Does anyone know of an integrated trapeze harness and life jacket?

James the hopeful :)

I think those have been tried/invented but didn't turn out to be as good an idea as it sounds.

Others may have personal experience.

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

Join the discussion at the all new TheBeachcats.com Forums HERE.
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https://www.kickstarter.c…buoyancy-trapeze-harness

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David
Inter 20
Southern Maine
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https://www.bloodredcloth…sailing-trapeze-harness/

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David
Inter 20
Southern Maine
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David, thank you! Are you using it and if so, do you like it?

I asked the Spinlock rep about such a product at the Annapolis Boat Show.He didn't seem interested.
Will the product linked above have USCG approval?

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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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I went to order the Bloodred after watching the YouTube video but they don't have any medium/larges available. I recommend folks watch the video as it looks low profile and comfortable.

If it's made in England, it won't be USCG approved; CE only. Good Luck!

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Master UniRig Sailor
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Ad states that it is a ”bouyancy aid.” Unlikely that it is approved by any governing body. That said, I guess you could just stuff a USCG approved jacket in your hull and wear this if you want to still be legal.

sm

I have not purchased it. I can't justify the expense while having good harnesses and PFDs at this time. In my opinion, if the European Union has approved a PFD, I believe it is adequate. I know the USCG would disagree with my opinion. I have never heard of this level of detail actually being a problem, or European regulation/CE being reckless?

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David
Inter 20
Southern Maine
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Dogboy

Ad states that it is a ”bouyancy aid.” Unlikely that it is approved by any governing body. That said, I guess you could just stuff a USCG approved jacket in your hull and wear this if you want to still be legal.

sm

If your concern is being "legal", in a hatch is not legal
Also if you are concerned about being legal - all boats over 16' are required by the USCG to have a throwable pfd readily accessible at all times

I looked at one during a boat show a couple years ago, it looked very poorly built and in my opinion not do as good of a job as a buoyancy aid or trapeze harness.

I'll keep hoping, sailed yesterday and the separate harness and life jacket over the 2 piece kayak drysuit is ever so uncomfortable.

On another note, 1st sail with Code 0 yesterday (instead of snu launched spin). It just fits the wind ranges better as I used it close-hauled to ghost out of the harbor (where it would have been too high line for spin) and it gave the necessary juice to get home downwind at a real nice pace. I'll likely use it into higher wind ranges than the spin too.

James
H17+, F25C+

Quote

I'll keep hoping, sailed yesterday and the separate harness and life jacket over the 2 piece kayak drysuit is ever so uncomfortable.

what kinda pfd and what kinda harness?

lots of the locals wear kiteboarding harness and those have a much lower profile

Looked into this a while back that is making and selling them... you'll never get a USCG approval form a combination like this.

If someone has, good on them..

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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Delayed response since we've been without power for almost 2 days.

I have several harnesses: Hobie, Murrays, Neil Pryde, Magic Marine and they are comfortable by themselves.

I have several low profile/minimal PFDs (kayaking, wake boarding, etc.) and they are comfortable by themselves.

Put them together over a drysuit => uncomfortable and restrictive :)

James

Here's the response from David at Bloodred about USCG certification.

Our Integra harness meets 50N ISO safety rating. i believe USCG standard is 75N rating, we didn't pursue that level as the testing costs are prohibitive

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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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I think sewing a strap to a harness to strap them together at the bottom would be interesting.

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Greenville SC

Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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gahamby

Here's the response from David at Bloodred about USCG certification.

Our Integra harness meets 50N ISO safety rating. i believe USCG standard is 75N rating, we didn't pursue that level as the testing costs are prohibitive

When I was looking into this I had contacted a company - Jobe in Florida. They are big in other water-sports stuff and they did a lot of contract work for other brand names in the industry.

Anyway, they gave me an education on the USCG approval process. From what I remember it seems that the USCG has a mandate that a life jacket/preserver is just that and nothing else. Then there is also the liability & insurance issue and the underwriters and lawyers can be pretty tough on what they will allow.

The head scratcher here is in looking at the krap I see at the discount stores has a USCG rating, I wouldn't consider it for anything more than a gardening knee pad.

With that I would be interested in hear the feedback if anyone gets one of these. But in looking at the ISO ratings a 50N is approved for use in sheltered waters. 275N if what would need for the Santa Barbara Channel. Read on

https://www.iso.org/ics/13.340.70/x/

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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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https://www.iso.org/ics/13.340.70/x/

Great data - thanks for sharing

JohnES

Anyway, they gave me an education on the USCG approval process. From what I remember it seems that the USCG has a mandate that a life jacket/preserver is just that and nothing else.

John is correct. A PFD can only be a PFD, and if you sew anything onto it you have destroyed the integrity of it in the Coast Guard's view.
Are you gonna get pulled over by the PFD police and fined? Probably not, but there are reasons why world-wide, all manufacturers of even the high-end inflatable PFDs do not combine them with other use harnesses.

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Sheet In!
Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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