hiking strap on '66 fish

S

svlittlewing

New Member
I'm installing a hiking strap on my '66 Sunfish. All of the diagrams I've found show the aft mounting on the lip of the storage compartment, which I don't have. I've never seen any measurements (or discussions about them) for how high the front of the strap should be mounted either, just rough pictures. Since I can mount mine at any height, does anyone have any thoughts on the "perfect" height?

randy
 
You will need to put a backing plate behind the eyestraps that attach to the aft wall of the footwell. To this will require a an inspection port to allow you access this internal area of the hull. if you dont have a inspection port installed in the aft section of the boat I woudl suggest you place it on the aft wall of the foot well abd then you will mount the eyestraps with interior backing plate just below the inspection port. Good luck.
 
I never could see the need for a hiking strap if you can put your feet under the cockpit lip. Why go through all the trouble of adding one? Is a strap needed for people under a certain height? I can get my butt in the water if I need to. I'm 6' tall. Am I missing something?

Fred
 
Sure, height makes a difference, and before the strap was class legal (and now standard on a new boat), various "hook your feet" methods were used. The strap is much more comfortable, and if you consider that your feet are at the center of the footwell with a strap, those few inches can make a big differance in heavy air! You can hike out well onto your thighs (padding or hiking pants make it more comfortable)

If you sail recreationally, or only in light wind conditions, it's definitely overkill to bother retrofitting a boat. But its worth trying out a friend's boat with strap someday to see how you like it!
 
oh, thanks Dphoye, I responded to Fred and didn't acknowledge your response to my original question! I realize the need for the inspection port, and your suggestion to mount just under makes sense, that's pretty much what I'm planning.
I just wondered if mounting the aft end low was a function of performance or necessity for those who have the storage cubby. In other words, would it be better to actually mount it higher since I can. Obviously it would be easier to get your feet under, but also in the way more. I was just hoping someone had tried it in an older boat, or some serious racing sailors had spent hours with a calculator arguing the relative benefits of various heights (somebody seems to have thought out most things like this :D )!
 
svlittlewing said:
oh, thanks Dphoye, I responded to Fred and didn't acknowledge your response to my original question! I realize the need for the inspection port, and your suggestion to mount just under makes sense, that's pretty much what I'm planning.
I just wondered if mounting the aft end low was a function of performance or necessity for those who have the storage cubby. In other words, would it be better to actually mount it higher since I can. Obviously it would be easier to get your feet under, but also in the way more. I was just hoping someone had tried it in an older boat, or some serious racing sailors had spent hours with a calculator arguing the relative benefits of various heights (somebody seems to have thought out most things like this :D )!
Click to expand...

Since you have leeway, I would put the attachment point about 3/4 of the way down. As mentioned, one important point is to get your feet under the strap with ease; therefore your shoe size is of some importance.
Consider that you will have to step over the strap during tacks and jibes. and that you will be in the back of the cubby during those moves. Therefore, it's more convenient to have the strap relatively low down there and higher up front where you are supposed to be sitting while hiking upwind. It's really what's convenient for you. Maybe you can try out the standard (showroom) strap on somebody else's fish and see if you like it.
As an aside, the Laser hotshots actually adjust the strap while racing (with a somewhat complicated contraption), but I haven't seen Sunfishers do that and I don't even know if that would be class legal.
 
I have also seen installations with both ends mounted low and a short piece of bungee cord looped around the mainsheet block and under the strap to raise the forward end. I am guessing that by unhooking the bungee, the strap can lay on the cockpit floor during light air, out of the way, yet still be available if needed. Thoughts?

I am about to install a strap myself in my '69 SF and am glad you raised the question as to location. I am of the old school and have used the cockpit lip to hike out, not only on the far side, but hooking both the forward and aft lips, almost to the center. This is one reason I wear sneakers when I sail and do not go barefoot anymore (my toes have suffered enough). I can see where the strap would be more comfortable and allow my weight to be a few more inches forward than with the cockpit lip hook.
 
yah, I've tried the fore and aft foot hook too, not very comfortable, especially in any waves! The strap is more forgiving. The "both ends low + bungie" seems logical, especially since it's the fore end of the strap that needs to be accessable.
 
Oh, by the way, I asked the same question on the Yahoo! group, and anyone interested can check out that thread as well . . . basically same ideas though
 
A couple of things to consider...

...when I added the strap to the 2 60's vintage baots I have restored I pretty much copied the attachment locations of the new boats from Vanguard. You can adjust the height of the strap by easing the tie on line at the aft end. If you mount the forward end to high it will be very difficult to get the strap any lower becuase there is nothing to help you pull it down besides gravity. If you just allow it to flop around then you will eventually probably miss it with you foot when you need it and it up in the drink.

...also mounting it lower takes advantage of the of the extra structural properties of the footwell floor becuase o fthe 90 degree turn from vertical to horizontal. The high you mount the hiking strap plate the more flex and wear you are going to impart on the vertical portions of the footwell. Hopefully I have explained this well.

...my opinion is lower is better for strength and adjustability.

Oh and BTW...there is a company called Fabricraft that makes a very nice Sunfish hiking strap. Do a search on the internet and you should be able to locate . Sorry I dont have the info handy.
 
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