How to Trap on a W14

[343Gatter]

Hey all,

So this may have already been covered somewhere else on this forum, being a Car forum I'm gonna assume so however I'll ask again anyway.

I'm new to this forum but not new to sailing, I've sailed big Monos and small Monos aswell as big cats and little cats however never have I used a Trapeze and Harness setup. Now the proud owner of a little W14 it comes with Trap and Harness, so I thought I'd consult the interwebs on hiking out on a trap wire before I go and do anything too special, my questions are this, is there any technique or anything I should know before giving it a go? Or is it simply act and react to the boat and wind? Does technique come naturally in the sense of it all?

I am a bit big for a W14, being a 110kg bloke, however this is just my toy for the inlet, something I can manipulate and right on my own.

[343Gatter]

Nothin'? K, thanks anyway.

[Prince Planet]

At 110kgs - you'll be needing at least 15-20 knots to get out. In those conditions be careful... there is another post explaining the dangers and the options for safer trapeze harnesses - it's worth reading...

PP

[korwich]

Gatter all I can add is due to the 14s (windy, Mari) being lower to the water you may have to trap higher than you would say with a hobie or some other class designed with trap in mind (Aclass, Taipan), n decent chop there is a really big chance of being washed off the side of the boat trapping low unless you can get that hull up out of the water, don't ask me how I know this.  I've been told by big cat sailors that I'm trapping to high, but they have'nt been washed of a Mari in big chop so what would they know.