Harness for hobbie 16 :: Catamaran Sailboats at TheBeachcats.com

Harness for hobbie 16

samme48

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Aug 03, 2014

Last visit: Aug 03, 2014

Posts: 1
Posted: Aug 03, 2014 - 12:12 PM

Hey guys,

I am new on this forum and have a quick question.
We bought a hobbie cat 16 Carumba on holiday this year, and are getting comfortable with sailing it.
We are now ready for the next step wich would be sailing with a harness on.
Wich harness(waist or seat)_ would you recommend and why? We both are windsurfers so it would be nice if we could buy a harness for both windsurfing as cat sailing!

I hope you can help us out!
Cheers,
Samme

PS: We would be my brother (15) and me (17)
pbegle

Rank: Mate

Registered: Mar 12, 2003

Last visit: Feb 19, 2021

Posts: 879
Posted: Aug 03, 2014 - 01:16 PM

Depends on whether you have dogbones or Can't Miss (round) trap handles on end of harness lines, but I like butt buckets with a spreader bar. Squeeze the spreader bar hook closed in a vise and then it works on dogbones or on windsurf harness lines. But for better safety use the Bethwaite system at double the price. Pete
yelkenli1

Rank: Mate

Registered: May 31, 2011

Last visit: Dec 17, 2023

Posts: 126
Posted: Aug 03, 2014 - 05:06 PM

I have an old butt bucket type harness with the spreader bar that I used for windsurfing. It's hook is a bit open, so I understand why pbegle recommends to squeeze it closed. Mine is not squeezed closed. Several adults and children have used it with no problem on the H16 trap. I have the 'can't miss' trap handles on my boat.

My only concern with squeezing it closed is the safety issue. in one of the upcoming years where I am not replacing other major hardware, I might buy the Bethwaite attachments.

Edited by yelkenli1 on Aug 03, 2014 - 06:07 PM.

--
Ted
Hobie 16
South Carolina Lake sailing
--
Andinista

Rank: Mate

Registered: Aug 18, 2003

Last visit: Dec 13, 2023

Posts: 880
Posted: Aug 03, 2014 - 06:49 PM

Seat harness. I guess there are less forces involved and it's more comfortable. The wire pulls perpendicular to your body. On windsurf i think it pull more upwards?
Also wear always pfd, if the boat flips it still moves faster than you can swim. See if you can right it solo too, for the sane reason.
MN3

Rank: Master Chief

Registered: Jun 20, 2006

Last visit: Apr 06, 2024

Posts: 7088
Posted: Aug 04, 2014 - 07:23 AM

DEFIANTLY get a spreader bar... otherwise your hips get squeezed

for comfort walking around land/off the harness I use the murray's 1/2 race harness

for comfort on the wire get a full race harness (has lots of back support)

Lots of guys use dakine kite harness on cats. I dont like them because they have a very low "back" and i feel unsupported