As many Hunter 170 (and most dinghy) owners know, it is possible to be easily overpowed and heel excessively when the wind picks up. This is even a greater problem when single-handing since moveable human ballast is limited. Assuming that in these conditions you do everything esle you are supposed to do to depower the sails (ie, flatten and reef), it sure would be nice to take maximum advantage of my available human ballast to limit heel. The factory configuration of the H170 obvioulsy doesn't provide hiking straps to sit on the gunwale or a trapeze to hang out. I haven't felt comfortable sitting on the gunwale without hiking straps. My question is: does anyone have experience a) single-handing the H170 while hiking out on the gunwale (with or without straps or trapeze), b) adding hiking straps, or c) adding a trapeze? If so, how did you install these items and how did they work for you (or if you hiked out without additional items how did you do it and how did that work)? I'm not sure the stock tiller extension is long enough to do this effectively even if you can brace yourself? Your input would be most appreciated!
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I'll take "hiking" for $200, Alex
My old Missile (16 ft planing dinghy) had the same problem. I ended up making my own hiking strap using a motorcycle tie-down from Home Depot. It was one-inch webbing with steel hooks at both ends and a ratcheting mechanism in the middle to adjust the length. The rear hook went over a loop of 3/8 dacron line (old mainsheet) that I ran through the limber holes in the bottom of the aft cockpit bulkhead. The forward hook went over a second loop of line tied around the mast compression post under the deck. I squeezed the hooks on a vise so they wouldn't slip off the lines. It was ugly, but sturdy enough for my weight (I'm on the wrong side of 250 lb) Total cost: $5.99 + tax. I sailed an H170 once so I know there aren't a whole lot of places to secure a hiking strap. However, if you look around you should be able to find something. If you use padeyes, make sure they're through-bolted (not screwed) to something solid, and use backing plates. Happy hiking. Peter H23 "Raven"
My old Missile (16 ft planing dinghy) had the same problem. I ended up making my own hiking strap using a motorcycle tie-down from Home Depot. It was one-inch webbing with steel hooks at both ends and a ratcheting mechanism in the middle to adjust the length. The rear hook went over a loop of 3/8 dacron line (old mainsheet) that I ran through the limber holes in the bottom of the aft cockpit bulkhead. The forward hook went over a second loop of line tied around the mast compression post under the deck. I squeezed the hooks on a vise so they wouldn't slip off the lines. It was ugly, but sturdy enough for my weight (I'm on the wrong side of 250 lb) Total cost: $5.99 + tax. I sailed an H170 once so I know there aren't a whole lot of places to secure a hiking strap. However, if you look around you should be able to find something. If you use padeyes, make sure they're through-bolted (not screwed) to something solid, and use backing plates. Happy hiking. Peter H23 "Raven"
P
philippe lesage
hiking straps and trapeze
hello also on my 170 I had the same problem. I installed the straps as follows; the material is the textile as an safety belt in a car. on the front it is attached there where those plastic storage nets are hanging on. The straps are fixed together on the back on the bottom there on the handhook. It has to be tensioned weel, so that you can easily hook in. In ruffer winds it will not be enough. Than a trapeze is required. Attach the trapeze in the mast together with the other steel cables. Down, the added steel cables has to be connected with eachother by an elastic through the front of the ship (again at the bags) Don't forget to place anti slip material there where your feet are standing. Now the boat is much more comfotable to sail with. Even instronger winds. Very important is the general trim. 1 Mast must heel 10-15 degrees to the back 2 Install a Cunningham hole in the mainsail 3 Flatten the main as much as possible (often the plastic lat in the top of the sail is tensionned too much) 4 Keep the jib very tensionned and ease with the main, if not, then in wind gusts turn each time softly windwards. So you can keep the 170 in the hand all the best and please contact
hello also on my 170 I had the same problem. I installed the straps as follows; the material is the textile as an safety belt in a car. on the front it is attached there where those plastic storage nets are hanging on. The straps are fixed together on the back on the bottom there on the handhook. It has to be tensioned weel, so that you can easily hook in. In ruffer winds it will not be enough. Than a trapeze is required. Attach the trapeze in the mast together with the other steel cables. Down, the added steel cables has to be connected with eachother by an elastic through the front of the ship (again at the bags) Don't forget to place anti slip material there where your feet are standing. Now the boat is much more comfotable to sail with. Even instronger winds. Very important is the general trim. 1 Mast must heel 10-15 degrees to the back 2 Install a Cunningham hole in the mainsail 3 Flatten the main as much as possible (often the plastic lat in the top of the sail is tensionned too much) 4 Keep the jib very tensionned and ease with the main, if not, then in wind gusts turn each time softly windwards. So you can keep the 170 in the hand all the best and please contact
J
JBR
Philippe, a few questions...
Philippe, you are so kind to share your experience. As far as I can tell, you are the only person fearless enough to make these additions for heavy air sailing and push this boat to it's limits. I'm still trying to understand exactly what you did so I can try to be as brave as you. A few clarifications would be most appreciated. Regarding the hiking straps: 1) You attached the foreward end on each side to the eyestrap for the sheet bag. I would assume these eyestraps were not intended to take a load so probably are not backed with wood or plates. Have you found that they are study enough attachment points or did you have to reinforce them? How much do you weigh? I assume you connected to them using a shackle? 2) Could you instead have used the chainplate on each side for the forward attachment? The advantage is that these will take tremendous loads. Also, when I'm singlehanding, I'm always sitting aft of these. 3) I'm not clear on aft attachemnt - are you saying you attached to the rear cleats on each side? The rounded seat back just in front of the cleats is in the way - do your straps pass above this or in front of this (ie, to the midline of the boat)? Do you have two separate straps or did I understand you to say that you have one strap which loops around the aft cockit through the aft cleat on each side? What is the advantage to looping it rather than having two independent straps? 4) When you say "hook in" do you mean with your feet or do you use a harness? Do you use the hiking strap alone when single-handing the boat? Regarding the trapeze: 1) Do you attach to the tangs just below the spreaders or did you add new tangs for the trapeze? If you used the existing tangs, did you do this by adding a shackle between the tang and the existing wire stay and then hooking the trapeze wire to this shackle? 2) How long is the trapeze wire - does it terminate well above the level of the chainplate or does it get close to the chainplate? 3) Are you saying you've hooked the two trapeze wires together via bungee cord through the line-pocket eyestraps? If so, why so far forward; why not use the chainplates instead? 4) In heavy winds, are you able to use the trapeze alone single-handing the boat or is it used only by a crew member? If you can single-hand with it, did you find the filler extension long enough? Regarding the mast rake: The forestay is fixed length. Did you rake the mast back by adding a shackle above or below the roller furling and/or by tensioning the upper wire stays? If you added a shackle, was one shackle enough to get 10-15 degrees of rake? Regarding sail trim in heavy air: I'm going to add a cunningham as you suggest. However, I'm curious how you trim your vang for heavy air. Do you ease the vang to add twist to depower the sail or do you keep the vang tight to minimize twist and fight the gusts and a powered up sail just by easing the mainsheet? If you have any pictures or a drawing I would love to see what you've done in better detail. I appreciate very much your sharing your experience with me and others. Good sailing!
Philippe, you are so kind to share your experience. As far as I can tell, you are the only person fearless enough to make these additions for heavy air sailing and push this boat to it's limits. I'm still trying to understand exactly what you did so I can try to be as brave as you. A few clarifications would be most appreciated. Regarding the hiking straps: 1) You attached the foreward end on each side to the eyestrap for the sheet bag. I would assume these eyestraps were not intended to take a load so probably are not backed with wood or plates. Have you found that they are study enough attachment points or did you have to reinforce them? How much do you weigh? I assume you connected to them using a shackle? 2) Could you instead have used the chainplate on each side for the forward attachment? The advantage is that these will take tremendous loads. Also, when I'm singlehanding, I'm always sitting aft of these. 3) I'm not clear on aft attachemnt - are you saying you attached to the rear cleats on each side? The rounded seat back just in front of the cleats is in the way - do your straps pass above this or in front of this (ie, to the midline of the boat)? Do you have two separate straps or did I understand you to say that you have one strap which loops around the aft cockit through the aft cleat on each side? What is the advantage to looping it rather than having two independent straps? 4) When you say "hook in" do you mean with your feet or do you use a harness? Do you use the hiking strap alone when single-handing the boat? Regarding the trapeze: 1) Do you attach to the tangs just below the spreaders or did you add new tangs for the trapeze? If you used the existing tangs, did you do this by adding a shackle between the tang and the existing wire stay and then hooking the trapeze wire to this shackle? 2) How long is the trapeze wire - does it terminate well above the level of the chainplate or does it get close to the chainplate? 3) Are you saying you've hooked the two trapeze wires together via bungee cord through the line-pocket eyestraps? If so, why so far forward; why not use the chainplates instead? 4) In heavy winds, are you able to use the trapeze alone single-handing the boat or is it used only by a crew member? If you can single-hand with it, did you find the filler extension long enough? Regarding the mast rake: The forestay is fixed length. Did you rake the mast back by adding a shackle above or below the roller furling and/or by tensioning the upper wire stays? If you added a shackle, was one shackle enough to get 10-15 degrees of rake? Regarding sail trim in heavy air: I'm going to add a cunningham as you suggest. However, I'm curious how you trim your vang for heavy air. Do you ease the vang to add twist to depower the sail or do you keep the vang tight to minimize twist and fight the gusts and a powered up sail just by easing the mainsheet? If you have any pictures or a drawing I would love to see what you've done in better detail. I appreciate very much your sharing your experience with me and others. Good sailing!
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