I have one set of adjustable traps on my boat that use a CL253 clam cleat down to a ronstan shock block. The bungee connects to a line and line stop before going through the shock block and to the dog bone. This sucks everything tight with exception the teeth knocking dog bone. My buddy sails with literally just a stainless ring instead of a dog bone. Does anyone else sail with a stainless ring?

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FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
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Seems like you could have the same issue with a stainless ring (hard piece of metal attached to a bungee).

I’ve used Hobie “J & H” handles for decades. They’re much less likely to do damage than a stainless piece, and are large enough to easily grab and find your harness hook without looking.

sm

I have used a similar setup for years and really like it. IMO the stainless rings are the best option because they won't fail and they stay out of the way.

I seriously dislike the coated wire handles as I've seen a couple of people get hurt because of them.

If your take up is setup properly, the stainless rings don't swing around like a dog bone does.

The only thing better is the custom trapeze setups from Nacra or eXploder (Tornado copy). These have a sheave box (two sheaves) and a trapeze handle with a top that slips up into the sheave box.

Well, one other option is a custom carbon ring in place of a stainless ring. They are super light so won't bang you up when they hit you in the face. I've actually used an aluminum climbing ring in this application and didn't have an issue but I do advise replacing annually.

I second the J+H. Very positive to grab quickly and the plastic coating means less damage if you catch one in the teeth.

wlrottge

I seriously dislike the coated wire handles as I've seen a couple of people get hurt because of them.

That's a really surprising thing to hear. Can you elaborate?

--
Southern Alberta and all over the damn place.
*
1981 SuperCat 20 "Roberts' Rockets"
1983 SuperCat 19
TriFoiler #23 "Unfair Advantage"
Mystere 17
Unicorn A-Class (probably made by Trowbridge) that I couldn't resist rescuing at auction.
H18 & Zygal (classic) Tornado - stolen and destroyed - very unpleasant story.
Invitation and Mistral and Sunflower and windsurfers w/ Harken hydrofoils and god knows what else...
--

samc99us

The only thing better is the custom trapeze setups from Nacra or eXploder (Tornado copy). These have a sheave box (two sheaves) and a trapeze handle with a top that slips up into the sheave box.

Can you direct me to a photo or diagram? I can't picture it.

--
Southern Alberta and all over the damn place.
*
1981 SuperCat 20 "Roberts' Rockets"
1983 SuperCat 19
TriFoiler #23 "Unfair Advantage"
Mystere 17
Unicorn A-Class (probably made by Trowbridge) that I couldn't resist rescuing at auction.
H18 & Zygal (classic) Tornado - stolen and destroyed - very unpleasant story.
Invitation and Mistral and Sunflower and windsurfers w/ Harken hydrofoils and god knows what else...
--

The Marstrom setup is great, but it leaves a bit to be desired in the durability department. The sheeves are just riveted to the carbon block and when the rivet fails, splash.

The Nacra setup is a direct copy, but.... It weighs three times what the Marstrom setup weighs. (Anybody want to buy a Nacra trapeze rig?)

The plastic coated wire hoops have a couple of drawbacks, first, they're big and bulky. More importantly, once they've got some miles on them and your trap hook has worn through the plastic, the stainless wire will be the next thing to let go. I've seen people hit the water when they fail.

I really like the simplicity of the setup I'm currently using, light, durable, easy to inspect and use.

Seriously though, somebody buy this Nacra setup, lol

I also have a buddy that uses simple home-fabbed SS rings. They are largish (maybe a little smaller than the J&Hs)....have to be in order to maneuver them properly. I'm pretty sure they're made from tubing (not solid), but they are still pretty heavy....can't imagine they'd be any less painful than a dogbone. I've never tried them, but he loves 'em.

Everyone talks about it, but I'm fairly certain that I have never been hit in the teeth with the dogbone. Maybe I'm doing something wrong?!!

Seems the various rings/systems all have pros and cons, and it comes down to personal preference for most folks. On my H16 I run one set of dogbones and one set of J&Hs. I go back and forth on which I hate most.....currently on the J&Hs.

--
Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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Marstrom/nacra trapeze


Mine would be the same except for a ring as the dog bone and a Ronstan shock block as the back-to-back block. I have been hit in the lip by a dog bone swinging about. Just depends if you are smiling or not. lol

--
FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
--

Well that image post did not work as planned. Here is a the Nacra setup. https://www.h2o-sensation…nacra-2000000023014.html

--
FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
--

Thanks for the link. That isn't terribly unconventional - I just hadn't seen that Nacra sheave box. It's not substantially different from the pair of back-to-back Harken bullet blocks I have, unless users report that having the two sheaves in line with each other is somehow an improvement. What I find more interesting is that Nacra teardrop+tube ring. I'd certainly be up for trying those out.

But what I don't like about that one is the same thing I dislike about the more common style like this one:

https://www.murrays.com/product/01-1130/

There's something that's always rubbed me the wrong way - aesthetically - about clam cleats out in free space vs. being bolted down to something. I just don't like it. So I use a Harken 244 (V-jam block) on top instead, which also has two sheaves, giving me 3:1 on the height adjustment rather than just 2:1 .

[edit]

Oh - I was going to add that because of that extra sheave on the top block, I had to roll my own bullet block pair out of a 224 and a 225, as the 232 doesn't have a becket.



Edited by jonathan162 on Feb 11, 2021 - 12:20 PM.

--
Southern Alberta and all over the damn place.
*
1981 SuperCat 20 "Roberts' Rockets"
1983 SuperCat 19
TriFoiler #23 "Unfair Advantage"
Mystere 17
Unicorn A-Class (probably made by Trowbridge) that I couldn't resist rescuing at auction.
H18 & Zygal (classic) Tornado - stolen and destroyed - very unpleasant story.
Invitation and Mistral and Sunflower and windsurfers w/ Harken hydrofoils and god knows what else...
--

The difference between a pair of bullet blocks and the Nacra or eXploder (marstrom doesn't make these anymore) setups is the nacra/eXploder ring slides up into the block, so it isn't flailing around. This is pretty nice-the ring is always in the same place at the same time.

I haven't seen a nacra setup fail, but they are heavy. I do expect the rivets in contact with carbon to fail on the eXploder setup at some point. Probably a good reason to drill them out and replace with my titanium rivnuts and some titanium screws now.

For the money, you can't beat a shock block+ring of your choosing.

The difference between a pair of bullet blocks and the Nacra or eXploder (marstrom doesn't make these anymore) setups is the nacra/eXploder ring slides up into the block, so it isn't flailing around. This is pretty nice-the ring is always in the same place at the same time.

I haven't seen a nacra setup fail, but they are heavy. I do expect the rivets in contact with carbon to fail on the eXploder setup at some point. Probably a good reason to drill them out and replace with my titanium rivnuts and some titanium screws now.

For the money, you can't beat a shock block+ring of your choosing.

samc99us

The difference between a pair of bullet blocks and the Nacra or eXploder (marstrom doesn't make these anymore) setups is the nacra/eXploder ring slides up into the block, so it isn't flailing around. This is pretty nice-the ring is always in the same place at the same time.

Ahhh... gotcha. I do like the sound of that - I'm going to see whether I can source these at a reasonable price. Like to give them a try.

As for the weight argument: I don't care about sailing weight (I normally respond with "if that 10 grams bothers you, go pee before getting on the boat"), but I do care about whack-you-in-the-face weight.

--
Southern Alberta and all over the damn place.
*
1981 SuperCat 20 "Roberts' Rockets"
1983 SuperCat 19
TriFoiler #23 "Unfair Advantage"
Mystere 17
Unicorn A-Class (probably made by Trowbridge) that I couldn't resist rescuing at auction.
H18 & Zygal (classic) Tornado - stolen and destroyed - very unpleasant story.
Invitation and Mistral and Sunflower and windsurfers w/ Harken hydrofoils and god knows what else...
--

Ping Will above, sounds like he has a pair he can sell.