up in irons or not even get that far.

Try to time it so that you tack so that you can get through the eye of the wind and get the next wave to assist you by pushing the bows around where you want them.

Also watch for wave sets that are smaller or even a momentary area of flat water and tack there.

The higher the wind and waves the quicker we have to be up to a point. Don't be so quick that you pull too hard on the tiller and make the yacht stall. Still be relatively gentle with the tiller extension.

Regards,

Peter

Thanks Peter,

By the end of the Cat Classic, the message of "gentle and deliberate" was finally sinking in

I think in the rough conditions I still hurry everything (as I stumble in off the wire) and probably stall the boat with the rudders. It was frustrating to be tearing up the PT's with boat speed and then give it all back on the tack. I guess it's just about time on the water.

If I get a chance to slip away on Sat for a while I'm intending to come over to say hello. Can't get off on Sun as I'm Shore Officer for the day.

Hopefully I'll catch you then,

Cheers

Hi Michael,

I am wondering which trapezing technique you have started to use - was it one given to you here, or a new one?

Cheers All

Trevor

And on the subject of jellyfish - Maybe your lock downs are good enough, but the leading edge needs to be sharpened a bit!!!

Hi Trevor, my technique at the moment is far from elegant, but after practicing on land and practicing more now out on the water im getting a far better hang of it, i wouldnt say i have a precise "technique" that i use, but i basically shuffle my way out enough untill i can push out with my feet, front foot first, still having a fair bit of trouble keeping the tiller still while hicking out, the other day i went out while reaching but accidently pulled the tiller too much steering me down wind decellerating the boat and throwing me foward, but i managed to hang in there. Not having too much trouble getting out on the wire, its just getting out while still keeping good control of the tiller and main sheet, gonna be interesting when i try and do it with a spinnaker to worry about as well! Oh well, thats what the rescue boat is for

Now that's the attitude that wins races . Drive it like you stole it. My first time on a boat in 20 years it was blowing 15-20 knots, I went out on trap on the reach, and then stuffed the bows it so hard my eye balls nearly came out of my head. The F14 sailor behind (who wasn't on trap) described the whole thing as "hard core". I was so proud.....