Favorite Trapeze Adjustment Line?

So yesterday my son and I are zipping along on our Tiger with me on the adjustable length crew trapeze line and all of a sudden the adjustment line came out of the cleat and dropped me enough to cause me to unhook and take a swim. I think the adjustment line is 1/4" or 5/16" Sta-set. Is there a better choice?

Thanks,

Mark

_________________
2007 Hobie Tiger

Yea, ditch the adjustment system and use a trap ring like this....



sm

I just switched the system for my trapeze setup from the stock Hobie stuff to a fully Adjustable setup using a Clamcleat 253 a low friction 14mm Antal ring and the Handle that sit right on the Clam Cleat.. Instead of reaching for a handle you simply grasp the trap line and let the bottom of you had stop on the 'handle'. It is much easier to hold onto.

The low friction ring sit where many would put a double block. In the picture below you can see the Trapeze handle is on some Grey amsteel blue hooked to the shock cord. It has about 3 inches of line before hitting a stopper to help keep it hooked if I am in and out. (like a shortened version of the stock setup under the adjustable purchase.)

I just used 3/16 New England Finish line because I had it laying around. I has yet to do anything that looks like slipping.. In fact I have the opposite problem. I must give it a tug down to get it to release as once my weight has been on it you can't pull it out without pulling it down first.

I also put a stopper knot in the line at what I think is the lowest point I will ever trap at, then I go another went another few inches and put a ball on the end of the line. This way should it go all the way down for whatever reason it is still easy to hold.


After having the system on my boat for a couple event I have no idea why more cat sailors don't use this setup as it is really common in every other class of boat with a trapeze rig. Much of my tinkering is a huge failure. This I REALLY like.


Shown at far left of picture. (haven't talked the wife into making the switch on the crew trap yet.)

_________________
www.thehobiewayoflife.com

Hi Ron,

Any chance you could take a close-up picture of your setup? I can't really see what's going on in the picture you posted.

Thanks!

Mark

_________________
2007 Hobie Tiger

I forgot I forgot to switch out this line before Nationals, and while the larger "Finish line" works better, this worked well also.. (just a bit small to hold onto and pinches even tighter into the cleat.) Pictured is just the new stock Hobie tramp Lacing on the H16 I had it in the box and used it to test the setup.

(I replaced tramp lacing with Amsteel Blue as the slick amsteel makes tightening the tramp sssooooo much easier)




The white ball in my hand has a stopper knot in it with just a tiny loop sticking out to hook up to the shock cord.



I REALLY, REALLY like this setup. Most people don't seem to even consider it just because once set they think there isn't that much need to adjust trapeze height. What I have found is now that I can easily adjust trap height I do adjust it quite a bit. When the wind lets off I can raise it way up and not be stuck in the bended knee position.. Or I can quickly drop it back down, whatever.. Sailing solo on screaming reaches I lower to be trapped out flat off the rudder casting, then raise it going back up wind trapped from a normal position.

I have yet to find a reason to stick with the stock stuff other than cost.. And really... The cleat, 25 bucks, handle, 4 bucks, and antal ring 15 bucks each(which works great I don't see the need for a double block) it is LESS than 100 bucks a pair to make IMO a quailty upgrade to the trapeze setup.







The only thing I am going to change is shortening the steel cable (I have the thimbles on both sides about 3 inches higher/shorter than stock trap cable) a bit more and putting a soft line b/t the steel and the Clamcleat. This not because the cable is hard to grip, as it is MUCH easier to hold onto then a stock handle, but because it will allow me a much easier way to adjust the height of the handle/cleat combo. In my experiment I had one just a wee bit to low from 'perfect' and one just a wee bit to high. Neither position was objectionable or harder to use than the stock lines, just that it since I have to option, I might as well have it fitted perfectly.


Seems to be popular in Europe? Although it looks like many of them actually install the handle on the bitter end of the adjuster line b/t the lower block setup and the ClamCleat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO0LkUDALNk


Wishing the class rules would allow ditching the steel entirely now that high tech line is more than up to the task.

_________________
www.thehobiewayoflife.com

Is it that different than the Hobie adjustable rig? You use some different hardware but functionally it seems pretty much like what I use. I have the Harken steel upper cleat block that Hobie sells, and I'm using a small block at the bottom instead of the ring, but I think it's the same basic setup.

Regardless, I find that I adjust it all the time. I can even raise it just to make it easier to go out, then drop it once I'm out.

The ring is probably better than the block I use. At the bottom I have those blocks with the removable sheave that Hobie sells for the traps, and it gets turned around so that the adjusting line rides on the steel strap and the trap handle hangs from the block. This is probably possible because I don't have the bottom part configured properly; I don't have those few inches of spring return in the system but rather have the trap handle directly connected to the block. I do need to correct that; without the spring return the trap can become disengaged too easily.

_________________
'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages

Yeah I don't think the metal V jam cleat setup would work near as well.. I would think it could pop out if you didn't have just the right line.

With the Clam cleat if there is any pressure on the line at all when it starts to slip it draws it further in gripping it tighter. With that small line I have pictured if I have been bouncing around on the trap it actually takes a pretty good tug to release it to adjust. Pulling yourself up is simply a matter of pulling down on the adjustment line.. It nearly cleats automatically.

I would guess the reason more people don't go adjustable is the metal cleat..


Another thing I have found... With the Trap ring/can't miss being held in a lower position, combined with the gripping method making it easier to hold your weight.. If you are in a hurry to go out for some reason, it is not only possible but quite easy to hook into your harness once you are already out.

Done by the crew in this drill.. But is easy to do as skipper also..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtUx5SEeKJQ

Now to figure out how to get a Cat to turn that fast.. (among many, many, many other things I learned I need to improve on last week at Nationals )

_________________
www.thehobiewayoflife.com

I can't say the metal one is better, but I've never had a problem; and it could be that I have the right line. It's a thin, hard line from the old-style jib halyards. Works great in the metal cleat and runs very smoothly, and it's also pretty hard to disengage. However, most people probably want to see a thicker line there and your cleat is probably nicer for that. Maybe I'll try it when I make the adjustable rigs for the crew.

I'll take a closer look at the other differences soon.

_________________
'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages

Sure... But to raise your position with the ClamCleat.. Simply pull down.. Cleating happens nearly automatically when you let go. To raise quickly pull down and then lower yourself to desired height and let go. The range of motion to uncleat and re-cleat is VERY small. If I am not mistaken the Hobie Metal V jam setup requires much more movement to release and re-cleat.

_________________
www.thehobiewayoflife.com

Are you using the steel Harken H244 block with jam cleat? The Hobie catalog says that is for 7/32" to 5/16" line but I think I am using 3/16" Robline with it.

_________________
'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages

Reason I ask is because the catalog illustrations show a cleat like Ron uses for the Double Adjustable system, and the steel v-jam cleat for the regular adjustable.

_________________
'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages