"Taking a Spin"

Some things you just can't believe were caught on film.



(click for big version, takes a while to load)

Here's the whole series, starting at the "uh-oh" moment - click on the pic for enough resolution to see the panic.

http://share.ovi.com/media/Fleet72.Stev ... 580?sort=2

(photos (c) A. Aplin)

_________________
Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
http://www.hobiefleet72.org
http://www.div4.hobieclass.com/

That's scary - it looks like his trapeze hook got caught on the bridle wire.

That's ususally a prelude to a drowning.

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http://hobiebob.blogspot.com/

I forwarded the link to these pictures to all my fellow cat sailors at our club, Kanata Sailing Club, to warn of the potential dangers while hiking out. We often refer to hiking harnesses as 'diapers'.

This is the best reply so far:

"John:

This brings back memories of my personal scary journey to the other
side of the jib with you at the helm some five years ago.

It's a tribute to your superb skill that we did not capsize and my
luck that my trapeze hook did not get caught on the bridle, (nor did
you fall overboard as the video showed).

I still remember you shouting when the cat recovered from its attempt
to submarine, "Henry, where are you?" And me shouting back, " I'm
behind the jib."

Yes, that was the last time I wore diapers. I have since trapezed
without them and risked being catapulted into the soft H2O or the mainsail.

And I still don't understand why anyone would trapeze without a
helmet, except you! Stupidity?

Henry"

BTW, Henry recently celebrated his 68th birthday by sailing around the aptly named '12 Mile Island'. Go Henry Go.

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2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

That actually wouldn't have helped - he didn't get his hook caught on the forestay, it was just still hooked on the trap and he went around the forestay.

If he had been in the water he would have been fine - the only reason he couldn't get loose was because he had nothing to support himself from.

Everyone was ok, so I don't feel bad laughing about it, but the danger is there.

Now if someone can find that photo series from a few years ago (Tiger NA's or F18's I forget) where the Tiger stuffed it and the crew went alllll the way around and landed back on the tramp on the other side...

_________________
Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
http://www.hobiefleet72.org
http://www.div4.hobieclass.com/

I went through the high-res sequence. It's hard to tell if he in fact had his hook on the bridle wire. He went under the bridle, then up, so it may just be tension on the wire holding him there. I'm sure he was pretty freaked out - which doesn't help in trying to get free.

I did notice that the driver never let the traveller out on his "rescue" mission. That could have been fatal - there's one photo where he's out on the bow, the rudders are up out of the water and the boat looks like it's on its way to a pitchpole.

That was Olli and Kelly Jason at the '05 Tiger Worlds:






When Kelly landed back on the trampoline, Olli said, "Where've you been?"

Still one the BEST photo sequences of the "flying trapeze"

Thanks Matt, that's awesome!

_________________
Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
http://www.hobiefleet72.org
http://www.div4.hobieclass.com/

Can anyone recommend these ball key systems? There are dozens of boats on the beach where I sail and I have never seen one ball key system in use. Obviously the hook is a little more risky but wouldn't one simply unbuckle their diaper or harness if tangled in the rigging? Seems like the main advantage to ball key is not getting whacked in the teeth with swinging dog bones.

It sounds simple, but try doing it when you're being held under water.

So you are using them then? I'm looking for a recommendation. I just wonder what the downside is other than limiting the use of my harness to my boat only. (An acquaintance of mine just punched a hole in his carbon fiber A-cat with the hook.)

Sunvista I use them on my boat and really like the system. I have used the cant miss balls as well as the cant hurt balls which are the boat now. They are very easy to get hooked and unhooked and have never had an accidental unhook. The only issue I have with the system is that the other people I sail with do not use them and I have to change out the spreader on my harness to the hook when I go on their boats. The carbon fiber spreaders adapt to the Hobie harness with no problems and I really like crawling back up on the boat and not having a hook gouging the boat. I highly recommend them!!

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07 H16
Sail No. 110387