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 Post subject: Captain on the trapeze
PostPosted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 8:06 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:15 am
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Location: Indialantic, FL
Ok, so my son and I are having a blast learning how to sail the Tiger and need help with trapezing. What's the best step-by-step process for the captain to get out on the trapeze? I assume you lengthen the hiking stick first, but do you extend it all the way, and then do you reach back to the tip before getting out? Whenever I try to get out there I end up jerking the hiking stick and rudders around in the process. How do you make a smooth transition?

Thanks!

Mark

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PostPosted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:11 pm 
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Location: Jersey Shore
Takes practice. If I'm going out on the wire for the first time, usually I'll unlock the hotstick and let it extend as I stand back onto the wire, so I never move my hand on the stick. If I'm coming out of a tack, generally the stick would already be extended, so just slide my hand along it as I stand out. I find that I am constantly making small adjustments to the hotstick length as I'm sailing. I prefer to have the very end of the tiller in the palm of my hand, so if I step forward or back or make any other slight change of position, I will adjust the length.

The most important thing is to be looking at where you're going and looking at the wind coming down on you. If you are looking down at your tiller, mainsheet, or hands, your steering will be all over the place. Also make the transition on or off the wire as quick as possible. Trust the wire and harness to support you. Many people new to the trap have a lot of trouble with this and want to hang on the trap handle or have other issues trusting the harness to support them. If you're having trouble with trapping in general, get comfortable trapping from the crew position before transitioning to skippering from the wire.

sm


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 3:10 am 
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Location: Netherlands Europe
If your son is already in the trapeze give him the mainsheet
when i go out on the wire ,when i push myself away from the boat i unlock the hotstick at the same tim when i,m streched out i lock it ,and make some litle adjustments ,mostly i held the end of the joystick in my hands
When you hanging out your son can give the end of the main back so you can adjust the traveller
Mainsheeting upwind is for the crew

When i bought the Wildcat there was a long and light A cat yoystick with it ,so no more adjustments anymore

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 1:36 pm 
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Location: Indialantic, FL
Thanks guys, you've given me some things that I'm anxious to try.

Mark

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 1:36 am 
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Location: Kaneohe, Hawaii
Mark,
Glad to hear you are having fun on the Tiger! it's been a great boat for me so far.
Let me add a few things here.
I use the non adjustable trap wire with dog bones and here's the reason. Most of the time you don't have time to screw around with the adjustable trapeze so, I pre adjust the lower loop of the dog bone to be the same height as the deck when you pull down on it. That way when the water is flat or you need to get out and low I use the lower dog bone and if it's choppy or light I use the upper dog bone loop so your butt isn't dragging in the water.
If you are beginning, use the upper loop because getting out on the wire while in the lower dog bone can be a little hairy as you really drop off the side to get your weight on the wire so you can push off and out.
Have you watched any of the Rick White videos? they are basic but have some great stuff on trapezing. There is a French video, I think it's called "Catamaran". There is some excellent video on it and both are well worth watching.
Lastly there is a youtube video of a father and son on a NACRA Infusion hoisting the spinnaker for the first time and the son goes out on the trapeze to fly the chute. Very well done with explanation and steps for hoisting and dousing. search for "first spinnaker launch with my dad" its 14 minutes long.


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 4:43 am 
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Location: Greenville SC
One more tip is to go ahead and bear away a little while going out to get a little more power to going along with your extra RM.

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 2:22 am 
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Let me add a few things here.
I use the non adjustable trap wire with dog bones and here's the reason. Most of the time you don't have time to screw around with the adjustable trapeze so, I pre adjust the lower loop of the dog bone to be the same height as the deck when you pull down on it. That way when the water is flat or you need to get out and low I use the lower dog bone and if it's choppy or light I use the upper dog bone loop so your butt isn't

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 11:23 am 
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FAQ answer...

mmiller wrote:
Getting on the wire

Trapeze wires are used to hang the crew weight outside of the boats rail for more righting lever. This is high performance hiking. Crews stand on the boats rail and their bodies are straight out from the boat.

A trapeze harness is worn by the crew. The harness has a hook mounted at about the crews waist. A ring or "dogbone" is hung from the trapeze wire. The dogbone normally has a line and bunjee system that allows you to set the height of the crew while trapezed. You would sit on the boat, reach up to the dogbone and pull it down to hook onto the harnes hook. The bungee system pulls back and keeps the dogbone seated on the hook. The trapeze wire has a fixed-height handle to allow the crew to hang by a hand while getting out onto the wire or lifting back onto the boat.

Hook up (that will always get you if you forget that step). I turn a bit forward and place my forward foot on the rail. I brace myself with my aft hand on the rail behind me and forward hand on the trap handle. I ease out and over the rail till the trap wire supports my weight. I push out with my aft hand till I can get my aft foot on the rail and then extend the aft leg. Keep the forward leg more rigid and keep the aft leg bent a bit, so you don't fall forward. A wider stance is most stable. Keep your feet seperated by at least 1 1/2 your shoulder width. You get more hiking weight out further if your feet are together, but that is most unstable and more of an advanced hiking position. Try wider stances first and work your feet closer together as you get more comfortable and confident. Rougher seas and fast reaches normally require a wider stance.


How do I do it with the main and tiller? I sheet the main to power up and hold the helm on a course. Check that you are stable both on a safe course and not starting to fly the hull too much. Check for any approaching gusts!

I place the tiller on the rail just to aft of my sitting position and hold with my thumb on the rail and palm over the tiller. I turn forward and I get the forward foot on the rail, uncleat the main and place it in my aft hand on top of the tiller, on the rail (main held and course held steady) Reach for the trap handle with the forward hand then push out with the aft hand. Once my butt is over the side I grab the mainsheet again with my forward hand then push out with my aft hand I then extend the aft leg as I slide my aft hand out along the tiller. I also have to slip the mainsheet through my forward hand as I extend out.

I don't like to keep the sheet in the cleat, but will do that when the conditions are stable. Best to learn how to do it with the cleat un-done. I have been hit by puffs when in mid transition. Having the sheet un-cleated and held in my hand allows me to slip the sheet out if I have to.

You get back off the trapeze by bending your legs at the knees. You slide your aft leg onto the boat while supporting your weight from the trapeze handle with the forward hand and the aft hand on the boat's rail. Then lift your weight by the trap handle and slide the rest of the way back onto the rail.

For best stability while trapezeing, keep your forward leg nearly rigid and straight. Keep the aft leg slightly bent. If you begin to fall forward, bend your aft leg a bit. Keeping both legs straight can cause you to loose your balance and fall fore or aft.


Practice while on the beach... lots of practice. Swing around and get comfortable with the whole process.

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