Friction + Skin = Insufficient time sailing

OK, I think my tramp is the original (which makes it 31 years old) and I'm getting ready to replace it since it's due. I really think it's days are numbered and really don't want it's last breath to be while I'm flying a hull.

What I've begun to notice is that all my tacking and gybing results in rug-burned knees. Now, is this one of those things that develops, like a bicyclist's butt after enough time in his seat? Will my knees get used to the surface, or is there some equipment that will fix my problem?

- I think knee pads would be a bit silly, but does anyone use them?
- Is there one fabric better than another with this in mind when I replace the tramp?
-Are mesh tramps better or worse?
-What recommendations do you have?

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Fair Winds and Following seas,
Scott

TBH I prefer my mesh tramps - I am likely in the minority though since I see a lof folks talking up the vinyl. I do a lot of sailing where I come in and out of shore a lot, get on and off the boat and load others in the same way. This inevitably brings small pebbles, dirt etc onto the tramp and I found that the vinyl holds onto this stuff and makes for a very coarse ride on the knees and shins etc. Mesh seems to handle it far better. All of my cats have Mesh

Just my 2 cents Happy Friday

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1985 Prindle 16

Get a ZHIK brand set of long Hydrophobic Fleece Pants, and get a new Mesh Tramp from Atomic Tarp LLC, and you will be very glad you did.

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Every second that passes cannot be recovered, so make good use of every one of them that you have left.

I say get a Hobie tramp. It will last another 31 years and there easy on the knees.
Your tramp would of lasted longer if the previous owners had kept it out of the sun more. I have an original tramp on my 18. Its 28 years old and still in great condition, I keep a heavy duty tarp over the whole boat, and the San Diego weather is easy on the boats.

I used to have a black mesh tamp on my other 18 and I prefer the Hobie tramps.

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

Most will tell you that the mesh is harder on your knees, and the vynal is easier on them. Unless you have sand on the vynal tramp, then all bets are off. The vynal gives you a dryer ride, as waves don't come up thru, but they don't drain if you do get water on them. If you have them tight, and keep a hull in the air, none of them will hold water.

I would stick with the Hobie tramp, as they are pretty well made.

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Steve
1979 Hobie 16 "Orange Crusher"
2017 Hobie 16 "Cayman" sails 114795

Are you sliding across on the tacks or rolling under the boom? When I duck and slide, my knees take a beating, but I have gone to more of a shift and roll. I sail mostly solo and wait quite a bit before going over. I have sailed both vinyl and mesh. I have a new Hobie mesh now and I really like it. With the vinyl the water would stay on the tramp and puddle wherever you would put your weight. Now it is just gone. The mesh seems to be softer for some reason. I like it.

I use knee pads all the time. So do several of my sailing buddies. Nothing silly about it. Cat sailing requires a lot of knee action. You can get them at just about anywhere sailing gear is sold.

Thank you all very much for your responses. I appreciate all of them. I am now going to consider each. I have some time before I but a new tramp.

Speaking of which, can any one post a link with how to best tighten a tramp? I know one method must be better than another.

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Fair Winds and Following seas,
Scott

The MBounds method
http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=34849

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

I can't take credit for that - Matt Miller @ Hobie Cat told me about it.

Comes in handy when you're assembling 60 brand-new worlds boats in a couple of days.