Trapeze ?

[ColoradoDaySailer]

Just purchased an 82' DSII #12097. Has anyone set up a trapeze? Would love to get the kids out on the wire but have not come across one set up this way. Raced against one set up in Massachusetts in the 80's and found a video from Brazil but have not found anything yet on the forum...

[GreenLake]

One reason why this hasn't been discussed here much is that those racing don't usually think about this, as it's not according to class rules. But, there are many venues where you can "race what you brung", and who says you don't want to "go fast" when just having fun with the kids.

So let's hear from anybody who's done some mods in this direction.

I know some sailors here (not owning DSs, alas) who race in off-beat fun races, and who have done all sorts of not-class legal modifications to their various dinghies. Like putting spinnakers on Lasers and stuff like that. But none of them have added trapezes...

From a theoretical standpoint, I believe, you do want to put the attachment point for the trapeze close to where the shrouds connect to the mast ("hounds" in traditional nautical terminology). This means that the opposing shroud can take the righting force without the mast being bent out of column. But that's about the limit of what I think I know about the subject...

[Bob Damon]

Interestingly in Bylaw 3, there is no specific prohibition against a trapeze, however in Bylaw 1, Paragraph 7.1, trapeze equipment is specifically listed as prohibited. This will be remedied. Apart from that, I am not sure if the rigging and spars for the Day Sailer will safely support a trapeze so I would be leary of trying this. Especially on the DS II, the chain plates are secured through the side deck lip. The were originally supplied with #8 bolts to hold the chain plate down. My first DS was a DSII and while using a 130 genoa during the Miami to Key Largo Race (a race where class rules for boats do not apply), the heads of the bolts pulled off. Fortunately I had a thru deck mast and was able to tack, get sails down before significant damage was done to the mast. I subsequently purchased some heavy duty chain plates and used #10 bolts. On many DS II boats however, a deck stepped mast was supplied and if this was the case, I would have lost the mast. Don't know that I would chance it! Thanks, Bob

[GreenLake]

Apart from everything else, beefing up the chainplates is a good idea. Look in older posts for ways to do that on a DSII.

[Wroderick]

I just came across this video. These guys have a trap set up on their daysailer. You get snippets of view of their setup. Check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9msfJm7ZbEk

[GreenLake]

So, it's clearly possible, but Bob's caution on the chain plates is worth paying attention to.

[Dchap940]

A trapeze sounds like it could be fun.

As to adding extra load to the stays, my thinking is that the load would actually be reduced. This is because the higher loaded stay is on the same side as the active trapeze line. The trapeze line is pulling in a similar direction to the stay wire. So the load is divide among the stay and the trapeze.

I'm not against adding more strength to the chainplates. This would add little extra weight.

[Cliff]

I should think this should be a topic for all DS. The Uffa Fox cousin of the DS was a 19' Jollyboat which was made of molded marine plywood (extremely light) and it flew with what appeared to me as a more fragile construction than a 600# DS.

Sure was fun in the mid 60's but I may be a little old to enjoy that now.

[GreenLake]

@Dchap940: running a trapeze changes some things but not others: before the trapeze is assed the ww shroud bears more load, while the leeward one might go slack - often does in higher winds. After adding the trapeze, the ww shroud may see less tension, because it's "offloaded" by the trapeze wire. At the point where you are balancing the sail force, the leeward shroud might be slack again (just as it was when you balanced the boat by hiking out from the rail). In a weird way yo can think of the rail that you sit on as some kind of "trapeze" of its own, "held up" by the ww shroud (well the shroud doesn't hold it up, but prevents the mast from bending away from it, so same thing).

That should make the difference in loading just about as strong as the difference in wind force that you can hold with a trapeze.

This analysis does not account for dynamic loads such as falling into the trapeze as result of wave action.

[Cliff]

I saw another video on Utube of this boat. There's also a website: https://yachtscoring.com/current_event_entries.cfm?eID=1166

This site has some info on the boat it's part of a racing team Marako. It's from Arroyo PR-- DS #415, owner David Velez. This was from a Dingy regatta in 2014 (see boat #13)

Perhaps Mr Velez will share some of his rigging methods. Is COLORADODAYSAILER interested to pursue?