RS Cat14XL - Trapeze & Capsize Clinics
The HSC Coop is the proud owner of an RS Cat 14XL and a Zhik T5 trapeze harness and is offering Trapeze clinics to members who dare to go out on a wire!
“Riptide” is a small racing catamaran (14 feet by 7 feet), which has a Spinnaker and a Trapeze (crew only). In moderate winds, you don’t have to trapeze to keep the boat flat - which makes it a perfect platform to learn to trapeze! At around 10+ knots of wind, the crew will likely have to go out on a wire in order to keep both pontoons in the water. Highly skilled sailors in winds of 15 knots may be able to “fly a hull” by sailing the boat on one pontoon. Fortunately, “Riptide” has a righting line if you over-cook it!
The HSC Coop purchased a Zhik T5 Trapeze Harness. In order to use the harness and the trapeze, you must take the Trapeze clinic (unless you are already highly skilled at trapping). You must also have Can2. The harness is adjustable, and should accommodate sailors ranging from an average sized woman to an average sized man. If you want to try the harness on before you take the clinic, please contact the Coop Captain. If you have your own trapeze harness (a wind-surfing harness is not adequate), then feel free to bring it.
The Trapeze Clinics are approximately 2.5 hours long, and will include some land-based instruction where you will be taught the basics of trapezing, how to adjust the height of the trapeze, how to maneuver up and down the hull, how to leverage your body weight to balance the boat, how to hook in and hook out, and how to efficiently get across the boat during a tack or gybe (while simultaneously managing the jib and spinnaker!). This will be followed by time on the Cat where Participants will take turns out on the wire. At the end of each session, there will be a capsize clinic where you will intentionally capsize the Catamaran and rightsize it. Participants are expected to bring a PFD, clothing that can get wet and shoes. A wetsuit is highly recommended - even on a warm day, the water is very cold! Participants should be comfortable in the water, be able to swim.
Prerequisite: Participants must have Can2 sailing certification.
The Trapeze Clinic is only available to members. The cost is $40 (plus GST) per person. Courses will run for 2.5 hours each, and are limited to two people per course (plus the Instructor). Participants must sign a waiver as part of the booking process.
If you want to learn a new skill, and sail “Riptide” to its full potential, then take our Trapeze clinic! There will be three 2.5 hour sessions offered on Saturday, July 26th (9:00 a.m. to 1130 a.m., 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.), as well as three 2.5 hour sessions on Sunday, August 3rd (9:00 a.m to 11:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.). Additional sessions will be added if there is demand. If the courses are full, please join the Waitlist, and you’ll be given priority for new sessions.
Click on the box below, and you’ll be directed to Campbrain (our on-line training portal). You will have to create an account (if you don’t already have one). Navigate to the Trapeze 2025 tab, and pick your session.
