The strap finds most of its utility for just keeping your foot on the hull during ha\eavy wave slap. Also, rapid heading changes can happen under spinny...a sudden turn to leeward can leave the crew "flapping in the breeze" <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
During mild bow stuffs, the strap can prevent skittering forward...but a chicken line off the transom if much better to have for more forceful stuff events. Ideally, having both in use is the best insurance.
On my Dart there are lots of foot straps, but actually I never use it. What would happen, if I stuff the bow? The boat will be stopped, I will loose balance. Even if my foot gets free, my body will be turned head to the bow, foots to the stern. In the best case I will be thrown head ahead into the water. Or I will fall with my head against the hull, sidestays or whatever. Without foot strap, I could "run" towards the bow, sort of a pitchpole "under control".
Sounds like theory, but I have seen my crew doing both cases. Without foot strap usage we could even prevent the pitchpole (the crew run all the way to the front beam, but didn`t struggle), while I could turn and recover the boat. The other case ended with a black eye and I considered this as a happy end.
So, I think it is dangerous, but what is the experience of these guys who use it? Is a retension line a good alternatice?
Cheers,
Klaus
