Toe Straps on a Ribtec 585

[CJL]

I`m pondering fitting some toe straps to my Ribtec 585.

I know the jury is still out about these wonderful/hideous devices but I`m quite a convert. My last boat had them and provided you use them for toe straps and not foot straps I managed fine and enjoyed the extra security.

My boat is a Ribtec 585 with under deck tanks. Has anybody retro fitted toe straps to one of these? If so can you give me any advice before I get the Black and Decker out and fit extra vent holes in the top of my fuel tank?!

Cheers people!

Chris

PS I`ve added a pic so you can see the layout. The fuel filler is under the main console seat and leads down below the deck.

[David Hickman]

Do you really need them? Apart from the slight gamble of "am I about to drill through the fuel tank?" some people find them to be a tripping hazard.

I am often out is very rough weather conditions and have never had them fitted on any of my RIBs.

I understand where the extra security feeling is, from time I have spent on the RNLI Atlantic 21's.

Just make sure if you have them then they are is a position that would suit everyone who is helming!

[CND]

Ive seen the ones that CJL has got, and quite frankly they are the gucci windsurfer velcro ones that can be shortened so short that they go flat on the deck, and lengthened to get my size 12 boots into.

The other option being the Avon ones, that are made out of rubber and where easy to get your feet into, are a potential deck-annoyance.

We had a discussion on another thread a couple of weeks ago about the use of toe-straps and i think the concensus was, that given the sort of airtime we get and the general bouncing around we do, it would be a much safer option to have them, rather than not.

Having been in the Ribtec without them, and having had a few interesting landings in the past month, i think it is probobly better to keep your feet in line with your body. Without them i think there is a tendacy to spread your feet across to the sides of the boat. I think that if you had an unhappy landing this is may cause your back and hips to twist more and take more of a weight bearing, resulting in back injury.

When i have landed sideways in a boat, with feet in the toe straps, i have rolled with the rib, rather than trying to stay upright, or falling down between the tube and the console, which is not generally desirable. I think that trying to keep your body straight is the main thing.

The risk of ankle injury is of course still a factor, but providing you have adequate footwear and your feet well into the straps, i dont see it as risky as skiing.

Having said all of that, and having repeated to CJL the other day, toe straps are as far as i would go, the day that four-point harnesses come into play and bucket seats i think i will be taking things a little too seriously, mind you, i bet its going to happen..........

[CJL]

Thanks for your comments so far guys but I`ve made the decision to fit them and I`m just wondering if anyody else has tried it.

I will contact Ribtec in the morning as they will probably know the definative answer. They will probably say drill away but I just wanted to check. If any has done this please let me know as what the engineer says can be different from what the man on the ground doing it says, if you now what I mean!

Thanks guys

Chris

[Biggles]

CJL

Could you point me in the general direction of where you can purchase the toe straps?

Many thanks in advance.

[pmorgan]

You could try the guys at boardwise, http://www.boardwise.co.uk/. They might be able to supply you with some windsurfing type foot straps.

Our new rib has them fitted and I do like them, but don’t forget your passengers as they might like some to !

[The Jackeens]

Very helpful contribution to the footstrap thoughts...
Especially CND's summary.

Quite like bucket seats tho'

missus

[Jelly]

Hi Chris
Watch outwhere you screw them down - do you remember Ross' first rib, this had tow straps retro fitted. Unfortunatly the screws went through the deck and out the hull !! not prity!!
Jelly

[CND]

CJL, i am wondering if you can buy some sort of expanding bolt? I think that would be much better than some beefy self tappers?

[tue]

The floor on my Ribtec is 18mm plywood so you should be ok fitting with some short self tappers, but I wouldn't rely on them to hold you to the boat.

I was going to fit them to mine but having used it without I think they I would not use them as I tend to like to move my feet around depending on sea conditions.