We've had to address this issue with the new Zhik harness.

The situation on quick release is actually a LOT more confusing than you think.



The new ISAF rule on quick release was abandoned and there was talk of it coming back in 2009....but that has not happened.

There is no new rule that says you must have quick release.



There is, however, a new section in the ISAF offshore special regulations (that is actually for inshore regattas). It is up to the specific regatta officials to invoke this new special regulation, which says you must have a paddle, a knife, and a harness that has quick release that is to a new ISO standard.



Trouble is this new ISO standard for the quick release is not in final form yet!



We have also spoken to a few national yachting federations, and they have not adopted this new special regulation in any case. Chances are that nobody will.

It is not a rule, it is a choice, ... so it is much easier to not take on something so ill-specified.



When the new ISO standard for quick release is finalised only then can manufacturers design to it. There also needs to be official test houses set up to test for it. This will all take quite a bit of time....the corrosion test in the standard takes 3 months for example... and then you still have to make it, ship it, distribute it, sell it...we are talking a year at least...then maybe two years before regatta officials will think it is fair for all the sailors to have new trapeze harnesses.



At the moment there is NO quick release system on the market that is certified to this new ISO standard.

One thing I can definitely say. As soon as Zhik has something to design towards, such as a new quick release standard, we will do so. Meanwhile, I think you are safe from any new rules for quite some time. It will take the regatta world a while before it can enforce the whole fleet to comply with a new standard.