I'm reading in Sailing Anarchy that people are experiencing physical injury by pressing their gut or their back into the lower lifeline. Is this a problem on the 7.9?
https://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index ... nt-7745276
-Doug
Injury from Hiking?
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reidmefirst
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Re: Injury from Hiking?
Not many 7.9s have double lifelines from the factory. I paid to get my original factory stanchions drilled so that I could add a lower set of lifelines for example...
But yeah hiking hard on the lower lifeline (if equipped) can result in injury on any sailboat. Hiking so hard on a 7.9 is probably going to stress the deck a lot too, the stanchions and deck don't seem to really be built for it. If you hike that hard, expect intestinal injury and probably expect having to rebed lifeline stanchions more often. You're also going to kill the backs of your legs on our awesome toerail shape.
The 7.9 class rules state that crew must follow USSA Rule 49.2. 49.2 was modified at the end 2020 so that you didn't have to keep your butt 'on the deck' I guess? I haven't paid for a copy of the rules, can just read the addendum for free. Maybe the language will get revisited -- either our class rules, or US Sailing rule -- after the SA article though, in the interest of protecting people from themselves.
But yeah hiking hard on the lower lifeline (if equipped) can result in injury on any sailboat. Hiking so hard on a 7.9 is probably going to stress the deck a lot too, the stanchions and deck don't seem to really be built for it. If you hike that hard, expect intestinal injury and probably expect having to rebed lifeline stanchions more often. You're also going to kill the backs of your legs on our awesome toerail shape.
The 7.9 class rules state that crew must follow USSA Rule 49.2. 49.2 was modified at the end 2020 so that you didn't have to keep your butt 'on the deck' I guess? I haven't paid for a copy of the rules, can just read the addendum for free. Maybe the language will get revisited -- either our class rules, or US Sailing rule -- after the SA article though, in the interest of protecting people from themselves.
Re: Injury from Hiking?
Thanks for that. I didn't know most 7.9s don't have lowers, mine does. Scanning photos on this site it wasn't easy to see what is "typical" hiking practice. But the problem probably can happen to the unwary. I agree that concern over stressing the stanchion base attachment (thus inducing water intrusion into the deck ) may be a factor that has boat owners not allowing crews to hike in an unsafe manner. Thanks again!