Attaching a Hiking strap

J

Jonbuk

New Member
I want to add a hiking strap but do not want to cut inspection ports. Could I simply epoxy a wood block onto the cockpit walls to screw the eyes too?
 
I have not seen anyone successfully install a hiking strap without cutting an inspection port. Have you considered putting the inspection port in the front wall of the cubby? It will give you access to the inside cubby wall to allow you to install the hiking strap, allow you to dry out the inside of your sunfish in between sails, and gives you a place to put a dry bag for valuables while sailing.
 
I agree with Weston, I have not seen any method to install a hiking strap without cutting in an inspection port in the front wall of the cockpit to install a good size backing plate. The fiberglass on the front wall is only about 1/8" thick and will flex with minimal pressure and won't withstand the load without either pulling out the fasteners or cracking the glass. I used a five-inch port and it gave me plenty of room to install the strap.
 
Jonbuk said:
Yes I have considered doing just that, I just wondered if the epoxy would hold tight enough so the block wouldn't be needed. I really hate to cut into this old girl if not needed.
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Cut a five-inch diameter hole in the bottom--install a large wood rectangular backing block. Seal it back up with 2-inch batten sections and resin--or use a $22 cartridge of thickened epoxy (THIXO, West 6-10, Flexpoxy).

The bottom of the hull will flex less, and nobody will know!
 
When I installed my hiking strap, I asked Ed Adams where the optimal place to put the inspection port would be. His reply was "I don't think it matters. Why don't you just bolt (the hiking strap) to the cockpit lip using the same bolts as the mainsheet ratchet?" I did and it works well.
 
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Pamderolf said:
His reply was "I don't think it matters. Why don't you just bolt (the hiking strap) to the cockpit lip using the same bolts as the mainsheet ratchet?" I did and it works well.
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Absolutely! The way I added mine to an older boat is I took the same size eye as the Harken mounted to, put it upside down under the deck on the same screws holding the Harken on above deck, and tied the end of the hiking strap to that.

Most racers want the hiking strap up high in the front anyway, and this makes it easy with no port required. Now if you have a really old boat with no storage cubby in the back, I think you need a port to mount the aft end of the strap. If you have a cubby, you just thru-bolt the cubby lip with a pair of eyes like the Harken mounts with.
 
Chris and/or Pamderolf- could you share please pictures of your hiking strap attachment? Also, what length bolt did you use for the cubby lip attachment?
Thanks!
 
Some pics of hiking strap install. Length of bolt will depend on exactly where you drill in lip. I ended up using 2 different lengths due to difference in thickness of lip at various points and hardware I had available! Longest length was 2 1/4 ".
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Thanks for all the tips, Could I attach the strap on the lip on the both sides? I do not have the cubby on my old Scorpion.
 
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Why not as long as the lip has enough depth? I'd use sizeable fender washers above and below to back it.
 
Pamderolf said:
Some pics of hiking strap install. Length of bolt will depend on exactly where you drill in lip. I ended up using 2 different lengths due to difference in thickness of lip at various points and hardware I had available! Longest length was 2 1/4 ".
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That is brilliant Pamderolf! I think you've found a great alternative way to mount a hiking strap that doesn't require cutting an inspection port. Thanks for including the great photos of what you did behind the mainsheet hook under the lip of the deck. Very helpful.

And welcome to the forum!
 
Jonbuk said:
Thanks for all the tips, Could I attach the strap on the lip on the both sides? I do not have the cubby on my old Scorpion.
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I did everything the same as Pam, and I have three more comments:
1) I removed the hook
2) I was worried that the joint/seam in the aluminum trim around the cockpit edge would saw thru the hiking strap line. So, with the hook gone, I took a plastic milk bottle, cut a rectangle from it, and poked two holes in either end so that the holes aligned with the eye straps. I then put one end between the deck eye and the deck, and then wrapped the rest of the rectangle past where the hook was, and under the deck, putting the other end between the fender washers and the bottom of the deck. That way the hiking strap line rubs against the milk bottle, not the aluminum.
3) I tied the hiking strap line really, really tight to the eyestrap, with no slack.

Regarding mounting the strap similarly to the rear of the cockpit, you can certainly do that. But I think the strap, being 100% at deck level, is going to be hard to use effectively. When you hike, your legs are going to be 100% straight, and not many people are strong enough to hike like that. Secondly, your butt is likely to be waaaay over the edge of the boat, again requiring a ton of strength when hiking, and if you hit a lull, it is going to be hard to get your body back in the boat - leading to you getting somewhat or extremely wet. I think you will want to mount the strap low in the back, which requires a port.
 
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