Trapeze harness

That's funny I didn't see the picture either and then when I came back to the page it had appeared.

But to get back to snagging.  Yes I think you're right a rash vest over everything is probably the best way to stop snags.  I certainly wear my bouyancy under my spray top - that way it doesn't ride up and obscure my vision when I'm in the water (which is frequently). 

One day I forgot the bouyancy aid but nobody noticed and oh what a pleasure - so much easier to get up on the board from in the water.  Of course nobody will ever believe me when I say its safer without one!

I know I'm swimming against a tide here and I'll never convince the authorities but I think the safest way to go is with these rules.

1. all dinghy sailors should be able to swim
2. they should not wear bouyancy aids
3. they should not use quick release hooks

There's no standard for uick release hooks- nothing saying how much load they should be able to take, or how much load they should be able to release under.

There is, however, supposedly an ISO standard in the works. Chances are current designs may well not meet that. If they re-introduce a rule requiring quick release, then it will almost certainly be to the ISO standard.

And I believe entrapments are more likely to involve ropes wrapped round distinctly non quick release limbs or the neck. Certainly, I've always found that if I get a bit stuck during a capsize (even on trapeze boats- though for now I hike) then it's a case of freeing my legs from the mainsheet. Other experience people?

I'm pleased my "beginner's" question has started a discussion.  Windsurfing hooks work fine in trapeze loops.

So: another silly question: why the shoulder straps on sailing harnesses?  My waist harness provides plenty of back support, doesn't ride up, is almost buckle-free, doesn't need strapping round my shoulders....what do they do?

Flat, arm above head, head getting wet.

  When windsurfing, I can take weight off my feet, body vertical, so if it was going to slip it would do it then.

Hope to do quite a bit of trapezing next week, on holiday with boats, so I'll report back.

Interesting, I thought I'd get a sort of " you can't do that, the surge tickler wont attach to the snaffle grommet" kind of answer, but nothing so definite, so far.