Stirrups

If you are worried about not being able to get low enough because you keep teacupping when the wind eases, why would you want to raise yourself higher above the water by putting your feet on the side rail? Also if we are looking for the minute differences, the side rails are closer to the center than the gunnels. Another issue with using the side rails is you are more limited in where you can stand to balance the boat.

I am also a pilot and an engineer. I am very familiar with moments. In order to calculate the position with the best moment you would have to measure the angle between the mast and a line from the mast tang to the bottom of your rib cage. Whichever position had the larger angle measurement would give you the most righting moment.

I am not sure which position it is, but as you said it is probably inconsequential and I would trade off that very small moment for more flexibility in weight distribution.

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO

How would peeing in the ocean help? For one thing it would make you lighter and give you less righting moment, and also it would make the "teacupping" less pleasant.

the P is the KEY: havnt your heard the oceans are a`risin` and it aint got nuttin to do with them ice cubes a`meltin.
P=B-S~H...G/R (p equals beer minus sweat holdin on for a good ride)

John....so then you agree? When your standing on the pontoon your angle of the trap wire to mast is around 40 deg. and when you step up to the rail it increases to 42 or so. lengthing your arm a scoch (or is it scotch)
It has got to increase the moment, however slight..........z

z,

I'll say this, the only time I stand on the hull is when on a broad reach.

Close hauled I suppose you have a choice and mine is the rail, comfortable on the feet, less fatigue than the hull.

Also, if my feet are on the hull, and I let the windward hull get too low, and a big chopper wave comes along, it could knock my feet out from under me, so I stay on the rail.

IMHO, stirrups, if you want them, are for the back of the boat, ONLY.

Have Fun

_________________
hobiejohn at earthlink dot net
Fleet 297

I think a single stirrup on the rear casting would give you some stability and an easy out if you had to bail...over board