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In February of this year I went to Rockledge, Fl to visit a good buddy of mine. We sailed from Rockledge Florida to some small island near the space center at Cape Canaveral to watch a night shuttle launch. The wind was blowing 20 kts and the air temp was in the sixties, the water temp was well below that with 3 foot swells in a trimaran that sat low in the water so the spray was also bad for the 20 mile voyage. We camped out on the island, thank god there was small brush so we could start a fire to keep us warm. We woke up at 4 am just to watch the lookout planes land and inevitably the launch was scrubbed that day. We sailed back another 4 hours in the same weather. As miserable as my body was, my mind was enthralled by the ability of the boat to harness the wind and that is all I though about on the plane ride back to Auburn, Al. Before that I was not really interested in sailing, sure I was rail meat in several Dauphin Island races that included a boat wreck, but was never really excited or had the opportunity to take the helm. I bought a '76 hobie (from the VIN#) with '74 colored sails and hulls in May of this year. The guy I bought it from didn't really know anything about the boat, in fact he never put the jib up when he sailed it. Since purchasing my Hobie 16 I have learned so much information on sailing and maintaining my hobie from this forum and the hard knocks of experience. Every time I go out I get a little more confident and push the boat and myself a little further. Unfortunately I live in Auburn, Al which is several hours away from a steady source of +10 kts wind.
This last weekend I took it out in Bon Secour, Al with my girlfriends brother. The wind forecast was promising, to reach about 14 kts sustained winds around noon from the south. I was pumped up about just updating my old main block system to the new 6:1 system and was ready to sail. We got the hobie launched and traveling down the small tributary into Bon Secour bay when I realized that the shackle for the lower block was too big to fit through my traveler. The first shackle I though of was from the jib, which was already up and I decided to let my girlfriends brother, Joe, take the helm so I could attempt to switch out the shackle that connects the jib system with the bigger one from the blocks. Joe pointed us into the wind and I successfully released the jib lines from the shackle, but a puff of wind came and filled the jib, throwing the shackle into the drink. Long story short, we found another shackle and had to sail with the jib unattached at the clew, probably not the best thing I realize but what the hell. When we were going upwind and needed to tack joe would grab the jib clew and the hobie would swing around nicely.
We got out into Bon Secour bay and damn near the end of Fort Morgan.**Literally a couple hundred yards from where Admiral Farragut uttered the phrase "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead". On several reaches the hull started to lift, but I was still not confident enough in pushing her the last couple of inches. It would have really been exciting with the extra push from the jib if we would have had it.
Next up will be upgrading the trapeze harness I have (seems to have a firm grip on the nether regions) to a newer style harness, taking out the rudder slop and buying some key replacement parts to take on our journeys.
In short thanks for this forum and all the stellar advice given.
Best
Branson
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War Damn Eagle
Branson
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