Sea Legs are an experimental strategy I created to solve an issue I was having with awkward option Normally I like to place trades with 45 but occasionally the monthly cycles will be just a bit too close, or too far away – nothing near the 45-day sweet spot.
This strategy is essentially a calendarized utilizing with separate dates. It is intended to reduce risk and maximize credit collection within a high environment with heavy Sea Legs are established by selling 1 30 DTE, 16-20 alongside a 60DTE 25-30Δ option. The should be placed on the side with the greatest
-1 30DTE 16-20Δ (Placed on side with greatest velocity of risk)
-1 60DTE 25-30Δ
Theoretically, in the event of implied volatility expansion, the front-month put shouldn't be as affected by vega as it would have been in the back month. If the front month leg is it may be possible to for heightened before it becomes necessary to the untested side closer to the money. On the flip-side, if the back month is tested, the later dated option should be more effectively hedged by volatility contraction due to heavier back-month vega. The untested side can then be rolled out and closer to ATM if necessary.
There are two variations of this strategy, used in different skew environments: and Beware that most brokerages will probably force you to commit double the because you have short legs with different expiration dates. This does not seem to be a problem at Tastyworks, however.