Hiking Straps

[Karl Teske]

Recently bought at 1972 DS II in very good condition at a very low price. Did some clean up, upgraded stays and a few other things. Have sailed twice, love the boat but need hiking straps. Was wondering if anyone has installed these and where I can get them.

[ChrisB]

Karl,

Defender Industries {www.defender.com} has 1" wide nylon webbing in 6 colors at $.49/foot.

-CB

[Karl Teske]

Great, thanks, any thoughts on installation?

[ChrisB]

Sorry but I can't help you there. I don't have them on my DS II and haven't really seen the need where I have sailed my boat. Sitting on the rail is usually enough counterbalance in my sailing conditions.

- CB

[K.C. Walker]

I used 2 inch webbing and it feels pretty good. I secured it with high-density polyethylene plastic as the hold downs with 2 screws through that, the webbing, and into the fiberglass at both ends of the centerboard trunk and then stretched out and secured underneath the thwarts. There is a little bit of slack in mine and I use bungee cords tied to each of them and stretched across the centerboard trunk, just enough to get them up out of the way. I pretty much used what Phill Root pictured in his gallery photos. Though, I took out the one that I had between the centerboard trunk and the transom because I kept tripping on it.

I really like having hiking straps. I like to make the boat plane and I don't see any other way you could do it. I spend a lot of time on the rail or beyond. Just scroll through some of these and you'll see http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/gallery/search.php?user_id=66

[Karl Teske]

Thanks for the ideas K.C.

[talbot]

I believe this has been discussed in various contexts in the forum over the years. After trying straps in a couple of different positions on different boats, I've decided I like them more outboard than inboard. Anxious about the thin cockpit floor, I mounted mine on the main bulkhead with stainless footman loops that go across the cuddy drain ports. (I can still close the drain ports with standards plugs from inside the cuddy.) Aft, they go to footman loops anchored to the reinforcing rib just forward of the drain well.
I actually reinforced that rib by going inside the hull, but that was probably overkill. The one improvement I might make is to isolate the crew/skipper portions of each strap with intemediate anchors. But it hasn't been enough of a problem for me to worry about.

BTW, it's cheaper and more practical to assemble your own straps from 2" polyester webbing and stainless sliders and buckles. They are adjustable, replaceable, and you can remove them when you want to store/clean/paint the boat.