Ref: http://bp3.blogger.com/_Ge8fXRcVp9A/RhOX...-paa_trynet.jpg

Picture is a bit large to have in-line here, so I linked to it instead.
We removed our hiking straps last year, just becouse of stuff-ups like this and becouse we dont use them much anymore. Looking at the picture, I am very happy with the decision <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I guess there are some very good reasons why this team have scored some DNS's.

Picture is from the Tornado europeans (Mats Nyberg trophy) being sailed just now in Spain under the Princesa Sophia cup.

He is barely hooked, what hurts is when the same thing happens except you are facing the other way and end up hanging from your leg on the old cables that run across the 5.2 tramp.

Mmmm, I think there is a very uncomfortable and violent meeting with the boom in the next scene..
Anyway, abandoning ship in time and trying to not hit anything are my priorites in such situations, and the straps are one more thing to get snagged on. Especially as they are not very important anymore, in my opinion.

Becoming strung up on cables sounds like a prime reason to either covering them in some tramp pockets, or removing them all together.

I only really seem to use them as something to put my feet against (not under) when I am driving downwind with crew out on wire behind me. Helps me not slide forward or down the tramp.... but I clearly see your reasoning not to have them anymore at all.

With the lace-up trampoline, can't you just use your feet on that instead of the hiking strap?

Nope. I use my hiking straps all the time. Especially downwind. I always stress to my crew to keep at least one foot in them going downwind. You need something to brace against when the hull pops in a big gust. I know my straps have saved me from many capsizes.

I also use them going upwind in single trap conditions. I encourage my crew to use them too. You can hike these boats down just like a laser it you try in the light stuff. Much more effective than jumping in and out on trap.

Mike Hill
www.stlouiscats.com

Yeah, those old 5.2 cables are trouble, I have them covered in foam now but when I first started it was a little rough.

pretty impressive pic. Wow, Rolf, this is probably the first time i've ever disagreed with you. anyway, I've been "saved" by my straps on numerous occasions. I think they can be essential for staying on the boat, especially for the driver not trapping downwind in big breeze. I remember one occasion where I would have been thrown right off the back of the boat had I not had a foot under the strap. could've been pretty bad if I had gone off and the boat kept going with the kite up at 20 knots.

I think it depends a bit on the type of racing you do and preference, but mine are staying put. I think they are far more useful than they are potentially harmful! I've also heard of crews twisting their ankle because of the footstrap on the back, but I think most agree the footstrap is very helpfull keeping you on the boat in waves.

horses for courses...

I like having hiking straps too. H-17's don't have them because of the wings, but they would still be nice for downwind sailing in a breeze. I definitely used them on the 18 & 20.

I did have one concerning incident with them once though on the 20. The straps are adjustable and I had them set loose. Going downwind in a breeze, I had one foot under the strap. As I went into a jibe, I left my foot in the strap so I wouldn't slide off the boat. Unfortunately, as I rotated around to cross the boat, my foot didn't come out and instead the strap wrapped around my ankle. So then I was stuck half on the low side going downwind in a breeze. I managed to get out (I think I had to jibe back), but I tightened the straps after that.

sm

What about foot straps on the rear corner of wings? We had them on our Hobie 17's, then took them off. Did not use too often, and did not want to break foot, or get caught in them if going over.

From a racing standpoint, a footstrap on the rear corner of the wing would be basically useless. Since close reaching legs are all but gone, it would virtually never get used. For hot-doggin' it could be helpful.

I have thought about having a footstrap somewhere near the middle to slightly aft of middle on the wing. That would be helpful going upwind in rough water. My dilemma is that the wings come from the factory "sealed". So I'd rather not put holes in them until I know they leak anyway.

sm

Well, we have scrapped our hiking straps. We found that we almost never used them. Upwind in conditions where you could use them to hike the boat down I prefer to concentrate on my steering and let my crew trim the boat down. My crew is 1.97m tall, so he do a lot for our stability by just bending his knees or straightening up. Or I go out on the wire and let him pop in/out.

Downwind they could be useful to keep the skipper in position, but we found that they was not really neccesary. BTW: We dont have footstraps for the crew at the transoms either. Crew has learnt to stay in place anyway, and his verbal feedback keep my helming more controlled (read: not as erratic and fast helming). Only needed footstraps for him once the last season, and that was becouse I misjugded the conditions and buried the lee bow. The flat decks on the T make it stop really fast when you do that..
We sail both distance races and windward/leewards, and dont miss the hiking straps.

Maybe on that big stable T, but the first thing I do downwind in big air/rough water on the H20 is dig under the strap. When the bows dig, if I'm not locked in and slide forward, at a minimum the boat digs deeper and takes longer to pop up; at worst it doesn't pop up. I've only pitchpoled 4 times in 12 years, but I've caught lots of fish on the tramp from sudden stops :-) I did have one case where I was letting a newbie steer and the boat went over, and he was hung up until I came and helped him get out. The boat was in the process of turtling (slowly); that could have gotten ugly.

Besides, where do you wedge the spray top when the wind dies and you start to sweat to death?

I like having the hiking straps on the T, but I don't ever use them for the intended purpose. when you have the kite up and its windy enough to be sitting up the top near the skipper, but not yet enough to be on the wire - I like to hook my rear foot under the strap and then support my front foot on top of the the strap (well side on) it allows you to keep enough weight over the side and stops you from sliding back down the trampoline if you hit a wave or lose your grip. they are also handy to steady yourself when you have weight foreward down to leward on the lighter days.

what a coincidence you show that particular boat in your photo, as we had the owner of CRO 2 over for the aus nationals just recently (there are only 2 in croatia) he did quite respectably placing 8th overall seeing as he'd never sailed a T before, borrowing a refurbished reg white boat and bringing the sails from his new marstrom.

I have put wings on my Taipan and am intending to put hicking straps on the wings so I can use my weight in the same way I have without wings. Are there none at all on the H17?

I have footstraps and the very back of wings at the 45 degree anagle on my 17.

Doug

Nice picture but I’d hardly call that an entanglement. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> It’s a non issue. However removing the righting straps could indirectly cause “loss of boat” and that would be a hazardous situation well worth avoiding. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

looks like he has already grabbed the boom and is intent on finding an entry space. The foot will not catch and no biggie.

Looks like Bundy and Ashby agree with the rest of you, hiking straps are nice to have <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

(Picture from the recently finished Princesa Sofia Trophy regatta. Ashby main and jib, but still Gran Segel spi..)
Ref: http://www.trofeoprincesasofia.org/gallery/IMG_0140%20copia.jpg


Shoom,
cool to hear some background info on CRO-2. Boat dont look like a new Marstrøm (centerboards, tramp-lacing hook missing, a bit worn paint, holes for the old rig in the mainbeam etc.). Wish I could afford a trip to Australia for a bit of sun and some good sailing! Attached is a picture I shot in our garden just today..

Using the hiking straps last year in the Oxford race would have saved a very nice finish for us. I was comfortably sitting on the rea quarter driving downwind, Alec on the wire, having a nice day a 20+ when I simply lost balance from a wave and went off the back of the boat. If I had at least had a foot under the strap I would've stayed on and saved a DSQ after getting separated from the boat.

I also use them in conditions where trapping is too much - as a true hiking strap. We're now in the process of putting them on the bottom of the tramp for handholds after a capsize...