Hauling Ropes with No (Almost) Grip Strength
Posted by chrisevilgenius@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 26 comments
Hi,
Weird one for you, but I feel sailing will be the go to place for pulling on ropes!
I just started teaching a guy costal soaring (paragliding) and he's great but he lost all the fingers on his right hand in an industrial accident. He has had a graft with two "little" fingers replaced and they have some utility but not much grip strenght. For a lot of the exercises this has little or no impact and I think this guys can for sure fly! When gathering the wing in after dropping it there is still a lot of tension on the lines and power in the wing, this is a challenge for him. He struggles hauling in the lines hand over hand.
I wonder is there is a friction "cleat" glove that you guys have invented for adaptive sailing that could help my student. Any other ideas?
Thanks!
Mynplus1throwaway@reddit
Is one hand good? I'd look at climbing devices like a grigri or something
Brave-Entrance7475@reddit
Run the line in an inverted U around the wrist.
Should be doing this anyway.
Grip is not a factor. Leave it to arms and back.
Vast_Worldliness_328@reddit
A “KJH Jaws Handle” might work… https://www.fisheriessupply.com/karver-kjh-jaws-handle/kpf840020y
MissingGravitas@reddit
Didn't know this existed, but was picturing something similar: a cam cleat that can be strapped to the hand or wrist, with a loop past the elbow, so that the force is applied by the arm and cams rather than the fingers.
chrisevilgenius@reddit (OP)
I’m wondering if it could be sewn into the leather palm of a glove?
chrisevilgenius@reddit (OP)
That’s cool will look into it!
SailandFly@reddit
Hi, I am also a paragliding pilot. The simplest solution for your problem (hauling in lines after landing in some wind) I can think of: use the inside of the elbow of the "bad hand" as a friction stop. First grab the lines with the good hand, guide it between Bizeps and underarm of the bad side, then lock the lines in place by pressing underarm to biceps. While locked you can grab more line and repeat.
chrisevilgenius@reddit (OP)
This is pretty much what we were doing it works but in high winds was a lot of hard work!
SailandFly@reddit
Other than that, stand in the lee of your glider while hauling in the lines. A technical approach could be increasing the grip of the inner elbow with some rubbery material. I am thinking of a rubber neoprene sleeve or something like that. If he is wearing a windproof hardshell jacket, the method I mentioned before is hard.
202markb@reddit
I’ve had carpal surgery on both sides and both my thumb joints, according to my doctor “look like bombs went off inside of them”. I’m gonna remember what you said, and thank you for the advice, even though it wasn’t meant for me.
fishbellyblack@reddit
We all wish him and you the very best but I’m not sure we can help apart from suggesting a powered winch and a 12v battery
chrisevilgenius@reddit (OP)
More power for the win!!
Monkey_Fiddler@reddit
a climbing group might be helpful. I can imagine a device that lets you grip by changing the angle, or something attached to you but I haven't seen one for sailing. We mostly use pulleys, cleats and winches attached to the boat rather than anything attached to the person (aside from regular gloves)
Something like an ascender maybe, it would mean you're gripping a handle rather than the rope which might be easier, or might be easier to attach one to a glove or strapped to a wrist or something.
chrisevilgenius@reddit (OP)
Good idea
Necessary-Apricot339@reddit
'Jumar' for the win.
Good suggestion, maybe anchored by an upper torso harness. ✓
bagpilot@reddit
As a PG pilot I'd suggest you reach out to Chris at Project Airtime as they have alot of adaptive pilot training experience and they will likely have a solution.
chrisevilgenius@reddit (OP)
Thank you
Lumpy-Sea-388@reddit
Call a PT/OT at the hospital. They quite likely have some adaptive equipment ideas.
obiwan_too_tree@reddit
Can you use a larger size diameter line ?
obviousocean@reddit
Here for answers. Mostly race on a Melges 24 and have occasional arthritis flair ups in my hands which I know are only going to get worse.
jamesjgriffin@reddit
✊🏻
vanalden@reddit
There will be a pair of pliers for this. I'm visualising a pair with wide jaws that have aggressive teeth and are spring loaded to be normally closed. Your student's 'fingers' need to be strong enough to open the pliers, which then close when released and hold the lines that need to be pulled. The pliers are strapped to his arm for pulling.
I've seen battery powered secateurs. Something like this but with flat jaws could be useful.
DarkVoid42@reddit
exoskeleton probably
vulkoriscoming@reddit
He could use a block and tackle to increase the mechanical strength of his pull at the cost of pulling more line. This is a traditional way of increasing strength on sailboats.
The sheet is run through a block down to block attached to the stern and back up to a block next to the first block and then down. This gives you a two to one mechanical advantage at the cost of pulling twice as much rope. Essentially he will need half the grip but need to pull twice as much distance. This should work fine for him.
Objective-Case-391@reddit
Adapted sailing: I’ve watched 1-armed sailors sailing and some are, “biters.” They bite the sheet then use the stump of their residual /weak arm/ hand to help coil in excess lengths or rope, maybe clamping some rope against their body. Then they bite the next length of sheet & coil, repeat.
Am not sure if pressure on sheets in paragliding is stronger compared to sailing small boats. This is a question for adaptive /inclusive sailing & paragliding.
Sh0ckValu3@reddit
I'm not sure if this is helpful or not - but I can def tell the difference in grip strength needed depending on what material my glove palms are made out of. I know some sailors swear by the old "atlas" rubber palmed gardening type gloves. I've used those and they provide excellent grip. Way too much in my usual position as a spinnaker trimmer (I need some slip so I can ease things smoothly. Rubber won't let me do that - ) . I prefer a leather-like finger+palm material as it provides "good" grip, but I can also loosen my hands to let it slide.
I have no experience with adaptive-stuff though, so .. maybe not helpful. not sure.