December 4, 2016
Photo HV 1 "CLOWN SAILS hiking vest"
For your information: During the 2015 World Championship in Nynäshamn, Ulrich Ellerbeck (GER 42) placed a request to the AGM, then refererred to the TC, for bringing up a suggestion for a certified solution of a combination of hiking vests with an integrated floating device.
Most of the older hiking vests did and do not provide the necessary approval.
Hence, a project was started back in 2015 and then mentioned during the AGM in Copenhagen, but shall with pleasure been presented in full, here.
To start with: An example of a plain hiking vest, this one made by sailmaker CLOWN SAILS (www.clownsails.de), without floating device. This hiking vest had initially been developed for professional sailor Tim Kroeger:
Then, the project unit, which was developed in cooperation with sailmaker CLOWN SAILS and a major supplier of floating devices, company SECUMAR, in Germany:
Photo HV project "ULI" project vest
In order to continue the project with SECUMAR, we would need about 100 units to be shown interest for by boat owners, in order to get the necessary certification. Using this combined hiking vest with an integrated floating device, the user can choose between an automatic and a hand initiated function.
The cost for such vest could possibly be around Euro 390,-- or below - depending on volume of vests ordered - and the buyer would have to choose and buy the hiking bar, be it of metal or carbon, on his own.
The other option would be to combine the plain hiking vest by CLOWN SAILS (Euro 250,-- without hiking bar) or of other suppliers, with a standard floating device, for example offered by SECUMAR. This could be option 1:
Photos add-on2 & add-on3 "CLOWN vest with SECUFIT "
The SECUFIT unit is a light weight, round the neck solution and would have to be purchased on the market separately to the plain hiking vest. It is a 150 Newton unit, which can be operated automatically or by hand. The cost is Euro 195,90 online or in specialized stores.
SECUFIT
https://www.secumar.com/produkt/secufit/?v=3a52f3c22ed6
Then, option 2, is a 100 Newton unit which can only be triggered manually, the cost is Euro 96,90:
Photos add-on4 & add-on5 "CLOWN vest with SECUMAR VIVO 100"
VIVO 100
https://www.secumar.com/produkt/vivo-100/?v=3a52f3c22ed6
Now, we do reach the questionnaire part: Would all readers please give a response to the coordinators boats@5.5class.org stating their sailnumber, so that a formal count can be made on the preferences commented. If enough positive response to the integrated version (hiking vest with incoporated floating device) can be found, we would continue our conversations with SECUAMAR.
Otherwise, owners are bound to buy what is available on the market.
We woud like to count responses by 31st December 2016, at the latest.
Thank you very much for your input!