Harness Fail

I was out sailing on the Columbia River yesterday and attempted trapezing for my first time. The harness I have came with the boat and it's old! Luckily the 1 1/2" nylon webbing sheared in two right as I was beaching! The main was sheeted in and I could have been in serious trouble if I had lost the boat... do you all have stories of runaway hobies to share?!

Looking for recommendations on a new harness. Would a rock climbing harness suffice?


https://youtu.be/j-p2mfqun2Q

Do not use a rock climbing harness. There are plenty of purpose-built trapeze harnesses for catamaran sailing in a variety of styles and price ranges. Get one that's intended for the job.

sm

See a Hobie dealer for an appropriate harness.

And yes... I have a story!

Been there... I was solo sailing when a trapeze hook failed, swam a few miles back towards shore. My boat sailed back by itself. Was warm water at least. Lucky for me someone on another boat spotted me. Would have been another half mile or so swim.

WEAR a pfd.
Keep fit, keep calm.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Yeah I suppose I should look at a proper new harness. I was just thinking since I have the spreader/hook that I could fashion one from a climbing harness or something.

And yes, this is a good wake up call for wearing a pfd. Do people ever leash onto the boat or is that dangerous if you got knocked out?

Matt- good thing your boat was headed for shore It could have ended up in Japan if pointed west on the Pacific haha. I'm so glad I didn't send my boat crashing into something or out to sea.

Not sure if you were doing it on purpose, but in the video you are sheeting the jib on the wrong side. Maybe you were trying to de-power or something. You would get better speed and sail higher sheeting on the leeward side.
I was going 21.6 knots one time with my son in law as crew. We were both trapped out when I heard a splash and over I went. I dont say we because his harness had failed and the splash was him departing the boat. At 21.6 he skipped a few times. Great stuff.

Jib was sheeted on port side... I believe that would be ideal, no?

No. It should be sheeted on the same side your boom is on, using your jib travelers and jib sheet to control the "slot" between the jib and main.

_________________
Yet another Bob!
"Firefly" - 2012 Hobie Getaway with wings and spinnaker
"Sparky" - 1978 Sunfish (OK, it's not a Hobie, but it's a fun little craft)
Too many canoes and kayaks

No. The jib is always sheeted from the side away from the wind - so if you were on port tack (wind coming over the port side of the boat), the sail would be sheeted on the starboard side and vice versa.

You want a consistent slot between the main and jib - and by sheeting on the windward side (port side in the video), you are choking the slot off horribly.

Well I'll be! Thanks for the help! I guess I've been doing it all wrong for my two seasons of Hobie sailing. Can't wait to sail correctly next year.

Guess this is what happens when I teach my self things. As a kid I taught myself to swing a bat cross handed and played several years of t-ball that way until someone pointed it out

Thanks again- JP

Be prepared, it will go MUCH faster properly sheeted!

I can't believe what a difference even proper trim on the jib makes, much less having it crossed over like you did. There are times where the boat is just crawling and with a minor jib sheet adjustment is really starts to accelerate.

Enjoy!

_________________
Steve
2017 Hobie 16 "Cayman" sails 114795
1985 & 1973? Hobie 14 "Sea & Ski"

Dang thats perfect timing to get dropped! LOL

Where on the Columbia are ya?

I had my boat sail off a beach and out into the lake by its self this year...that was not very fun.
Jib sheet tangled up...weird gust of wind...off it went without me!
It tipped over once it got out a ways into the strong wind (thank god or it would of gone all the way across the lake and smashed into the rocks), then blew back into shore down the beach a ways.

_________________
1980 H16

Glad your hobie returned safely! That was just downriver from government island beaching in Washington.

JP

Story here...In Gulf of Mexico just off of Clearwater, Fla in 20-25 knots and 4-6' seas. Flew over top of big wave crest and when boat landed in the trough.....PING. Crews dogbone snapped like a twig and in the drink he went. I was very concerned how to keep the boat flat all alone in high winds and big seas let alone tack or gybe by myself without flipping boat. Could intermittently see crew with hand up in between waves and got my bearing. Couple of deep breaths and elected to go for a precise tack in a nice trough between two big waves. Success with a lucky textbook tack! Sailed back to crew and picked him up with a big smile on both our faces. Headed back in to Caladesi and immediately had a few cold brews. Sh*t happens, be ready, keep a cool head and ALWAYS wear a good lifejacket . I imagine there's thousands of similar happen stances.

_________________
UK Wildcats have 8 now!

1976 H16 27640
1985 H16 89112