mixmkr
Well-Known Member
Yeah...nay??.... for "serious" recreational sailing and not wanting to set my 65 yr old rumpus outside the cockpit coaming, I'm finding it more clutter than useful. My tennis shoes fit fine under the opposite side coaming.
Hiking strap
- Thread starter mixmkr
- Start date
norcalsail
Well-Known Member
The old Sunfish in Wisconsin does not have one and I push my feet into the opposite side of the cockpit and it works just fine. Last Saturday, when I took my new Sunfish out here in California, the hiking strap did seem to get in the way. Not used to it or clutter... I'm not sure yet. But I do have my boat strapped in my truck and did not get help from my Son in Law. Tomorrow, I go back to the lake and will be on the 2nd sailing trip. If the wind is up, the hiking strap may be useful-until further notice....Norcalsail.
Dickhogg
Active Member
This is interesting. Earlier this summer I experimented with getting rid of mine as I had noticed that I was able to get hiked enough in most winds with just my feet under the sill. Once it had gone though I felt kind of insecure without it. Perhaps just because I am used to a strap always being there on other boats I had sailed? It just felt disconcerting to not have a strap. So I put it back and since then have had a couple of occasions to really use it. In fact I had both feet under the strap when my mast snapped the other day. ...I was then reminded of another advantage of having a strap. they are useful for pulling yourself back in the boat from a capsize :^)
Charles Howard
Well-Known Member
The older boat have much more ridged cockpit lips than the boat with the rolled edge deck, the new lips would tear out. It is all about leverage the hiking strap gets you much farther out to keep the boat flat. I have my hiking strap up in the front with a shockcord, so it is easier to get your feet under.
Short legs 
(like mine) require a hiking strap!
(like mine) require a hiking strap!