Trapeze (surfing)

In windsurfing, a trapeze is a wide belt system that is fitted with a hook on the front. The trapeze is used in windsurfing to relieve the muscles of the arms. To do this, the hook is attached to the rope attached to the boomhung. A tensile force is exerted on the sail with the body weight via the harness, the harness ropes and the boom, which counteracts the wind force. The boom is connected to the surfboard via the mast. By “hanging” on the boom, you can stand in the foot straps and apply dosed pressure to the mast foot and thus put a load on the front part of the surfboard. This type of weight shift through the use of a trapeze allows the windsurfer better control over his surfboard and thus higher planing speeds.

The trapeze was invented in 1974 in Kailua , Hawaii . One of the first to see the benefits and use Trapeze was the American windsurf idol Robby Naish .

Trapeze are made of different plastics. The mostly metal harness hook is tightened with several straps on the harness that is looped around the body. The harness hook usually has a quick-release fastener to make it easier to put on and take off the entire harness.

Depending on the field of application and personal preferences of the athletes, seat harnesses, hip harnesses or chest harnesses are used, the latter being rare today. The types of trapezoid differ fundamentally in the position of the hook on the body. Seat harnesses are more used by the speed fanatics and hip harnesses by the tricksters among windsurfers.

The same harnesses are used in the sports of kite surfing , kite skiing , kite snowboarding and power kiting . Similar trapezoids when sailing from dinghies and catamarans mainly by the foredeck used. But these are called trapeze pants there. The trapeze is when sailing the rope.